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Have you ever wondered about the depth of knowledge that Biblical Hebrew or Greek could add to your Bible studies? The Israel Institute on Biblical Studies provides quality online courses in Biblical languages and studies, catering to both degree and non-degree programs.
I started studying Biblical Hebrew ten years ago but reached a point where I had a pretty good understanding of most things I needed – the liturgy at our synagogue and Bible study on a fundamental level. I slowed down on my Hebrew studies and had difficulty finding a class on my level. Studying alone didn’t hold me accountable enough to stay challenged, so I knew I needed something else to move forward in my studies.
I enrolled in a course with the Israel Institute, and I’m so pleased with my class! Since I had previous Hebrew experience, I didn’t have to start at the beginning but tested into a course appropriate for my level. My class is small, so my teacher is accessible, and there’s room for discussion during classes.
One of the best aspects of these courses is their flexibility. The classes meet weekly online, and you can choose the day and time that best fits your schedule. Each class lasts about an hour, with manageable homework assignments in between. You can expect to spend about 1-2 hours weekly on homework. Course materials are available in both printable and book formats, ensuring you have everything you need at your fingertips.
The Israel Institute offers a variety of intriguing course options. Beyond Biblical Hebrew, they also provide courses in Greek and Biblical Studies. They collaborate with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to offer both degree and non-degree programs. Having experienced the high quality of their courses, I’m excited about exploring more of their offerings in the future!
If you’re interested in Biblical Language courses or even taking your Bible studies to the next level, check out the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies. I’m a student and an affiliate of theirs, so please use the provided affiliate link from this page for enrollment. Thank you in advance!
Following the yearly Torah portion schedule is a wonderful way to study the whole Bible! For information about studying the Torah portions, read Parashōt, The Original Bible Study!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
The Bible is the best-selling book in history, and for good reason! As Christians, we believe that it’s not just another book but contains God’s very words! Because of this, the Bible is a book that can not only teach you but change your life!
The Bible has been around for a long, long time! The earliest known manuscripts are over 1,000 years old (The Leningrad Codex) and cover events that occurred thousands of years ago! As you know, the Bible is divided into two main parts: the Old and New Testaments. The collection of 39 books we refer to as the Old Testament is similar to the Hebrew Bible used by the Jewish people. Unlike the Protestant Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible doesn’t include the New Testament at all.
So, are the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament the same? Not exactly. Although the Hebrew Bible (also called the Tanakh) and Old Testament contain the same information, it’s arranged differently in each. Let’s take a look.
The Old Testament
in the same order as the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint. The Septuagint, the Protestant Old Testament, and the Hebrew Bible all contain the same information, but they are presented in different languages. The order of the books in the Old Testament (and Septuagint) is due to them being divided into categories subject-wise.
Old Testament Books in order with divisions:
Books of Law (also called the Pentateuch or Torah, five books)
2 divisions among the prophecy books: Major (longer books, prophesies have a broader focus) and Minor (shorter books, narrow focus)
Major Prophets:
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Minor Prophets:
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
The Hebrew Bible (The Tanakh)
The Hebrew Bible was canonized (deemed to be inspired Holy scripture) early in the Common Era. Some say this occurred at the Rabbinic Council of Jamnia around 90 CE, but other sources say it was intact before that time.
Made up of 24 books, the Hebrew Bible is also known as the Tanakh, an acronym that denotes its three main divisions: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. It’s organized in order of the status of the authors, with Moses first, the early prophets next, and so on.
The “Ta” in the word “Tanakh” is for the Torah. Also known as the Pentateuch or the Books of Moses (Chumash (חומש) in Hebrew), the Torah is the first five books of the Bible.
Genesis (the Hebrew name is Bereshit – בְּרֵאשִׁית, meaning “in a beginning”)
Exodus (Shemot – שְׁמֹות, meaning “names”)
Leviticus (Vayiqra – וַיִּקְרָא, meaning “and He called”)
Numbers (Bemidbar – בְּמִדְבַּר, meaning “in the wilderness”)
Deuteronomy (Devarim – דְּבָרִים, meaning “words”)
The Prophets (8 books)
The “Na” in the word “Tanakh” is for the Prophets or Nevi’im (נְבִיאִים) in Hebrew. These are broken into the Former (or Early) and Latter (or Later) Prophets. Twelve of the books in the Old Testament are combined into one in the Hebrew Bible.
