There are so many names for God in the Bible. Among them are Yahweh (יהוה), Adonai, Elohim, and more. But His names aren’t just there so we know what to call Him. In Hebrew culture, names meant a lot more than that. They described personality traits or even of the purpose of someone’s life.

The significance of names is the same with God. It’s through His many names that we can discover His characteristics and get to know who He really is! Some of His names were ways He named Himself, while others were given to Him by His people. Like many things we learn from the Bible, we discover many of God’s attributes through His interactions with the people in the Bible and the names they gave Him.

This article will cover the name Elohim and those related to it. If you’re interested in even more names of God, here are other articles in this series you may enjoy.

The Names of God: Revealing God’s Personality Traits

The Names of God: יהוה, the God of Israel

The Names of God: Adonai, Our Lord and Master

Find the free printable PDF Names of God Chart here!

If you’re new to the Hebrew language, it may be helpful to start with my posts on the Hebrew Alphabet and the Hebrew Vowels.

Elohim אֱלֹהִים

Plural for Eloah (אֱלֹוהַ ) and from the word El (אֵל), this is the first name of God given in the Bible in Genesis 1:1, just before God created the universe. This name implies God’s mighty nature. Elah (אֱלָהּ), a name meaning “awesome One” is an Aramaic word found in many places throughout the Old Testament, Daniel 2:18, for example.

Like יהוה, Elohim is often attached to other words to expose additional aspects of God’s character. In English translations of the Bible, Elohim is translated as “God”. It doesn’t just refer to our God but also to angels and gods in general, although it’s not capitalized in this case to indicate that. For example, it’s the word used in Exodus 20, verse 3, in the command, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

As I said above, Elohim is a plural form. But why is the plural form used when referring to God? Well, the Bible doesn’t directly explain it, but we do have a few clues. First, it’s not uncommon in Hebrew for something we think of as singular to be found in the plural form. Some examples are “water,” which is mayim (מַיִם), and “face,” which is panim (פָּנִים). Some say Elohim in the plural form refers to the Trinity, while others say that it’s a form of royal “we,” or an “honorific plural” used by or in reference to those of great importance and power.

Elohai, meaning “my God,” can be found where Ruth stays with Naomi in Ruth 1:16, when she says, “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.” It’s used in many places throughout the Old Testament and was used by Jesus when he quoted David (Ps. 22:1) before his death on the cross by saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Just as Elohai changes Elohim to make it “my God,” Eloheinu is “our God.”

El Shaddai אֵל שַׁדַּי

God gave this name to Himself in Genesis 17:1 when establishing His covenant with Abram. El Shaddai means “all-sufficient God”. The word Shaddai is also used by itself in Numbers 24:4, commonly translated as “Almighty.”

El Echad אֵל אֶֽחָד

Echad means “one” in Hebrew so this name means “one God” as in Malachi 2:10. It also reminds us of The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4 “our God is one”!

El Hanneman אֵל   הַֽנֶּאֱמָן

Also in Deuteronomy, this name means “the faithful God” and is used in chapter 7, verse 9 in a warning to the Hebrew people not to turn from their faithful God.

El Tzaddik אֵל צַדִּיק

God gives Himself this name through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 45:21. It means “righteous God.”

El Elyon אֵל עֶלְיֹון

Meaning “most high God,” El Elyon is what King David called God in Psalm 9 when thanking Him for His perfect justice. Elyon can also be found alone, as in Numbers 24:16, where Baalam praises God in prophecy after Balak has tried to convince him to curse Israel.

El Elim אֵל אֵלִים

This name is used in Daniel 11:36. It shows, while others may have many gods, ours is the one who’s above them all!

El De’ot אֵל דֵּעֹות

Hannah gives God this name, meaning “God of knowledge,” in a prayer of thanksgiving for her much-awaited son, Samuel (1 Sam. 2:3). The fear (reverence) of God is described as the beginning of knowledge in Proverbs 1:7, so we can know that He’s the source of all the knowledge we need!

El Haggadol אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים

When addressing the Hebrew people, Moses gives God this name, meaning “the great God” (Deut. 10:17).

El HaKevod אֵל הַכָּבֹוד

“The God of glory” is what this name means. It’s found in Psalm 29, verse 3, where David beautifully describes our awesome God, as he does so often throughout the Psalms.

El HaKadosh אֵל   הַקָּדֹושׁ

In a description of God’s justice, this name, meaning “the holy God,” is given in Isaiah 5:16. There is no one holier than God, making His the only perfect and right judgment.

