08/14/2025
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and earth. KJV (King James Version)
Gen. 1:1 The Hebrew word for "Create" is translated from a word that (in the form found here) is reserved in the Old Testament for the activity of God. it refers to God's exclusive ability to bring into existence out of nothing. To indicate God is forming something out of preexisting material, the creation narrative uses the term "made."
The word "God" is translated from the plural Elo-him, which is used over 2,000 times in the Old Testament to refer to the singular Jehovah.
(Genesis 22:14) we could note that Jehovah is usually translated as LORD in the Bible. Jehovah is a Latinized version of the letters YHWH, using a "J" for "Y" and a "V" for a "W" and adding vowels. The word is derived from taking the letters YHWH and adding the vowels from the word Adonai (Lord) to these letters. Mostbiblical scholars translate "LORD" as Yahweh. When Jews see the name YHWH in the Bible, they read "Adonai" to show respect for the name of the Lord.
While a few believe this word refers to the Trinity, it actually signifies greatness: the infinite great and exalted One; the fullness of all divine power. In Hebrew, it is common to use repetition of a modifier or the plural of a noun to indicate intensity. Clearly, the original audience of Genesis saw no multiplicty of any kind implied in the use of the plural form. Deuteronomy 10:17 reveals the oneness of God in superlatives: "For the LORD your God is God of God's and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe."
