the names of god bible

THe Names of God Bible

This Bible Is Presented to

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By

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Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.Psalm 119:105

sdsdsas 182 Lamech Gen. 8:2

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The Names of God

B i b l e

General Editor

Ann Spangler

Contributing Editor

LaVonne Neff

O_GW_Bible_Names1.indd 3 4/4/11 8:52 AM

Contents

Alphabetical Listing of Bible Books viAlphabetical List of Names and Titles of God viiPronunciation Guide to Names and Titles ixIntroduction xiWelcome to the Names of God Bible xivNames of God Reading Path System xviPublisher’s Note xviiiPreface xix

The Books of the Old Testament

Genesis 3Exodus 79Leviticus 137Numbers 173Deuteronomy 222Joshua 269Judges 299Ruth 3331 Samuel 3402 Samuel 3821 Kings 4172 Kings 4561 Chronicles 4952 Chronicles 532Ezra 574Nehemiah 590Esther 612Job 622Psalms 673Proverbs 809Ecclesiastes 854Song of Songs 868

Isaiah 879Jeremiah 977Lamentations 1062Ezekiel 1073Daniel 1134Hosea 1156Joel 1174Amos 1182Obadiah 1195Jonah 1199Micah 1204Nahum 1216Habakkuk 1223Zephaniah 1230Haggai 1237Zechariah 1242Malachi 1259

The Books of the New Testament

Matthew 1267Mark 1324Luke 1357

John 1410Acts 1456Romans 15021 Corinthians 15232 Corinthians 1542Galatians 1556Ephesians 1565Philippians 1574Colossians 15831 Thessalonians 15902 Thessalonians 15961 Timothy 16012 Timothy 1608Titus 1614Philemon 1619Hebrews 1623James 16411 Peter 16482 Peter 16561 John 16622 John 16683 John 1670Jude 1672Revelation 1676

Selected Bibliography 1709Topical Prayer Guide for the Names of God 1711Table of the Names of God 1713Name Index 1715Reading Plans 1723Contributors 1729


The Books of the Old and New

Testaments( N u m e r i c a l a n d A l p h a b e t i c a l O r d e r )

1 Chronicles 4951 Corinthians 15231 John 16621 Kings 4171 Peter 16481 Samuel 3401 Thessalonians 15901 Timothy 1601

2 Chronicles 5322 Corinthians 15422 John 16682 Kings 4562 Peter 16562 Samuel 3822 Thessalonians 15962 Timothy 1608

3 John 1670

Acts 1456Amos 1182

Colossians 1583

Daniel 1134Deuteronomy 222

Ecclesiastes 854Ephesians 1565

Esther 612Exodus 79Ezekiel 1073Ezra 574

Galatians 1556Genesis 3

Habakkuk 1223Haggai 1237Hebrews 1623Hosea 1156

Isaiah 879

James 1641Jeremiah 977Job 622Joel 1174John 1410Jonah 1199Joshua 269Jude 1672Judges 299

Lamentations 1062Leviticus 137 Luke 1357

Malachi 1259Mark 1324Matthew 1267Micah 1204

Nahum 1216Nehemiah 590Numbers 173

Obadiah 1195

Philemon 1619Philippians 1574Proverbs 809Psalms 673

Revelation 1676Romans 1502Ruth 333

Song of Songs 868

Titus 1614

Zechariah 1242Zephaniah 1230

Italics indicate New Testament books.


Alphabetical List of Names and Titles

of God

Alpha and Omega 1680Bread of Life 1422Branch (Tsemach) 1286Bridegroom 1332Bright Morning Star 1704Child 1364Christ 676Consuming Fire (Esh Oklah) 126Cornerstone 1400Dwelling Place (Maon) 758Everlasting God, Eternal God (El

Olam) 34Father (Ab, Abba) 1390First, Last 1680Fortress (Metsuda) 758Friend 1446Gate 1436God (El, Elohim, Eloah) 10God Almighty (El Shadday) 30God Most High (El Elyon) 1142God Who Watches Over Me, the (El

Roi) 26God’s Spirit (Ruach El) 6Good Shepherd 1432Holy One of Israel (Qedosh

Yisrael) 486Holy Spirit (Ruach Qodesh) 6Hope of Israel (Miqweh

Yisrael) 1006Husband (Ish) 1160I Am (Ehyeh) 84Immanuel 1272Jealous God (El Kanna) 126Jesus the Savior (Yeshua) 1328Judge (Shopet) 1210King (Melek) 1254King of Kings 1700