El HaShamayim אֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם

Meaning “the God of the heavens,” comes from Psalm 136 (verse 26), a Psalm of praise and thankfulness to God for His goodness and blessings to Israel.

El Olam אֵל עֹולָם

This name means “everlasting God” and can be found in Genesis 21:33, just after Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech. Our God is everlasting! He has no beginning and no end! Isn’t that amazing?

El Roi אֵל רֳאִי

In Genesis 16:13, Hagar gave God this name when she found out she was pregnant with Ishmael. It means God who sees”. Because of her life circumstances, it didn’t seem like God saw her, but He did, just like He sees all of us, even when we don’t feel like it!

El Yeshurun אֵל יְשֻׁרוּן

Yeshurun (also translated as “Jeshurun”) means “Israel” or “righteous people,” so this name means “God of Israel”.

El Yisrael אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Just as El Yeshurun and as mentioned in a Psalm of David (Psalm 68:36), this name means “God of Israel”.

El Channun אֵל חַנּוּן

Jonah gave this name to God in Jonah 4:2 in a complaint to Him. It means “gracious God.”

El Rachum אֵל רַחוּם

From a message to the Hebrew people from Moses, this name means “God of compassion” and is found in Deuteronomy 4:31.

El Yashuati אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי

Related to the name Yeshua (Jesus), this name means “God of my salvation” and is found in Isaiah 12:2. The phrase “God of our salvation” is El Yeshatenu (אֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ), from Psalm 68:19.

El Kanno אֵל קַנֹּוא

In Joshua 24:19, God is described as “kana”, which can be translated as either “jealous” or “zealous”. This aspect of God’s character is better understood when compared it to a marriage relationship. It’s similar to a man being jealous for his wife. He wants her to himself and doesn’t like to share. This jealousy is how God is with us. He wants to be our only God and doesn’t want to share!

El Hannorah אֵל הַנּוֹרָא

God is described in Nehemiah 9:32 as “the awesome God”. There’s no more accurate statement than that! He is indeed the most awesome there is!

El Chaiyai אֵל חַיָּי

This name, from Psalm 42:8, means “God of my life”. Is He the God of your life? If so, you know the peace that can bring! Closely related is Elohim Chai (אֱלֹהִים חַי), “living God”.

El Ghmulot אֵל גְּמֻלוֹת

In Jeremiah 51:56, Jeremiah refers to God using this name to warn that God will bring Babylon to justice for their treatment of His people. This name is translated as “the LORD is a God of recompense” or “the LORD is a God of retribution.”

Immanu El עִמָּנוּ אֵל

This name is one we’re all familiar with. Commonly translated “Immanuel,” “God with us” in Isaiah 7:14 points forward to when Jesus came to earth, and humans experienced God with them in the form of a man.

Elohim Emet אֱלֹהִים   אֱמֶת

While discussing idolatry, Jeremiah distinguishes our God as the “true God” with this name, found in Jeremiah 10:10. El Emet (אֵל אֱמֶת) has the same meaning and is also mentioned in Psalm 31:5.

Elohim Bashamayim אֱלֹהִים   בַּשָּׁמַיִם

“God in heaven” is the name given by Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:6.

Elohim Chayim אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים

This name, meaning “living God,” is similar to El Chaiyai and Elohim Chai above. Chai (חַי) in Hebrew means “life”.

Elah Shamayia אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא

Similar to Elohim Bashamayim, from the book of Ezra (7:23), Elah Shamayia means “God of Heaven”.

Elah Yerushalim אֱלָהּ יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם

God is referred to as the “God of Jerusalem” in Ezra 7:19 and as the “God of Israel” (אֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל) yet again in Ezra 5:1.

Eloah Selichot אֱלֹוהַּ סְלִיחֹות

I’m so thankful for this one! In Nehemiah 9:17, it says that our God is a “God of forgiveness.” We don’t deserve it, but He’s patient with us and has given Jesus to us to redeem our sin, which we can’t do for ourselves.

Elohei Tz’vaot אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאֹות

In 2 Samuel 5:10, the name, “God of hosts” is said to be the cause of David’s greatness.

Elohei Avraham, Yitzach, and Ya’akov אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב 

To distinguish from the many gods of the surrounding peoples, our God is the “God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.” “God of Jacob” can also be found as Eloah Ya’akov (אֱלוֹהַּ יַעֲקֹב) in Psalm 114:7.

