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The "el" or God of Scripture

Q10: What does "El" mean commonly translated as GOD?

Hypothesis: What does the Hebrew word "El" mean?

Introduction: Jeff Benner from his Ancient Hebrew lexicon explains this word as

Strong's 410. "El" The numerical ONE of "Strong Authority"

Here is Strong's 410, commonly translated as "god" incorrectly, means "single numerical one of Strong Authority" and in Ancient Hebrew the "Strong Authority" and can be spelled as "AL".

Notice the word "Al" or "el" depending upon how you spell Hebrew letters, means "single numerical ONE of Strong Authority" , not "god" as scholars translate.

Method: Consider some of the 235 verses in the OT containing this word..

Conclusion:The Hebrew word "el" or "Al" means the "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority".

The word "el" can also refer to plurals in the singular context. For example, a group of trees, but in the Hebrew mind set is considered an "el", a single numerical tree. This is the qualitative sense of many plurals being a singular large something, in this case what we, in English, would call a grove.

Duscussion:

(1) Ge 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority".

Who is the most high one of strong authority here ? This is a reference to the Father "EL-oah"

(2) Ge 21:33 � And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority".

Here in this verse the "grove or tree" is paralleled to Yahweh as a simile of an old growing tree.

(3)Ge 28:3 And the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" SHADDAY bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

Notice the Shadday is a single numerical one of Strong Authority. "el" "Shadday"

(4) Ps 80:10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" cedars.

This gets back to the very beginning of our study when we discovered a grove of trees is considered by the Hebrew mindset to be a single tree. Hebrew does not have additional words for finer details, as English or Greek thinking does for details of things.

Here we see the qualitative sense of the single strong authority of cedars plural, a forest of cedars if you will.

(5) Ps 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" of the mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

Here we see the qualitative sense of the single strong authority of mountains. A mountain is made of many peaked mountains, considered as a single mountain of strong authority as a whole.

(6) Isa 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with "El" "singular numerical ONES of Strong Authority" under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks?

Here we see the concept of idols as single entities of strong authority.

(7) Eze 32:21 The strong among the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone do wn, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

Here we see the concept of mighty men as single entities of strong authority.

Now consider this word "Al" in the context of Yahweh..

(8) Ex 34:6 And the LORD "Yahweh" passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD "Yahweh" , The LORD "Yahweh" the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" , merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Notice Yahweh passes by Moses showing Moses His glory, but speaks the words Yahweh twice, showing these names as the "singular numerical ONES of Strong Authority" , suggesting TWO members of the GODHEAD, both referenced as Yahweh. This is backed up by the verse before :-

Ge 19:24 � Then the LORD "Yahweh" rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD "Yahweh" out of heaven;

Thus we concur there are two Yahwehs at least in heaven.

The alternative theory of faith is to say when something is worth saying nice in Hebrew poetry it is often repeated twice. Hence Yahweh the Hebrew word is repeated twice. Has anybody done a Bible study to check if this assumption is true? Perhaps this is just human speculation to prevent other theories of faith from developing? After all Satan has done a wonderful job in destroying man's confidence in Scripture.

(9) Nu 16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority," the God "Elohiym" of the spirits "Holy Spirit - Ruwach" of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23 � And the LORD "Yahweh" spake unto Moses, saying,...

In this verse we see the humans addressing the single numerical ONE of Strong Authority, even though they address the "God's plural" of the heavenly powers administrated by the Holy Spirit in all flesh. This suggests they knew the heavenly powers had many members all working together as one in unity. Notice Yahweh speaks straight after the prayer.

(10) De 4:24 For the LORD "Yahweh" thy God "Elohiym" is a consuming fire, even a jealous "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority".

Here we see the strange meaning of a plural being singular, that many members are one in character, function and purpose. Similes of this are like "family" where different members are of single purpose and character, but unique personalities. Below are other examples of singular-plural concepts.:-

(a) Ps 80:10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" of cedars.

Though there are many cedars, they are seen as ONE FOREST. Thus the passage is a singular-plural concept.

(b) Ps 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the "El" "singular numerical ONE of Strong Authority" of the mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

Though there are many mountain peaks, they are seen as ONE MOUNTAIN. Thus the passage is a singular-plural concept.

We are now finally ready to consider the evidence looking for Jesus in the Old Testament. We will next study who the "messenger of Yahweh" is in the Old Testament.

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