Lamb, Lamb of God 1690Light 1276Light of the World 1276Lion of the Tribe of Judah 1686Living God (El Chay) 274Lord 1578Lord, Master (Adonay) 594Lord (Yahweh) 238Lord Almighty, Lord of Armies,

Lord of Hosts, the (Yahweh Tsebaoth) 364

Lord Is My Shepherd, the (Yahweh Roi) 696

Lord Is Peace, the (Yahweh Shalom) 310

Lord Is There, the (Yahweh Shammah) 1130

Lord My Banner, the (Yahweh Nissi) 106

Lord My Rock, the (Yahweh Tsur) 802

Lord Our Righteousness, the (Yahweh Tsidqenu) 1018

Lord Who Heals, the (Yahweh Ropheka) 100

Lord Will Provide, the (Yahweh Yireh) 38

Lord’s Spirit, the (Ruach Yahweh) 6

Man of Sorrows (Ish Makoboth) 956

Messiah (Mashiach) 676Name, the (Ha-shem) 168Physician 1290Priest 1630Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom) 894Prophet 1462


viiiAlphabetical List of Names and Titles of God

Rabbi, Rabbouni 1440Redeemer, Defender (Go’el) 720Refuge (Machseh) 758Servant of the Lord (Ebed

Yahweh) 956Shield (Magen) 758Son of David 1286

Son of God 1300Son of Man 1316Spirit (Ruach) 6Spirit of God, the (Ruach Elohim) 6Stone 1400Strong Tower (Migdal-Oz) 758Word 1414


viiiAlphabetical List of Names and Titles of God

Pronunciation Guide to Names and Titles

Ab, Abba (Father) AB, AB-baAdonay (Lord) a-doe-NAIEbed Yahweh (Servant of the Lord) E-bed yah-WEHEhyeh (I Am) eh-YEHEl, Elohim, Eloah (God) EL, e-lo-HEEM, e-LO-ahEl Chay (Living God) EL CHAYEl Elyon (God Most High) EL el-YOHNEl Kanna (Jealous God) EL kan-NAHEl Olam (Everlasting God, Eternal God) EL o-LAMEl Roi (the God Who Watches Over Me) EL roe-EEEl Shadday (God Almighty) EL shad-DAIEsh Oklah (Consuming Fire) AISH o-KLAHGo’el (Redeemer, Defender) go-ELHa-shem (the Name) ha-SHEMImmanuel (God with Us) im-ma-nu-AILIsh (Husband) EESHIsh Makoboth (Man of Sorrows) ISH makuh-BOTHMachseh (Refuge) mach-SEHMagen (Shield) ma-GAINMaon (Dwelling Place) ma-OHNMashiach (Christ, Messiah) ma-SHEE-achMelek (King) ME-lekMetsuda (Fortress) me-tsu-DAHMigdal-Oz (Strong Tower) mig-dal OHZMiqweh Yisrael (Hope of Israel) MIK-weh yis-ra-AILQedosh Yisrael (Holy One of Israel) ke-DOSH yis-ra-AILRabbi, Rabbouni (Teacher) ra-BEE, ra-BOU-neeRuach (Spirit) ru-ACHRuach El (God’s Spirit) ru-ACH ELRuach Elohim (the Spirit of God) ru-ACH e-lo-HEEMRuach Qodesh (Holy Spirit) ru-ACH ke-DOSHRuach Yahweh (the Lord’s Spirit) ru-ACH yah-WEHSar Shalom (Prince of Peace) SAR sha-LOMEShopet (Judge) sho-PHAIT


xPronunciation Guide to Names and Titles

Tsemach (Branch) tseh-MAKYah, Yahweh (Lord) yah, yah-WEHYahweh Nissi (the Lord My Banner) yah-WEH nis-SEEYahweh Roi (the Lord Is My Shepherd) yah-WEH roe-EEYahweh Ropheka (the Lord Who Heals) yah-WEH ro-FEH-kaYahweh Shalom (the Lord Is Peace) yah-WEH sha-LOMEYahweh Shammah (the Lord Is There) yah-WEH SHAM-mahYahweh Tsebaoth (Lord Almighty, the Lord of Armies, the Lord of Hosts)