Elohei HaElohim אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים

In Deuteronomy 10:17, this is another name for “God of gods,” similar to El Elim above. Another name with the same meaning, Elah Elahin (אֱלָהּ אֱלָהִין) can be found in Daniel 2:47.

Elohei MaUzzi אֵל מָעוּזִּי חָיִל

“God, a strong fortress” is what this name means, found in 2 Samuel 22:33. David gives Him this name in praise, attributing all his success to God. A similar name, El sal’i (אֵל סַלְעִי), meaning “God, my rock”, can be found in Psalm 42:9. The word for rock here can also mean a crag or a cliff.

Elohei Mikkarov אֱלֹהֵי מִקָּרֹב

“God who is near” is what God says about Himself in Jeremiah 23:23. What an amazing gift we have in that we’re able to have a God who wants to be close to us!

Elohei Marom אֱלֹהֵי מָרֹום

“God of heights” or “God on high” is how God is described in Micah 6:6. While this may seem like the opposite of the previous name, “God who is near,” but since He’s God, He can be both near to us and a God whose exalted!

Elohei Tzur Yishi אֱלֹהֵי צוּר יִשְׁעִֽי

Similar to El Yashuati above, this name given by David means “God, the rock of my salvation” and is found in 2 Samuel 22:47.

Elohei Mishpat אֱלֹהֵי מִשְׁפָּט

In Isaiah 30:18, the people of Israel are given hope that their God will bring justice to those who have mistreated them. This name means “God of justice”.

Elohei Kedem אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם

“Eternal God” is what this name means. It’s used in Deuteronomy 33:27 by Moses on his deathbed. Although he knows he can’t accompany the Hebrew people into the Promised Land, he does know the God that will go with them and that He is forever.

Elohei Tehellati אֱלֹהֵי תְהִלָּתִי

This name should really be the name we all have for God. Elohai Tellhelati means “God of my praise.” Like no one else, God’s the only one deserving of all of our praise!

Elohei Avoteinu אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹותֵינוּ

Meaning “God of our fathers”, this is yet another name given by David, and it can be found in 1 Chronicles 12:17. Elah Ahavti (אֱלָהּ אֲבָהָתִי) is similar but means “God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23).

Elohei Nachor אֱלֹהֵי נָחוֹר

Just as He’s the God of Abraham, God is also described as the God of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, in Genesis 31:53.

Elohei Haruchot Lakol Basar אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר 

Moses and Aaron describe God as the “God of the spirits of all flesh” in Numbers 16:22, and Moses repeats this in chapter 27, verse 16. Our God is not only God over everything physical but also over the spiritual world! What an amazing God we have!

There are so many names of God related to El and Elohim! It’s impossible for us to fully comprehend all of who He is but the study of His names gives us a glimpse of His character and He’s just awesome!

One of the reasons for the existence of the Bible is to help us to get to know God. As we study the Bible, we see His work, how He relates to His people, what He’s capable of and more! It’s through Bible study that we meet Him and get to know who He is.

In the Hebrew culture of the Old Testament, names weren’t merely for identification like they are in our culture today. A name exposed someone’s deeper identity, their purpose, or their place in the world. Through a name, you could learn of a person’s story and it’s the same with God.

But we don’t know God’s true name. The closest we have is the Hebrew letters יהוה, usually pronounced “Yahweh”. That doesn’t stop us from having a chance to get to know Him though His many names though. Each name used to refer to God reveals a different aspect of His character so studying these names can help us to get to know Him better. Through learning the characteristics that give Him these names, we get to learn more of who He is!

In many cases, the names given to God are given not by Himself but by people that encounter Him. Like much of the Bible, one of the ways we get to know God is through the relationship He has with His people and the names they give Him are not an exception to that. When the patriarchs of the people of Israel give God a name, that name reveals to us an aspect of God’s character.

Below are the basic names of God but they’re only a starting point. There are many, many more names of God. To see more, click on the links in the headings.

If you’re interested in even more names of God, here are other articles in this series you may enjoy.

The Names of God: יהוה, the God of Israel

The Names of God: Elohim, The Mighty One

The Names of God: Adonai, Our Lord and Master

Find the free printable PDF Names of God Chart here!

If you’re new to the Hebrew language, it may be helpful to start with my posts on the Hebrew Alphabet and the Hebrew Vowels. You’ll also find my Hebrew Language Resources page helpful.

Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה

This is the name that God used to refer to Himself as “I AM THAT I AM” in Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked what to say when the people ask who sent him. He said again to tell the people that “I AM” sent Moses and He followed that by referring to Himself as “Elohim”. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh can also be translated as “I will be what I will be”.