The books in the Old Testament that are divided into two parts, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, and 1st and 2nd Chronicles (below in the Writings section), are combined into one book in the Tanakh.
Former Prophets (Nevi’im Reshonim – נְבִיאִים רִאשׁוֹנִים)
The Twelve Minor Prophets (Trei Asar– תְּרֵי עָשָׂר, grouped into one book)
Hosea (Hoshea – הוֹשֵׁעַ)
Joel (Yo’el – יוֹאֵל)
Amos (‘Amos – עָמוֹס)
Obadiah (‘Ovadyah – עֹבַדְיָה)
Jonah (Yonah – יוֹנָה)
Micah (Mikhah – מִיכָה)
Nahum (Nachum – נַחוּם)
Habakkuk (Havakuk – חֲבַקּוּק)
Zephaniah (Tz’fanyah – צְפַנְיָה)
Haggai (Hagai – חַגַּי)
Zechariah (Z’kharyah – זְכַרְיָה)
Malachi (Mal’akhi – מַלְאָכִי)
The Writings (11 books)
Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים) in Hebrew, the Writings division contains eleven books, divided into Poetic, Scrolls, and Histories or “other books.” Ketuvim is where the final syllable “kh” in the word “Tanakh” comes from.
The Five Scrolls are grouped together in one section, as each is a traditional reading for a specific holiday. Ezra and Nehemiah are combined to make one book, and 1st and 2nd Chronicles are one book as well.
Poetic or Wisdom Books (Sifrei Emet – סִפְרֵי אֶמֶת)
Psalms (Tehillim – תְהִלִּים)
Proverbs (Mishlei – מִשְׁלֵי)
Job (Iyov – אִיּוֹב)
The Five Scrolls (Hamesh Megilliot – חַמֶשׁ מְגִלּוֹת)
Although in a different language and order, we share the precious scriptures of the Old Testament with the Jewish people in their Hebrew Bible! The Protestant Old Testament and the Tanakh have differences, but they contain the same words of our God, written down so that we can study them and ultimately see Him revealed to us. What an incredible book!
Following the yearly Torah portion schedule is a wonderful way to study the whole Bible! For information about studying the Torah portions, read Parashōt, The Original Bible Study!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
The Chosen, a series on the life of Jesus, is so well done! If you haven’t seen it yet, you can click on the link to the right to watch it. The stories about Jesus from the Bible are well-portrayed in this entertaining series. It’s a great show but looking a bit deeper at some concepts relevant to the Hebraic faith makes it even more rich and even educational!
This episode is entitled “The Rock On Which It Is Built”. This is because it features Simon, also called Peter. Jesus says to him after he agrees to follow Jesus, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Whether Jesus meant that he was “the rock” or that Simon Peter was the rock is debated among Christian denominations but what is clear is that Jesus’s church will not be overpowered by the “gates of Hades”! And we can see in Revelation that this is true and that our Messiah will be victorious in the end!
The Sea of Galilee
Most of this episode takes place at the Sea of Galilee. Although these scenes are filmed in Utah, the Gailiee is a beautiful area in Israel where Jesus spent much of his ministry. This region is mentioned many times in the Bible – 68 to 72 times, depending on translation.
Galilee was part of the Roman Empire in Jesus’s time. Nazareth, one o the main cities in Galilee, was where Jesus lived as he was growing up. Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding (see this in Episode 5), is in Galilee. Galilee was also where his disciples resided as well as where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Zebedee appears a few times in this episode. He’s the father of James and John and is a fisherman by trade. His wife (James and John’s mother) was named Salome and details in the Bible point to their family being quite wealthy (Mark 1:20, Luke 5:4, John 18:15).
In the opening scene, where Simon is in the boat with the Roman soldiers, the fishing bobber they find bears the Hebrew letter zayin (ז). Simon looks knowingly at the bobber, suggesting to the audience that he knows who it belongs to. We can only conclude the zayin stands for Zebedee as we later see the same bobber put on the table by Simon in the pub while Simon and Zebedee are talking.