yah-WEH tse-ba-OATHYahweh Tsidqenu (the Lord Our Righteousness) yah-WEH tsid-KAY-nuYahweh Tsur (the Lord My Rock) yah-WEH tsu-REEYahweh Yireh (the Lord Will Provide) yah-WEH yir-EHYeshua (Jesus) ye-SHU AH


xPronunciation Guide to Names and Titles

Introduction

The Bible reveals many fascinating names and titles for God that can yield rich insights into our understanding of who God is. There’s El Shadday and Adonay, Elohim and Abba, ancient names that sound strangely attractive to us even though they were coined thousands of years ago. What do they mean? How important are they? Where are they revealed within the text of Scripture? Can learning about them and using these names in our prayers draw us into a fresh encounter with the living God?

The Bible also contains many names and titles of Jesus. Can these tell us more than we already know concerning the figure about whom more has been written than any other person on the planet? What does it mean, for instance, to say that his Hebrew name echoes the most sacred name of God in the Old Testament? Or why is he known as the Bright Morning Star, the Prince of Peace, or the Alpha and Omega? Are these titles anything more than lovely metaphors?

I have spent several years considering these questions and many others as I have studied the names of God revealed throughout the Bible. Out of these studies have come two books. The first is Praying the Names of God, which explores the Hebrew names and titles of God found in the Old Testa-ment. The second is Praying the Names of Jesus, which primarily explores names and titles found in the New Testament. Though these books focus on the two different testaments, it’s difficult to ignore the way in which many of the names overlap. It’s impossible, for instance, to write about Yahweh Nissi, “the Lord Is My Banner,” without reference to Christ on the cross or to talk about Yahweh Shalom, “the Lord Is Peace,” without refer-ence to Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Indeed, a closer look at God’s names reveals many connections between the Old and New Testaments that might otherwise escape us.

When learning about this subject, it helps to realize that names in the ancient world in which the Bible was written often functioned differently than they do today. In addition to distinguishing one person from another and linking people to their family heritage, names were thought to reveal the essential nature and character of a person. This is particularly true when it comes to the various names and titles of God revealed in Scripture. Furthermore, it was thought that to know God’s name was to enjoy privi-leged access to him, to gain a kind of spiritual power. Once his people knew his name, they could cry out to him, claiming his help and protection. But God’s self-revelation also introduced a note of vulnerability. By associating


xii IntroductionxiiiIntroduction

his name so closely with a particular people, God risked the possibility that they would dishonor it by behaving in ways that contradicted his character.

Many of the names and titles of God, particularly within the pages of the Old Testament, are difficult for lay readers to locate in an English transla-tion. This is the primary advantage of The Names of God Bible, a translation that prints the most significant names and titles of God in their original language. For the first time, readers with no understanding of Hebrew can read through the Bible and locate God’s names and titles with ease. In a project such as this one, it was necessary to set limits. To translate every conceivable title of God would have resulted in a Bible that would have been difficult for lay readers to navigate. Much care and thought has been given to translating those titles that seemed most significant.

With one exception, all of the English names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament remain in their English translation. To restore the origi-nals would have meant rendering them in Greek, which might make the New Testament difficult for lay readers like myself to read with ease. But to emphasize the connection between the Testaments, I have chosen to render Jesus’ name in its Hebrew equivalent, Yeshua, a name that carries significant echoes from the Hebrew Scriptures. In fact, it is the name his family would likely have called him.

To help readers better understand the most important names of God and Jesus, I have included name pages, providing background information and devotional readings that are designed to offer help in praying these names and titles.

Brief introductions to every book of the Bible provide a brief overview of the book and list each of the names revealed in that particular book. In the back of the Bible is a topical prayer guide to help readers pray for their needs and the needs of others by invoking the names of God.

Before I go on, I should mention two things. First, when I speak about the names of God, I am conscious of the fact that, strictly speaking, most are not names but titles for God. I refer to them as names for the sake of simplicity. Second, some readers who learn about the names of God may begin to wonder if there are rules governing the way we should ad-dress God. For instance, should we always refer to God as Yah or Yahweh? Scripture never counsels such a practice, nor do I. Just as we are free to address God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are also free to address him as Abba, Yeshua, or Ruach, or as El Shadday, Adonay, or Elohim. No matter how we address the Lord, of course, much about him remains a mystery. What matters is that in every prayer we approach God with reverence and humility, confident that he loves us and that he welcomes us into his pres-ence. There is no correct formula, no right way except to offer ourselves in honest prayer with humble, willing hearts.