Why did He give such a complicated answer instead of just a name? We often forget when thinking about God that we’re attempting to get our mortal minds around the supernatural Creator of the Universe. Such a creature would have to be far beyond our understanding for if He fit within the confines of it, He could not be the all-powerful being He is. So it makes sense that a name which labels this awesome supernatural being would be beyond our human capability to understand as well!

Furthermore, this name gives us a glimpse of our God’s eternal nature. He has no beginning and no end – at least not by our human comprehension. He exists now and always has and always will. But to say that he merely exists is too passive. He’s not just “there”. He’s active. He creates, loves, judges, etc., constantly and forever. He simply is.

Yahweh – יהוה

Found almost 7,000 times and in all but three books of the Old Testament, these 4 Hebrew letters, יהוה, are the consonants used to refer to God. This name is often referred to as the Tetragrammaton, which is a Greek word meaning “made of four letters” and it’s translated into English as “LORD”.

Since no vowels accompany these four consonants in the original Hebrew texts, there’s some speculation on the pronunciation of this name. Many agree that it’s pronounced “Yahweh” (or “Yahveh”), with the vowels appearing as יַהְוֶה, yet others propose that the vowels are as such instead יְהֹוָה. This second pronunciation would render another familiar name for God – “Yehovah” or the common translation of “Jehovah”.

Regardless of pronunciation, יהוה comes from the root word meaning “to be”. This would make sense as God referred to Himself as “I AM”, which is a form of the verb “to be”.

As the name of God is holy, many don’t speak it out of reverence and respect. Instead, it’s often replaced by “HaShem”, meaning “the Name” or “Adonai”, meaning “my Lord” as well as other terms of honor.

The name יהוה is used in situations where God’s interacting with His people, like when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush or breathed life into Adam. It’s combined with other words to show us His character even more specifically.

Elohim אֱלֹהִים

Plural for Eloah (אֱלֹוהַ ) and from the word El (אֵל), this is the first name of God given in the Bible in Genesis 1:1, just before God created the universe. This name implies God’s mighty nature. Like יהוה, Elohim is attached to other words to expose additional aspects of His character.

Elohim doesn’t just refer to the God of Israel but to gods in general or even to angels, although it’s not capitalized in this case to indicate that. For example, it’s the word used in Exodus 20, verse 3, in the command “You shall have no other gods before Me”.

Why is the plural form Elohim, used? Well, the Bible doesn’t directly explain it but it’s not uncommon in Hebrew for something we think of as singular to be found in the plural form. Some examples are “water”, which is mayim (מַיִם) and “face”, which is panim (פָּנִים). Some say Elohim in the plural form refers to the Trinity but others say that it’s a form of royal “we”, or an “honorific plural” used by or in reference to those of great importance and power.

Elohai, meaning “my God”, can be found where Ruth stays with Naomi in Ruth 1:16, when she says “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God”. It’s used in many places throughout the Old Testament and was used by Jesus when he quoted David (Ps. 22:1) before his death on the cross by saying “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”.

Adonai אֲדֹנָי

Translated into English as “Lord”, Adonai is an extended form of the word Adon (אָדוֹן), which is also a name for God but can be used to refer to men or angels as well.

As I said above, Adonai is also often used as a substitute for יהוה when reading scripture or praying out loud out of respect for God’s name. It’s also said in Jewish liturgy when יְיָ has been written in place of יהוה.

This name of God can be found in combination with Yahweh as Adonai Yahweh (אֲדֹנָי יַהְוֶה), which is another name translated as “Lord GOD” as in Genesis 15:2, “Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me…”.

Adonai can also be conjugated to be “our Lord” or “our Master” as Adoneinu (אֲדֹנֵנוּ) and Adoni (אֲדֹנִי), which means “my Lord”. These are shown in 1 Samuel 16:16 and Joshua 5:14, respectively.

Other Names of God

There are many names of God that aren’t used in conjunction with Yahweh, Elohim, or Adonai but are important to learn in that they also reveal attributes of God that can help us get to know Him. They’re words typically used to describe human attributes, such as Chatan (חָתָן), meaning “bridegroom” or Shofet (שֹׁפֵט), meaning “judge”.

In studying these names, we conclude not that God is human-like but that we are somewhat God-like. This aligns with what we already know about our creation, that we’re created in God’s image. Thus the human attributes we use to describe God are actually His attributes that we get a glimpse of even through our humanity.