Gergesa Shore
In this same pub scene, right before Simon puts the telltale bobber on the table, Simon says to Zebedee “You fished the Gergesa Shore last night”.
Gergesa was an area on the Eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This area wasn’t inhabited by Jews and Jewish people of this time didn’t spend much time there. It’s thought to be the place Jesus healed the demon-possesed men by sending the demons into a herd of pigs, as it’s probably the region called “the Gerasenes” in Mark 5:1.
I’m assuming this wasn’t Zebedee’s usual fishing place, since he appeared quite surprised when Simon mentioned it. The Eastern side of the Sea, where Gergesa was, has high cliffs and is more steep than on the Western side, near Capernaum. It would be easier to put a boat in on the Western side, making it a more likely spot for fishermen. Perhaps, as far as this story goes, Zebedee fished on the opposite side of the lake than he normally does to be undetected by Roman soldiers.
Matthew’s Dog
At the end of the conversation between Matthew and Dominus, Matthew says that his dog guards his tax collection booth while he’s gone. At this, Quintus laughs mockingly and says in a patronizing tone “Oh, Matthew, you are a priceless treasure. Of course you have a dog.”
Now this means nothing to us in the context of our culture. Of course we have dogs! While pets may be a normal thing in our culture, dogs were not kept the same way in Bible times. Dogs were used for hunting and herding (Isaiah 56:11, Job 30:1) and to compare someone to a dog was an insult (Deut. 23:18, Prov. 26:11, 2 Sam. 9:8, and others). It’s assumed that dogs were scavengers in those days and ran in packs that caused them to be dangerous.
The fact that Matthew had a dog as a pet was probably very peculiar, however, since Scripture doesn’t mention that Matthew had a dog, this is just a creative addition to Matthew’s character on the part of the creators of The Chosen. It does fit his character well since he would have been quite lonely as his family and his people would have considered him a trader.
When Nicodemus and Shimon are talking with the Sanhedrin about John the Baptist, they discuss how he called them snakes and how he doesn’t answer to the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus says he’d heard of a wild man in Jerusalem who went to the king’s court with a message of evils done by Herod Antipas and his family. Here, he’s referring to Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:17-29, which says that John had confronted Herod (who claimed to be Jewish) about his marriage to his brother’s wife.
It’s against the command given in the Torah to marry your sister-in-law (Lev. 18:16), unless your brother has died without children. In that case, it would be under the Law of Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-6) to marry her to carry on your deceased brother’s line. But Herod had divorced his previous wife to marry his living brother’s wife, therefore disobeying the Law. When John called him out on it, Herod imprisoned and later had John beheaded.
Right before he adjourns the meeting, Nicodemus asks “Do they say he performs miracles?”. This is significant because Nicodemus (and those he’s talking to) knew the coming Messiah would fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah about him that said he would heal people and perform miracles.
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the Arabah.
Isaiah 35:5-6
Isaiah 29:8 has a similar prophecy as well. These men knew that if miracles were being performed, they were to pay attention, as this man could be the Messiah.
Of course, we see Jesus perform all of the miracles in this prophecy in the Bible. In the Book of Matthew, John later hears rumors of the miracles Jesus was doing and asks people to find Jesus and ask him if he’s the one they were waiting for. Jesus refers to Isaiah 35 in his response, confirming that he is the Messiah indeed (Matt. 11:2-5).
In the very last scene of this episode, Nicodemus visits John the Baptist in prison. He asks again about miracles – this time asking John about Jesus. Nicodemus knows what the Scriptures said about the Messiah and is looking for the signs that he has arrived. He’s doing just what we should be – watching and waiting for our Messiah and continually studying the Bible while we wait.
Simon’s Sick Mother-in-Law
Simon’s wife, Eden, tells Simon that Eema (her mother) is sick and has to stay with them. Those of you who are Bible savvy know what’s about to happen. You’ll find out in Episode 8 but you don’t have to wait until then. Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:30-31, and Luke 4:38-39 all contain this short but awesome story!
Breaking a Commandment to Save a Life
During their heated conversation, Simon excuses his fishing on Shabbat by saying “You can break a commandment to save a life”. Jesus also refers to this concept in the Bible, when, in Matthew 12:1-6, he and his disciples were picking grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees confronted him, accusing them of breaking the Law.