The Names of God Bible owes much to its publisher, Revell, within the Baker Publishing Group. Andrea Doering, senior acquisitions editor, and Brian Vos, director of Bibles at Baker Publishing Group, made certain that I received the support I needed to make this Bible a reality, hiring scholarly experts to go through the text to make the necessary changes to the transla-tion. Additionally, Reverend Michael Hackbardt, who is executive director


xii IntroductionxiiiIntroduction

of God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society, lent his enthusiastic support and made many helpful suggestions. Reverend Hackbardt’s support was especially appreciated because he presided over the original God’s Word Translation. Additional thanks go to Andrea Doering for her very capable and careful work on this project. As a result, she probably knows more about Bible publishing and about the names of God than she ever imagined she would. Her encouragement, support, and insight have been invaluable.

LaVonne Neff has done an excellent job writing introductions to each book of the Bible. She has succeeded in offering readers a book-by-book overview that is both easy to read and based on sound scholarship.

I am grateful also for the careful work of Tremper Longman, who re-viewed the material that LaVonne and I wrote in order to ensure that this Bible is in line with contemporary biblical scholarship.

Thanks also go to my agent for this project, Linda Kenney, who in her various publishing roles has become something of an expert on Bible publishing herself. I am grateful for her advocacy.

My assistant, Barbara Adams, as always, has ably and patiently helped me organize the material I have contributed to The Names of God Bible.

My hope is that all who desire to learn more about the names and titles of God will be richly rewarded as they read this Bible, recognizing many surprising connections between the Old and New Testaments. My prayer is that everyone who encounters God’s names within this Bible will be led into a deeper experience of his goodness and love.

Ann Spangler


Welcome to The Names of God Bible xv

Welcome to The Names of God Bible

For the first time, readers with no understanding of Hebrew can read through the Bible and locate God’s names and titles with ease. In The Names of God Bible, the Hebrew transliterations of the names and titles of God are printed in the biblical text. This Bible includes a range of features designed to help you better understand the names of God, rediscover the richness of his character, and encounter him in a deeper way.

Hebrew NamesThis translation includes the most significant names of God in Hebrew and

a few in Aramaic so that they can be easily located within the text of the Old Testament.

19 Yahweh Elohim had formed all the wild animals and all the birds out of the ground. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each creature became its name. 20 So the man named all the domestic animals, all the birds, and all the wild animals.

But the man found no helper who was right for him. 21 So Yahweh Elohim caused him to fall into a deep sleep. While the man was sleeping, Yahweh Elohim took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 Then Yahweh Elohim formed a woman from the rib that he had taken from the man. He brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones an

ere both naked, but they weren’t ashamed of it.

The First Sin and the First Promise

3 1 The snake was more clever than all the wild animals Yahweh Elohim had made. He asked the woman, “Did Elohim really say, ‘You must

never eat the fruit of any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman answered the snake, “We’re allowed to eat the fruit

from any tree in the garden 3 except the tree in the middle of the garden. Elohim said, ‘You must never eat it or touch it. If you do, you will die!’ ”

4 “You certainly won’t die!” the snake told the woman. 5 “Elohim knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You’ll be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.”

6 The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then their eyes were opened, and they both realized that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made clothes for themselves.

8 In the cool of the evening, the man and his wife heard Yahweh Elohim walking around in the garden. So they hid from Yahweh Elohim among the trees in the garden. 9 Yahweh Elohim called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

11 Elohim asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man answered, “That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then Yahweh Elohim asked the woman, “What have you done?”“The snake deceived me, and I ate,” the woman answered.

14 So Yahweh Elohim said to the snake, “Because you have done this,

You are cursed more than all the wild or domestic animals.You will crawl on your belly.You will be the lowest of animals as long as you live.

15 I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other.I will make your descendants

and her descendant hostile toward each other.He will crush your head,

and you will bruise his heel.”