If you’re being blessed by the study of God’s names and attributes, make sure not to miss the many additional names by clicking on the links found in the headings above.

How would you like to read the Psalms in the original Hebrew? Wouldn’t it be fantastic to hear the Psalms the way Jesus heard them? Here’s a way you can – even if you don’t know Hebrew!

Israel365

Israel365 publishes the Israel Bible Book of Psalms. They’re an organization that partners with Christians to connect those who know God’s heart for Israel with a practical way to support this precious Nation. As we watch prophecy unfold in the Jewish peoples’ return to Israel, we unfortunately also see them experience hardship in their return to the Land.

Violence and persecution mark what should be a joyous reunion, but Israel365 is helping to make the return to Israel easier for the Jewish people. Holocaust survivors and their families, children, widows, and others are the recipients of aid provided by Israel365. Israel365 also provides a dependable source for Israeli news and other ways for Christians to support Israel.

The Book of Psalms 

I love the Hebrew language and feel strongly that Christians should strive to study it, but it can be difficult and time-consuming to learn a new language. We are so blessed to live in a time when we have access to technology that makes it easier to understand the Bible’s original languages, such as Blue Letter Bible and Bible Hub.

The Book of Psalms is another resource that allows you to read the Bible in its original language – without knowing Hebrew! It’s a unique book that contains the Hebrew, English translation, and English pronunciation of the Hebrew for the entire Book of Psalms. The pronunciation (transliteration) will have you reading the Psalms in Hebrew immediately, even if you don’t know any Hebrew at all! 

Like others published by Israel365, this book is of high quality, with clear fonts and Hebrew vowel pointing, so it’s also valuable to those new to Hebrew. The chapter divisions are clear, with chapter numbers in both English and Hebrew. There’s also a chart of the Hebrew alphabet at the front of the book so the reader can learn as they read through the Psalms. 

This book makes a remarkable gift to anyone who loves the Bible, a Hebrew student, or even a fluent Hebrew speaker! It would be an excellent devotional, an aid to verse memorization, or a way to practice reading in Hebrew. 

I have many books on the Bible and many that contain Hebrew, but this is on my list of favorites! What a beautiful way to study the poetry of the Psalms!  

Learning the Hebrew language is of great value to Christians in their study of the Bible. It helps us to better understand the Old Testament (and some New Testament) scriptures, which can ultimately lead to a deeper relationship with the God of the Bible Himself!

When studying Biblical Hebrew, students often concentrate on learning the words most commonly used in the Bible to aid in interpreting the texts. Familiarizing yourself with these 20 words will get your Hebrew reading skills off to a great start!

Note when you see Hebrew words below that Hebrew is read from right to left. I included pronunciation in parentheses for all Hebrew words to help sound them out.

1. The: הַ (pronounced ha)

Unsurprisingly, “the” is the most commonly used word in Biblical Hebrew, as it is the most frequently used in English. What’s interesting about “the” in Hebrew is its placement. It does not stand alone but is a prefix to the attached noun.

Example: “The heavens” in Genesis 1:1 is הַשָּׁמַיִם (ha-shuh-mah-yeem), with “ha” or “the” being a prefix to the word “heavens”.

Side note: A common use of this word is in the name of our Savior himself! In Hebrew, it’s Yeshua Hamashiach, where “Yeshua” means Jesus and “Hamashiach” means “the Messiah” or, more literally, “the anointed one.”

2. And: וְ (vuh)

Like “the,” the Hebrew word for “and” doesn’t stand alone. It’s attached to the word it precedes but functions like “and” in English.

For example: In Genesis 1:2, “And darkness” is וְהֹשֶׁךְ (vuh-ho-shekh), just one word. 

In Genesis 1:2, we also find the phrase “and the earth,” which shows us another neat thing about the Hebrew language. We can combine prefixes to make a single word from this phrase. The Hebrew word replacing “and the earth” is וְהָאָרֶץ (vuh-ha-ah-retz), where “ah-retz” means earth.

3. Yahweh: יהוה (Yahweh)

These four letters together are known as the Tetragrammaton or the Tetragram.

Example:  This is the word used as the name of God in Exodus 3:15 when God tells Moses to tell the Israelites who sent him (Moses).  It’s the 3rd person version of “I AM” (Ex. 3:14), so it’s more literally “He is”.  

