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Question 12.24:
Why are there different names for G-d?

Here is an explanation of some of the names used:

• E-lohim (el-hiym). "Lawmaker", both in the sense of nature and in that of moral and religious law. In Exodus, the legislators of the human court are refered to as elohim. The plural is perhaps a statement of majesty, or perhaps the idea that G-d is the Author of all laws. Not that the two are all that different. The majestic plural comes from the idea that the king or queen spoke for all of England. Jewish tradition notes that this name is used in naaratives where G-d's actions can more readily be seen as pure justice.

• El. Almighty. Same root as E-lohim.

• Y-H-V-H. Literally "the self existent" implying "eternal". Sometimes this is rendered as "I am", but this doesn't really express the significance behind what is implied with this word. This word is harder to translate because the vowels have been lost. The usual "Ye-hovah" is actually the vowelization of "A-donai" (my L-rd[s]), adapted for the consonants. The leading yud can't take the almost-schwa short /a/ sound, so it is written with a schwa instead. The word can also be taken to mean "the Causer of existance". Also, midrashically, the tetragrammaton is taken as a contraction of "hayah, hoveh, yihyeh -- was, is, will be".

• Ad-nai. Supreme Lord or sovereign. Again, literally it means "my L-rd[s]".

Does the grammar or use a unique one or singular being, as compared to that implied by the use of the plural? Not really, because the adjectives and verbs used with these names are consistantly singular. The name can't be intended as a plural, which is a second reason, aside from the monotheistic theology.

There is more information in answer 9.11.

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