Yahweh Elohim Gen. 3:1

Names of God Reading PathsFor continued prayer and praise throughout Scripture, you can follow a

name of God through the Bible using the Names of God Reading Paths. Forward references in the margins of the Bible lead you to the next location of the name. The first reference for each reading path can be found on page xvi.

Name PagesName pages located throughout the text and written by Ann Spangler provide:

• when appropriate, the name or title written in Hebrew or Aramaic

• background information to help you understand the names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

• key Scripture passages in which the name and the meaning of the name is revealed

• a devotional reading to help you pray according to the name

• specific Bible promises connected to the name

The name of Yahweh is Migdal-Oz.

A righteous person runs to it and is safe (Proverbs 18:10)

I will make you a great nation, I will bless you.

I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you, I will curse. (Genesis 12:2-3)

I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand

on the seashore. (Genesis 22:17)

Key Scripture: Genesis 17:1–2

EL SHADDAYGOD ALMIGHTY

God revealed himself as El Shadday, God Almighty, to Abram and told him of the everlasting covenant he was establish-

ing with him and with his descendants. Until the time of Moses, when another divine name was revealed, the patriarchs considered El

Shadday the covenant name of God. When we pray to El Shadday, we invoke the name of the one for whom nothing is impossible.

The Hebrew El Shadday (EL shad-DAI), often translated “God Almighty,” may liter-ally be translated “God, the Mountain One.” Since many of the gods of the ancient Near East were associated with mountains, early translators may have made an educated guess regarding its meaning. Like the mountains themselves, God is seen as strong and un-changing. El Shadday reveals God not only as the one who creates and maintains the universe but as the one who initiates and maintains a covenant with his people. Shad-

day occurs thirty-one times in the book of Job and seventeen times in the rest of the Bible. In the New Testament, the Greek term Pantokrator is often translated as “Almighty.”

Praying to El Shadday

Do you remember the story of Abraham and Sarah, how God promised to give them chil-dren even though Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90? It’s true that people in those days seemed to live longer than they do now, but Sarah herself nearly fell down

laughing when she heard the outlandish promise. How could she become pregnant at her age? No wonder God revealed himself as “God Almighty” when he made a covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore. To keep a promise that big, God would need to be a big, big God.

The story of Ruth and Naomi also features the Almighty overcoming every obstacle in order to show his faithfulness to a widow and her daughter-in-law. Though Naomi begins in near despair, claiming that El Shadday has made her life very bitter, she ends by rejoicing because God has given her a grandchild and therefore a future.

Our need to belong to this big, big God remains. If we believe in Jesus, we have ac-tually become one of Abraham and Sarah’s descendants, and we, too, have entered into a covenant with El Shadday, a God who is far more powerful than any of us might imag-ine. Good thing, too, because he has made so many promises to us, ones like these:

So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9–10)

Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (Mat-thew 11:28)

Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be pro-vided for you. Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:29–32)

If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)

Who but God Almighty could ever deliver on such promises? The stock market can’t, the government can’t, our spouses can’t. Only El Shadday, the God of unimaginable might, is able to keep his promises regardless of circumstances.

kEl Shadday, God Almighty, thank you for your

great and awesome power. You never grow weary,

you never give up, you always do what you prom-

ise no matter what. Help me today to stop running

after the security that the world offers, and to start

running after your kingdom instead. Reign over

me. Use me. Make me single-hearted, intent on

one thing, pursuing your will. And as I do, keep

your promise to me to provide everything I need.

PromisesAssociated with the Name

EL SHADDAY

Introduction togreatest liberator of all time, Jesus, who frees his people from the bondage of Satan so that we can enter the promised land of life with God.

Key Names of God in Exodus

Yahweh, Ya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LordEl, Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GodEhyeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I AmAdonay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lord, MasterEl Shadday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God AlmightyYahweh Nissi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the Lord My BannerEl Kanna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jealous GodRuach Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the Spirit of GodYahweh Ropheka . . . . . . . . . . . the Lord Who Heals

Exodus

In the first book of the Bible, we read about God’s promise to make a great nation of Abraham’s descendants. But as the second book of the Bible begins, we may be tempted to wonder just how he will keep that

promise. By now the Israelites have become numerous, but they are slaves in a foreign land. Exodus, which means “departure,” tells how God rescued his people from Egypt through the work of his reluctant prophet Moses.