Picking grain by hand on the Sabbath was not a law made by God but one made by man. This was one of the “fences” the rabbis made around the Law to make sure it wasn’t broken and to provide direction to their people on how to live out the Law in everyday life. But Jesus then gave two examples of broken laws that God had given.
Jesus brought up when King David and his men were hungry and ate the showbread in the Temple, which was supposed to be only for the priests to eat. He also brought up that the priests break the Sabbath by working in the Temple. And a few verses later, he asks who wouldn’t rescue a sheep that fell in a pit on the Sabbath.
So, was Jesus telling people it was okay to break the Law? No. He was, however, saying that there are occasionally times that the Law must be broken – to save a life or to serve God. This is the reasoning Simon was referring to.
The Lamb of God
Andrew frantically tells his brother Simon he saw John the Baptist point at Jesus and call him “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (from John 1:29,36). How did Simon know that meant they referred to the Messiah?
During Passover, as well as other situations and times of the year, unblemished lambs were sacrificed for sin and for other types of offerings as well. Simon, Andrew, and others in John’s audience would have been familiar with the comparison of Jesus to these lambs. Calling Jesus the “Lamb of God” indicated that he was the “lamb” or sacrifice provided by God to stand in our place. This is similar to the ram provided by God when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac. The ram was sent to be in Isaac’s place like Jesus, the “lamb” was sent take ours.
Parables
On the shore of the Galilee, Jesus is telling the people the Parable of the Sower. Jesus taught using parables so those with hearts open to what God had to say to them would understand and those without would not (Matt. 13:13). He also said he taught in this way in order to fulfill the prophecy in Psalms 78:2 – “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old…”.
Parables were typically a Hebraic way of teaching. Although there were many teachers at that time and in that area, only the Jewish teachers taught in parables and not the Greek.
The Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-9, 18-24) shows us that God’s message stays the same. What determines whether fruit is produced from our faith is the condition of our hearts, not God or His Word. And, like the seeds sown on the rocky soil or among the thorns, we must let God’s Word take root in our life. And from there, our faith must grow and mature. We must not just be placated that we’ve received salvation but work out that salvation (Phil. 2:12), growing from a newborn baby Christian into a mature adult Believer and even continuing to grow from there!
In the parable of the fisherman, Jesus said that the evil and the righteous would be separated. This reminds that, although our works are not what saves us, our actions do matter! If our hearts are in the relationship they should be with God, our actions will match our beliefs.
After Jesus asks Simon to follow him, he calls him Simon, Son of Jonah. In Hebrew (and Aramaic), it’s Shimon Bar Yonah (literally Simon son [of] Jonah) (Matt 16:17).
Why Jesus says this at this point is not clear. Maybe Jesus was just emphasizing his point, similar to when a mother calls her child by both his first and last name when she’s very serious. Maybe he’s distinguishing between Simons, since the other Simon (called Simon the Zealot) is possibly present. And maybe it’s because Simon had just declared who Jesus was – the Son of Man – and Jesus then declared who Simon was – the son of Jonah.
But maybe it’s more than that. Maybe Jesus is pointing out that Simon recognizing who Jesus was was a revelation from God – one that Simon couldn’t have achieved from his earthly father. The whole verse is “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Jesus could also be referring to a few chapters ago (12), when he was talking about the prophet Jonah and how Nineveh eventually repented at Jonah’s warning to them. I’m not sure which of these it is but I’m sure it’s significant in some way!
I love how we’re really getting to know each of the characters at this point in the series. Although it’s a work of fiction, it does put faces to those we read about in the Bible, even our Savior! Read about episode 5: The Wedding Gift here.
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The new Torah Portion reading schedule is here! Free to print, this schedule will lead you through the year and tell you each week’s Torah reading, Haftarah Reading, and New Testament selections that accompany those.
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
God is given many names throughout the Bible by His people and even by Himself! Each of these names reveals an aspect of His character, of who He is. The amazing thing here is that we can get to know God and grow closer to Him through a study of His names.
This article covers the name Adonai and those related. If you’re interested in more names of God, here are others in this series you may enjoy.