God giving Moses the 3rd person version of His name eliminated the confusion the Israelites would have had when Moses told them who sent him. On the other hand, can you picture the conversation that would have been if God hadn’t given Moses the 3rd person alternative? The “He is” instead of just the “I AM”? Israelites: “So, Moses. Who sent you?” Moses: “I am”. Israelites: “Wait, what? You are what? I said who sent you?” And so on. That always makes me laugh. But don’t you love how God equips Moses with precisely what he needs for the job? You need a name? Here it is. You need a name to tell others? Here’s that, too.

4. God or gods: אֱלֹהִים (e-lo-heem)

Another word for God, Elohim, could also mean gods in general. It’s a lot like the English word “god” since it could mean just any god or THE God. 

Example: From Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God (אֱלֹהִים Elohim) created the the heavens and the earth”.  

5. King: מֶלֶךְ (meh-lekh)

One unique and exciting thing that significantly helps in understanding Hebrew is the concept of root words. A root, usually consisting of three Hebrew letters, gives you a clue into the word’s meaning. Related words typically have the same root.

For example: While מֶלֶךְ (meh-lekh) means “king,” מָלַךְ (ma-lock) means “to reign” or “he reigns”. And from that same root, the letters מ and ל, and כ (which becomes ך when at the end of a word) also make up מַלְכָּה (mall-kah), which means “queen” and מַלְכוּת (mal-khoot), meaning “kingdom.”

“Then the king (מֶלֶךְ meh-lekh) said to her, “What is troubling you, Esther, the queen (מַלְכָּה mall-kah)? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom (מַּלְכוּת mal-khoot), it shall be given to you.” Esther 5:3

6. Israel:  יִשְׂרָאֵל  (Yis-ray-el)

This one’s pretty straight forward, but important since it’s used a lot in the Hebrew Bible.   

Example: “Hear, O Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל  Yis-ray-el)…” Deut. 6:4

7. To, for, or in regard to: לְ (luh)

Like the Hebrew words for “the” and “and,” this word is also a prefix attached to the word it precedes. Note in the below verse that the vowel pointing (tiny dots or marks) under the letter in this word changes when attached to certain words.

Note: אֶל (el) can also be used as “to” or “toward”.  While it’s sometimes interchangeable with the prefix לְ (luh), this word appears by itself rather than as a prefix.

Examples: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes (לָעֵינַיִם luh-ae-nah-yeem)…” Gen. 3:6

8. From:  מִן  (meen)

This word can stand alone or be used as a prefix. It’s מִן when by itself, but when attached to another word, the letter ן (noon) drops off and appears as a dot (dagesh) in the word it connects to. A third way this word can appear is as a prefix with different vowel pointing – מֵ.

Example: “So Abram went up from Egypt (מִמִּצְרַיִם mee-meets-rah-yeem) to the Negev…”.  Gen. 13:1

9. Which or that: אֲשֶׁר (ah-share)

While certainly not one of the more exciting words in the Bible, this one is used quite often. Whether it’s translated as “which” or “that” depends on the translation and context.

Example: “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that (אֲשֶׁר ah-share) he had done in creation”  Gen. 2:3

10. All or whole: כֹּל (coal)

Here’s another word you’ll find frequently in the Hebrew Bible; its meaning is pretty straightforward. It’s usually attached to the word it precedes with a hyphen, and the vowel markings change when connected to a word.

Example: “And the whole congregation (כָּל־עֲדַת coal adat) of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness…”  Ex. 16:2

11. Direct object marker: אֵת (ate or et)

This word isn’t translatable because its only purpose is to indicate that the word following it is the direct object of the preceding verb. That may be confusing since we don’t use this in English, but this is frequently used in the Hebrew Bible.

For example: “You shall love the Lord your God (אֶתיְהוָה et-Yahweh) with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  Deut. 6:5

12. Day: יוֹם  (yōm)

In addition to being used often in the Hebrew Bible, yom is also used in the names of the days of the week in Hebrew. Yom Shabbat is Saturday, Yom Rishon is Sunday, etc.

Example: In this verse, the prefix for “the” is attached to the word for sabbath (shabbat).  “Remember the sabbath day (אֶת־יוֹםהַשָּׁבַּת et-yom-ha-shabbat), to keep it holy.” Ex. 20:8

13. Man or husband: אִישׁ (eesh)

אִישׁ (eesh) is the word for “man,” and the word for “woman” or “wife” is very similar – אִשָּׁה (ee-shah).