Moses is the book’s main character, but Exodus also introduces us to his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, as well as to the unwisely stubborn Pharaoh of Egypt and the young warrior Joshua. Exodus is full of gripping stories—the baby set adrift on the Nile River, the burning bush, the ten plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the miraculous provision of manna in the desert, the command-ments given on Mount Sinai, and the scandalous orgy around the golden calf. The book that begins with the slaves’ dramatic escape from Egypt ends with detailed instructions about building a tabernacle, a place where God and his rescued people can meet.

Exodus is much more than a dramatic freedom march. It’s the story of how the Israelites were rescued from slavery for a relationship with God. In spite of the way God provided for his people, they acted pretty much the way most of us would have—resisting their leaders, complaining about the food, and at times openly defying God. Fearful and stubborn, they wandered in the desert for forty years before entering the land God had promised.

Like all people everywhere—like us, for instance—the children of Israel were both sinners and sinned against, unable to rescue themselves. In his mercy, God loved them, led them out of bondage, and made an eternal covenant with them.

Little wonder, given the themes of this great book, that African-American slaves understood the book’s rescue theme well and often sang about the Is-raelites’ release from slavery. In fact, a nineteenth-century spiritual, “Go Down Moses” (“and tell King Pharaoh / to let my people go”) became a signature song of the twentieth-century civil rights movement.

The book of Exodus powerfully relates the biblical message of salvation. We can’t read it without realizing that Moses’ story prefigures the story of the

Topical Prayer Guide for the Names of God

BlessingGenesis 12:2–3Genesis 17:1–2Genesis 49:22–26Numbers 6:22–27Psalm 5:12Psalm 84Proverbs 10:6–7Jeremiah 17:7–8

ForgivenessExodus 34:5–7Psalm 32Psalm 51Psalm 86:15–17Psalm 103:13–17Isaiah 30:18Isaiah 53Matthew 6:9–14Luke 4:16–21Luke 15:1–32Luke 19:8–9Romans 5:6–11Romans 8:31–39Hebrews 4:14–161 Peter 2:24

GuidancePsalm 16:5–11Psalm 37:23–24Psalm 139:11–12Isaiah 50:10John 8:12

HealingExodus 15:262 Kings 20:5Psalm 38

Psalm 103:1–5Psalm 147:2–3Isaiah 57:15–19Jeremiah 17:14Malachi 4:2Matthew 8:5–17Matthew 9:2—8,

27–36Matthew 11:2–6Mark 9:17–29Luke 8:43–46Luke 8:50John 11:1–44James 5:14–16

HolinessLeviticus 19:1–4,

9–18Deuteronomy

6:17–25Deuteronomy 12:28Isaiah 6:1–7Isaiah 33:14–15Isaiah 62:4–5Jeremiah 31:33Hosea 2:16, 19–20Matthew 5:1–12,

38–48Luke 1:30–35Luke 6:35–36John 14:15–18Romans 8:9–111 Corinthians

3:16–17Ephesians 2:19–22Philippians 2:5–11Hebrews 10:14–16

Hebrews 12:14Hebrews 12:28–291 Peter 1:14–16

PeaceNumbers 6:22–27Psalm 23Psalm 46Psalm 62:1–2Psalm 125:1–2Proverbs 3:13Isaiah 9:6–7Isaiah 11:6–9Isaiah 26:3–4Isaiah 48:17–19Jeremiah 29:11–13Matthew 5:9Matthew 11:28–30John 14:1–27Romans 8:5–10Galatians 5:19–26Philippians 4:6–9Colossians 1:19–22Colossians 3:12–24

PraisePsalm 34:1–9Psalm 96:10–13Psalm 100Psalm 103Psalm 113Psalm 136Psalm 145Psalm 148Isaiah 11:1–9Revelation 7:9–12

ProtectionGenesis 16:1–16Exodus 3:7–10Deuteronomy

33:26–272 Samuel 22:2–4Psalm 9:9–10Psalm 16:9–11Psalm 18:1–18Psalm 20Psalm 28:6–9Psalm 33:13–15,

18–19Psalm 40:10–11Psalm 91Psalm 121:3–8Psalm 144:1–2, 7–10Proverbs 3:26Proverbs 18:10Isaiah 43:1–5Isaiah 49:22–25,

52–57Nahum 1:7Zechariah 2:5John 6:40John 10:1–18, 27–29Romans 10:9–101 Corinthians 15

ProvisionGenesis 21:17–19Genesis 22:1–14Deuteronomy 15:4–5Deuteronomy 28:9,

12Psalm 34:9–22


Welcome to The Names of God Bible xv

The name of Yahweh is Migdal-Oz.