When it appears in Hebrew scripture, English Bible translators most often translate this name as “Lord”. Note that it will appear as “Lord” in lower case letters and not “LORD”. When the word “Lord” is in all caps in the Bible, it’s referring to the name יהוה.
It’s an extended form of the word Adon (אָדוֹן), which is also a name for God but can also be used to refer to men or angels. Adonai can be found in combination with Yahweh as Adonai Yahweh (אֲדֹנָי יַהְוֶה), which is another name translated as “Lord God”. It’s also used to substitute יהוה when reading from Hebrew scripture or praying out loud out of respect for God’s name.
Adoni אֲדֹנִי
Sometimes the word Adonai will be conjugated differently to mean similar but different things. When it appears as Adoni, it means “my Lord”, as David used it in Psalm 110:1. We can all use this name in prayer! Claim Him as your Lord!
Like Adoni, the meaning of this name is “our Lord” and is also translated “our Master” as in 1 Samuel 16:16. Isn’t it amazing that we can call the God of the Universe ours?!
It can also be spelled אֲדֹנֵינוּ, which is pronounced the same but used to refer not just to God but also to King David. Examples of these differing uses can be found in Ps. 8:1 and 1 Kings 1:43.
Adonei HaAdonim אֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים
Meaning “Lord of Lords”, one place this name can be found is in Deuteronomy 10:17. This is just after the second set of tablets is brought to the Hebrew people by Moses. Verses 12-22 give an awesome description of who God is and what He requires of us. Read it today if you have a moment!
Adon Yahweh Tsevaot אָדוֹן יְהוָה צְבָאֹות
This is translated as “Lord God of hosts” or “Lord God of Armies”. It can refer to both earthly and supernatural armies.
This is the name David calls God by when he’s before the Philistine army in 1 Samuel 17:45. He announced that they were up against God and not just him and predicted their impending doom. As powerful as the armies of the world (or even the supernatural world) are, God is over even them!
Adon Kol HaAretz אֲדֹון כָּל־הָאָרֶץ
The “Lord of all the earth” or “Lord of the whole earth” is what this name means. It’s used in Psalm 97 (verse 5), which is a breathtaking description of God’s power and elevated position over all.
The name Adonai introduces us to God as our Lord and our Master. He’s the Lord of Lords and over all the earth. Isn’t it humbling that such a God knows and loves each of us individually? What an awesome God we have!
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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 told of personality traits or even of of the purpose of someone’s life.
This 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 learn 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. If you’re interested in even more names of God, here are other articles in this series you may enjoy.
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 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 to 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 and 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”.
Echad means “one” in Hebrew so this name means “one God” as in Malachi 2:10. It also points 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 no two 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 as Baalam praises God in prophecy when Balak has tried to convince him to curse Israel.
El Elim אֵל אֵלִים
This name is used in Daniel 11:36. It shows that, while others may have many gods, ours is the one that’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 ofter throughout the Psalms.
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 judgement.
El HaShamayim אֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם
Meaning “the God of the heavens”, this 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 names 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 “Jeshurun”) means “Israel” or “righteous people” so this name means “God of Israel”.
El Yisrael אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל
Just like El Yeshurun and from 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 of Yeshua (Jesus), this name means “God of my salvation” and is found in Isaiah 12:2. “God of our salvation” is El Yeshatenu (אֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ), from Psalm 68:19.
El Kanno אֵל קַנֹּוא
In Joshua 24:19, God’s described as “kana”, which can be translated as either “jealous” or “zealous”. This aspect of God’s character is better understood if we compare 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 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 truer 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 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 from Jeremiah 10:10. El Emet (אֵל אֱמֶת) has the same meaning and is found 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.
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, this name, “God of hosts” is said to be the cause of David’s greatness.
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” like 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 that wants to be close to us!
Elohei Marom אֱלֹהֵי מָרֹום
“God of heights” or “God on high” is how God’s 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.
In Isaiah 30:18, the people of Israel are given hope in that their God will bring justice to those who have treated them badly. 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 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.
Moses and Aaron describe God as the “God of the spirits of all flesh” in Numbers 16:22 and Moses says this again 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 get our mortal minds around all of who He is but the study of His names gives us a little glimpse of His character and He’s just awesome!