Example: “So Haman answered the king, “For a man (אִישׁ eesh) the king wants to honor…” Esther 6:7

14.   House: בַּיִת (ba-yeet)

This word can be pronounced “ba-yeet” but is often pronounced “beth” as well. It’s the first part of a word you already know, Bethlehem – בֵּית לָחֶם, which means “house of bread.”

Example: “By wisdom a house (בַּיִת ba-yeet) is built, And by understanding it is established;” Prov. 24:3

15. People: עַם (ahm)

This can mean the plural for “person” or can also mean “a people” as in a nation or people group.  

Example: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people (הָעָם ha-ahm) go.” Ex. 7:14

16. He said: אָמַר (ah-mar)

Verbs in Hebrew are conjugated depending on the gender and number of people doing the action, just like in Spanish, Arabic, or any grammatically gendered languages. The vowel pointing in אָמַר is the most common form for a verb and is 3rd-person masculine singular meaning “he” performed the action. So אָמַר means literally “he said.”

When changing who’s doing the action, both the letters and vowel pointing change. When using the verb “to say,” we change it to “she said” like this אָמְרָה (ahm-rah) and to “they said” like this אָמְרוּ (ahm-roo).   

In the Old Testament, “he said” often appears as “and he said” or “then he said,” which is וַיֹּאמֶר (vie-oh-mehr).

Example: “The king said (וַיֹּאמֶר vie-oh-mehr, literally “and said the king”)…” Esther 6:3

17. Word or thing: דָּבָר (dah-var)

This word can be translated a few different ways in addition to “word” and “thing.” It can also mean “speech,” “matter,” “anything,” “saying,” “utterance,” and other similar words or concepts.

Like other nouns, דָּבָר (dah-var) can be conjugated depending on whether it’s plural. דְּבָרִים (duh-var-eem) is the plural form of “words.”

Example: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word (דָּבָר dah-var) spoken in right circumstances” Prov. 25:11

18. He or it: הוּא (who)

My children always laugh about this one. “He” is pronounced “who” while “she” (הִיא) is pronounced, “he”.

Example: “He (הוּא who) shall build a house for My name…” 2 Sam. 7:1319.

19. To walk or he walked: הָלַךְ (hah-lock)

The word הָלַךְ (hah-lock) can mean “to walk” but also “go,” “come,” or “enter,” and is even used as the verb when Noah’s ark is floating on the water.

This word is another verb, so it may appear differently depending on who’s doing the walking. “She walked” is הָלְכָה (ha-leh-khah), and “they walked” is הָלְכוּ (hall-khoo).

Example: “…And the Lord helped David wherever he went (הָלַךְ hah-lock).” 2 Sam. 8:6

20. Son: בֵּן (beyn)

The plural form of בֵּן (beyn) is בָּנִים (ba-neem). On the other hand, daughter is similar – בַּת (bot), and its plural form is בָּנוֹת (ba-note).

Example: “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son (בֵּן beyn)…” Isaiah 7:14

If you’re interested in learning Hebrew, visit my resources page for various ways to learn. If you’d like to use the method of studying frequently used Biblical vocabulary words, Building Your Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary: Learning Words by Frequency and Cognate is a book by George Landes that is great for that. There are also numerous apps (both iOS and Android) that can be very helpful for studying this way.  

When you really want to delve into your studies of the Bible, a knowledge of its original languages is indispensable! Aside from the obvious biblical advantages, there are other benefits to a Christian’s faith when learning Hebrew.

If you’re just starting out, welcome! I encourage you to first become familiar with the Hebrew alphabet, as well as the vowels as a starting point.

Flash cards are a great way to memorize these and build a firm foundation. Here are free printable flash cards of the words in this article to help you memorize them. From there, this article will lead you into some of the common and basic Biblical Hebrew words. Here are more frequently used words in the Bible for you to study.

The Hebrew language is written from right to left. This may be difficult to get used to but you can train your brain to immediately recognize this in no time! Because of this, books written in Hebrew will be opposite of those in English, with the spine on the right instead of the left and they’ll open toward the right instead of the left as well.

A Hebrew word is read by saying the consonant first, then the vowel that accompanies it, then the next consonant, and so on. You can easily sound the words out, similar to the Phonics method of learning to read English.

Note on pronunciation: I use the letters “ch” to indicate not the English “ch” sound as in “chew” but the Hebrew guttural sound as in the name “Bach”.

אָב (father)

This word means “father” and is pronounced “ahv”. אַבָּא, pronounced abbah, is a more familiar term for “father”, similar to the use of “dad” in English.