A righteous person runs to it and is safe (Proverbs 18:10)

I will make you a great nation, I will bless you.

I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you, I will curse. (Genesis 12:2-3)

I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand

on the seashore. (Genesis 22:17)

Key Scripture: Genesis 17:1–2

EL SHADDAYGOD ALMIGHTY

God revealed himself as El Shadday, God Almighty, to Abram and told him of the everlasting covenant he was establish-

ing with him and with his descendants. Until the time of Moses, when another divine name was revealed, the patriarchs considered El

Shadday the covenant name of God. When we pray to El Shadday, we invoke the name of the one for whom nothing is impossible.

The Hebrew El Shadday (EL shad-DAI), often translated “God Almighty,” may liter-ally be translated “God, the Mountain One.” Since many of the gods of the ancient Near East were associated with mountains, early translators may have made an educated guess regarding its meaning. Like the mountains themselves, God is seen as strong and un-changing. El Shadday reveals God not only as the one who creates and maintains the universe but as the one who initiates and maintains a covenant with his people. Shad-

day occurs thirty-one times in the book of Job and seventeen times in the rest of the Bible. In the New Testament, the Greek term Pantokrator is often translated as “Almighty.”

Praying to El Shadday

Do you remember the story of Abraham and Sarah, how God promised to give them chil-dren even though Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90? It’s true that people in those days seemed to live longer than they do now, but Sarah herself nearly fell down

laughing when she heard the outlandish promise. How could she become pregnant at her age? No wonder God revealed himself as “God Almighty” when he made a covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore. To keep a promise that big, God would need to be a big, big God.

The story of Ruth and Naomi also features the Almighty overcoming every obstacle in order to show his faithfulness to a widow and her daughter-in-law. Though Naomi begins in near despair, claiming that El Shadday has made her life very bitter, she ends by rejoicing because God has given her a grandchild and therefore a future.

Our need to belong to this big, big God remains. If we believe in Jesus, we have ac-tually become one of Abraham and Sarah’s descendants, and we, too, have entered into a covenant with El Shadday, a God who is far more powerful than any of us might imag-ine. Good thing, too, because he has made so many promises to us, ones like these:

So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9–10)

Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (Mat-thew 11:28)

Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be pro-vided for you. Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:29–32)

If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)

Who but God Almighty could ever deliver on such promises? The stock market can’t, the government can’t, our spouses can’t. Only El Shadday, the God of unimaginable might, is able to keep his promises regardless of circumstances.

kEl Shadday, God Almighty, thank you for your

great and awesome power. You never grow weary,

you never give up, you always do what you prom-

ise no matter what. Help me today to stop running

after the security that the world offers, and to start

running after your kingdom instead. Reign over

me. Use me. Make me single-hearted, intent on

one thing, pursuing your will. And as I do, keep

your promise to me to provide everything I need.


EL SHADDAY

Book IntroductionsBrief introductions, written by LaVonne

Neff, are provided for each book of the Bible. They highlight main themes and provide a list of the specific names and titles of God that appear in each book.

Calling God by NameSidebars connecting biblical people and the

specific names they called God.

Topical Prayer GuideA guide to help you pray for your needs and the

needs of others by invoking the names of God found in Scripture.

Alphabetical List of Names and Titles of GodA complete listing of the names and titles of God in The Names of God Bible.

Name IndexAn index to help you find particular names within the text of the Bible.

Pronunciation GuideA guide to help you pronounce the Hebrew names and titles of God.

Reading PlansMultiple reading plans including a plan with an overview of key Scripture

passages for the names of God.

Scripture CalloutsHighlight key Scripture for memorization and reflection.

God’s Word Translation of the BibleGW accurately translates the meaning of the original texts into clear, everyday

language. While most modern translations obscure the names and titles of God by replacing them with just a few terms like “God,” “Lord,” or “Lord,” The Names of God Bible reveals the transliteration of ancient words to help you better understand the rich distinctions made in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.

Introduction togreatest liberator of all time, Jesus, who frees his people from the bondage of Satan so that we can enter the promised land of life with God.