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There are a few foundational ideas that make up the basics of the Hebrew Roots perspective – Jesus didn’t abolish the Law (Matt 5:17), Christians are grafted into the faith (Romans 11), and the Law is a blessing and given for our benefit (Romans 7:12 and others). Once you see and understand these concepts, you won’t be able to un-see them! These are fundamental concepts throughout the Old and New Testament and understanding them will be a blessing to your faith-walk and provide much in the way of biblical context.
As we Hebrew Roots Christians understand the Torah (or Law)
as being a righteous and good thing, we also understand that it does not save
us. Our salvation comes from grace alone
through the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah.
We’re to rejoice in the Law because God gave it for our benefit. Following it allows us to live the way God
intended and it sets us apart from the world.
Imagine how humankind would be living if we didn’t have any instruction
from God!
The Law Remains
One of the key foundations of the Hebrew Roots perspective
comes from the teaching of Jesus himself during the Sermon on the Mount. This is the only recorded sermon that Jesus
gave, and it’s very powerful.
In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus clarifies:
17 Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:17-19 (NASB)
View from the Mount of Beatitudes where it is believed that Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount.
The Law that Jesus is speaking of is the Torah given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. Jesus is reminding everyone that the Torah is not being abolished, at least not until heaven and earth is gone. The Greek for the word fulfill in verse 17 is pleroo. If you look up the definition of pleroo in the Strong’s Concordance, you’ll see that it means something a little different than how it’s commonly translated.
When someone fulfills their duty, it generally means they’re
done. For example, when Azeem fulfills his vow at the end of Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves, it means he’s done, and can now relax and return home. But the definition of pleroo is
different. Its meanings include “to make
full”, “to fill up”, “to consummate”, or “to complete”.
These definitions are all quite different then what we typically understand as “fulfill”. None of the definitions of pleroo means to “end” and this is important to understand. Using the word fulfill in verse 17 does a disservice to Christians and provides a source of error among believers because many people interpret fulfill to mean the same as end or abolish. This causes many to interpret this verse as “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to abolish” which is certainly not correct.
It is much better to use the word complete in this context as in “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to complete.” You can see that this is much more consistent with the rest of Jesus’s teaching.
In context, Jesus then continues in his Sermon on the Mount
where he doesn’t abolish the Law, but affirms it. Not only does the Law say not to murder, but this
includes not being angry with your brother as well (Matt 5:21-22). The Law says you are not to commit adultery,
and Jesus explains that this includes lusting wrongly after a woman. (Matt
5:27-28). By affirming the Law of Moses,
Jesus is not abolishing the Law, but completing it, just as he said in Matt
5:17.
These teachings by Jesus are some of the primary reasons why many who embrace the Hebrew Roots perspective question the doctrine of abolition of the Law. Looking back on Verse 19 above and we will notice the warning Jesus provides against teaching disobedience to the law:
19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:19 (NASB)
In fact, a few chapters later, Jesus offers a second warning against practicing disobedience to the law. In (Matthew 7:21-23) it is written:
21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Matt 7:21-23 (NASB)
Jesus was certainly not a fan of disobeying the Torah, which makes sense as he was a Jewish Rabbi, along with being the Son of the God who established the Law for us.
As a Christian, this should make you pause for a moment and think about what this means to the Christian faith. If we take Jesus at his word, and he didn’t abolish the law, then our walk needs to look a lot different.
Christians are Grafted in
The second concept that’s profound to the Hebrew Roots Movement, and Christians in general, comes from the teachings of the Apostle Paul. We Christians are Gentiles, so many denominations assume that means we have different rules than Jewish believers, like Jesus and Paul. Paul clears this up in Romans 11 where he explains that Gentiles are grafted into the faith like a wild olive tree grafted into a cultivated olive tree. We are not a separate tree, we’re grafted into the tree that exists, therefore inheriting the promises that God has made to biblical Israel.
16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Romans 11:16-18
Paul understood that Christians were not of a separate religion, but that both Jews and Gentiles were one in Messiah. I think it is translated best in the Complete Jewish Bible:
27 because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom 28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one. 29 Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:27-29 (CJB)
Read our article on being grafted in to find out more details about Paul’s teaching.
