Continued from Chapter 15

(Joshua 22:22, Psalms 50:1)

Trinitarian Christians make use of ’El, ’Elohim and Y-H-V-H, employed in Joshua 22:22: “’El, ’Elohim, Y-H-V-H, ’El, ’Elohim, Y-H-V-H” [“God, God, the Lord, God, God, the Lord”] and Psalms 50:1: “’El, ’Elohim, Y-H-V-H”, as proof of their doctrine.

In actuality, these three distinct appellations are juxtaposed for the express purpose of heightening the effect, and they do not at all imply that God is a triune personality. Using the names in ascending order heightens the effect. The first of these, ’El, is the most general, the second, ’Elohim, is the ordinary name, and the third, Y-H-V-H, is the most specific name for God used in the Scriptures. As a rule, these names are used with the following connotations: ’El, the Mighty One; ’Elohim, the Judge; Y-H-V-H, the Merciful One. Their use certainly does not imply any division in the absolute unity of God’s essence. In 2 Samuel 22:32, David uses these three words: “For who is God [’El] but the Lord [Y-H-V-H]? And who is the rock except our God [’Eloheinu]?” Obviously, no division in the absolute unity of God is intended in this verse, since its entire thrust is to impress us with the ontological oneness of God.

© Gerald Sigal

Continued