נַעַר (young man)

The word for “young man” is pronounced “nah-ar”. Related to this is the word for “young woman”, נַעֲרָה, pronounced “nah-ah-rah”.

אַבְרָהָם (Abraham)

One of the most significant names in the Bible, Abraham, is pronounced “av-rah-hahm”.

דַּוִד (David)

Another of the people we know in the Bible, David, is pronounced “dah-veed”.

שַׁמָע (hear)

Pronounced “sha-mah”, this is the word for “to hear” or “he heard”. Conjugation of Hebrew verbs is gender-dependent, so “she heard” would be שָׁמְעָה, pronounced “sham-ah”. They heard, if you’re talking about a group of males, would be שָׁמְעוּ, pronounced “sham-oo”.

הוּא (it)

Nouns have masculine or feminine gender in Hebrew. For example, the word for table, שֻׁלְחָן (“shul-chan”) is masculine, while the word for family, מִשְׁפָחָה (“meesh-pa-chah”) is feminine.

“Hoo” is how you pronounce the word for “it” (הוּא above) when you’re describing a masculine noun. For feminine nouns, הִיא pronounced “hee”, is used. So, “he” is “she” and “who” is “he”. That’s how my children remember it!

מִצְוָה (commandment)

Pronounced “meetz-vah”, this is the word for “commandment”. A mitzvah can also be a good deed or act of obedience to God’s Law. Plural, mitzvah would become mitzvot (מִצְוֺת).

יְרוּשָׁלַםִ (Jerusalem)

Jerusalem is pronounced “yuh-roo-sha-la-eeem”. This is one case where a vowel sound precedes a letter it’s under. The chiriq under the final mem at the end of the word is said before the mem, making the sound “eem” rather than “mee”.

Another case where the vowel sound precedes its letter is when Chet is found at the end of a word and accompanied by the vowel patach (חַ). In this case, instead of being pronounced “cha”, it’s pronounced “ach”. An example is the word רוּחַ, which means “spirit”. It’s pronounced “roo-ach”.

מִצְרַיִם (Eqypt)

Here’s another familiar place in the Bible. Meaning “Egypt”, Mitzrayim is pronounced “meetz-ra-yeem”.

בְּהֵמָה (animal)

Pronounced “buh-hey-mah”, this is the Hebrew word for “animal”. It can also mean “cattle”. Plural, בְּהֵמָה would be בְּהֵמוֹת, pronounced “buh-hey-moat”.

זַכַר (to remember)

This verb means “to remember” or “he remembered”. It’s pronounced “za-char” and is conjugated depending on the subject. “She remembered” would be זָכְרָה, pronounced “zach-rah” and “they remembered” would be זָכְרוּ, pronounced “zach-roo”.

לִפְנֵי (before)

Pronounced “leef-nay”, this is the word for “before” as in “he appeared before the king”.

עַמַד (to stand)

Here’s another verb. This one means “to stand” and is pronounced “ah-mahd”. It’s conjugation is similar to other Hebrew verbs, so “she stood” would be עָמְדָה (“am-dah”) and “they stood” would be עָמְדוּ (“ahm-doo”).

עִיר (city)

“City” in Hebrew is pronounced “eer”. “Cities” would then be עָרִים, pronounced “ah-reem”.

עֶבֶד (servant)

“Eh-ved” is the word for “servant” or “slave”. Plural, it’s עֲבָדִים, pronounced “ah-vah-deem”.

אָח (brother)

The word for “brother” is pronounced “ach”. Plural, it’s אַחִים (“ach-eem”) and the word for “sister” is אָחוֹת and is pronounced “ach-oat”.

לֶחֶם (bread)

“Le-chem” means “bread”. As Christians, we’re familiar with the name of the place of Jesus’s birth, Bethlehem. Bethlehem is a Hebrew word (בֵּית לֶחֶם), meaning “house of bread” or “beit-le-chem” (more commonly pronounced “beth-le-chem”).

מַיִם (water)

“Water” in Hebrew is pronounced “mah-yeem”. The ending of the word mayim indicates that it’s plural, so it’s more literally translated “waters”, such as in Genesis 1, when God’s Spirit hovered over the waters.

לֵב (heart)

The word for “heart” is pronounced “layve”. It can also appear as לֵבָב, which would be pronounced “lay-vave”.

Memorizing these words will increase your Hebrew vocabulary and aid you in your Bible studies. Here’s a printable version of flash cards of the words in this article to help you memorize them. There are many other resources for learning Biblical Hebrew on my Hebrew Language Resources page.