Have you ever asked yourself why God gave us the Law? Was the Law just a collection of rules that
made life unnecessarily hard for everyone, showing us we can never live up to
God’s expectations, or was it instructions from God Himself as to how people
can live a righteous life? The Hebrew
Roots perspective affirms the latter and we try to understand and embrace the
Law as a holy and righteous gift from God.
If you read through the bible with an understanding that the Law is a
gift from God and those who have it are blessed, then it can really change the
meaning of the verses. Some supporting
verses are below.
In Romans 7:7-12 Paul explains that the function of the Torah is to inform us what sin is. Because the Torah says “Thou shalt not covet,” Paul then understands what greed is. However, Paul found that sin held more power after knowing the commandments. He explained that the law that was intended to bring him life was instead bringing him death because of the powerful pull of sin. If it’s difficult to understand the powerful pull of sin, count yourself blessed then go pick up a newspaper. You’ll quickly see both the draw and effect sin has on all of us.
Paul then concludes with the following:
12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Romans 7:12 (NASB)
Sin is bad, but the Torah is good.
Some further supporting verses are below:
24 So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.
Deut 6:24-25
28 Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.
Deut 12:28
26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.
Deut 11:26-28
7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
Lev 20:7
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3
Defining Sin
One of the differences that Hebrew Roots Christians have is
how we define sin. I find it interesting
that in all the years I’ve been a Christian I’ve never seen sin defined. Torah means direction, instruction, or law. Sin on the other hand means to miss the mark
or do something incorrectly. If there’s
a way of living that’s wrong, we should strive to know what’s a right, or
righteous, way to live. It’ll be
extremely valuable for us to make a quick list of what is sin and what is
not. We need to know specifically what’s
prohibited for us, otherwise we Christians end up doing whatever we feel.
For example, is gossip an actual sin, and if so, why? How about sexual immorality? Different Christian denominations will answer this question differently. In fact, there is a fast growing group that believes all commandments have been done away with, and every act that a Christian may want to do is acceptable.
The book of 1 John explains succinctly what sin is:
4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4
And lawlessness is when we don’t follow the commandments written in the Law. Why don’t we? Well, we often don’t even know what’s written in the Law. At some point scholars of the Old testament counted the commandments that God handed down and found 613 of them. Some are for women, some for men, many are for priests and courts, and some are only valid when there’s a functioning Temple in Jerusalem. 613 commandments is a lot more than I ever thought there was, but many of them you’ll find familiar.
Here are a few Laws you likely agree with, but may not have
known them to be actual commands:
Do not Gossip
16 ‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people…
Lev 19:16a
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
18 …but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.
Lev 19:18b
Do not be superstitious or engage in Astrology
26 ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.
Lev 19:26
Or how about these?
Do not stand by if someone’s life is in danger.
16 …and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the LORD.
Lev 19:16b
Do not kill a murderer before he stands trial
12 … the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.
Num 35:12b
Immoral Sexual relations are Forbidden
5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI. 6 “‘None of you is to approach anyone who is a close relative in order to have sexual relations; I am ADONAI…
(continues through the rest of Leviticus 18)
Lev 18:5-30 (CJB)
One thing’s for sure, if you follow these commandments of
God, you’ll certainly look different from the world – set apart – and what
Christian doesn’t want that?
Again, as Christians, we understand that we’re not saved
through obedience to the Law, but through the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah
and our faith in him. Even so, it is
right for us to follow God’s commandments.
Understanding that the Law is still in effect, that
Christians are grafted into the faith, and that the Law is a blessing given for
our benefit will greatly strengthen your faith.
The Law is so often mentioned in the bible, yet we easily forget how
central it is to our faith. It’s what
sets us apart and makes us different from the world.
If these perspectives are new to you (as it was for me for many years) or if you’re convicted to dig deeper into these concepts, here are a few resources you may find helpful.
Messianic Judaism 101 – This is a 6 part series put on by Rabbi Hershberg from Beth Yeshua International. If you like forwardness and conviction, you will enjoy these sermons.
Old Testament Bible Studies – From Tom Bradford’s Torah Class. This will provide more insightful information about the Old Testament then you will find anywhere.
New Testament Bible Studies – Also from Tom Bradford’s Torah Class. This is an amazing study, and you will learn so much.