Key Names of God in Exodus

Yahweh, Ya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LordEl, Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GodEhyeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I AmAdonay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lord, MasterEl Shadday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God AlmightyYahweh Nissi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the Lord My BannerEl Kanna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jealous GodRuach Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the Spirit of GodYahweh Ropheka . . . . . . . . . . . the Lord Who Heals

Exodus

In the first book of the Bible, we read about God’s promise to make a great nation of Abraham’s descendants. But as the second book of the Bible begins, we may be tempted to wonder just how he will keep that

promise. By now the Israelites have become numerous, but they are slaves in a foreign land. Exodus, which means “departure,” tells how God rescued his people from Egypt through the work of his reluctant prophet Moses.

Moses is the book’s main character, but Exodus also introduces us to his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, as well as to the unwisely stubborn Pharaoh of Egypt and the young warrior Joshua. Exodus is full of gripping stories—the baby set adrift on the Nile River, the burning bush, the ten plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the miraculous provision of manna in the desert, the command-ments given on Mount Sinai, and the scandalous orgy around the golden calf. The book that begins with the slaves’ dramatic escape from Egypt ends with detailed instructions about building a tabernacle, a place where God and his rescued people can meet.

Exodus is much more than a dramatic freedom march. It’s the story of how the Israelites were rescued from slavery for a relationship with God. In spite of the way God provided for his people, they acted pretty much the way most of us would have—resisting their leaders, complaining about the food, and at times openly defying God. Fearful and stubborn, they wandered in the desert for forty years before entering the land God had promised.

Like all people everywhere—like us, for instance—the children of Israel were both sinners and sinned against, unable to rescue themselves. In his mercy, God loved them, led them out of bondage, and made an eternal covenant with them.

Little wonder, given the themes of this great book, that African-American slaves understood the book’s rescue theme well and often sang about the Is-raelites’ release from slavery. In fact, a nineteenth-century spiritual, “Go Down Moses” (“and tell King Pharaoh / to let my people go”) became a signature song of the twentieth-century civil rights movement.

The book of Exodus powerfully relates the biblical message of salvation. We can’t read it without realizing that Moses’ story prefigures the story of the

Topical Prayer Guide for the Names of God

BlessingGenesis 12:2–3Genesis 17:1–2Genesis 49:22–26Numbers 6:22–27Psalm 5:12Psalm 84Proverbs 10:6–7Jeremiah 17:7–8

ForgivenessExodus 34:5–7Psalm 32Psalm 51Psalm 86:15–17Psalm 103:13–17Isaiah 30:18Isaiah 53Matthew 6:9–14Luke 4:16–21Luke 15:1–32Luke 19:8–9Romans 5:6–11Romans 8:31–39Hebrews 4:14–161 Peter 2:24

GuidancePsalm 16:5–11Psalm 37:23–24Psalm 139:11–12Isaiah 50:10John 8:12

HealingExodus 15:262 Kings 20:5Psalm 38

Psalm 103:1–5Psalm 147:2–3Isaiah 57:15–19Jeremiah 17:14Malachi 4:2Matthew 8:5–17Matthew 9:2—8,

27–36Matthew 11:2–6Mark 9:17–29Luke 8:43–46Luke 8:50John 11:1–44James 5:14–16

HolinessLeviticus 19:1–4,

9–18Deuteronomy

6:17–25Deuteronomy 12:28Isaiah 6:1–7Isaiah 33:14–15Isaiah 62:4–5Jeremiah 31:33Hosea 2:16, 19–20Matthew 5:1–12,

38–48Luke 1:30–35Luke 6:35–36John 14:15–18Romans 8:9–111 Corinthians

3:16–17Ephesians 2:19–22Philippians 2:5–11Hebrews 10:14–16

Hebrews 12:14Hebrews 12:28–291 Peter 1:14–16

PeaceNumbers 6:22–27Psalm 23Psalm 46Psalm 62:1–2Psalm 125:1–2Proverbs 3:13Isaiah 9:6–7Isaiah 11:6–9Isaiah 26:3–4Isaiah 48:17–19Jeremiah 29:11–13Matthew 5:9Matthew 11:28–30John 14:1–27Romans 8:5–10Galatians 5:19–26Philippians 4:6–9Colossians 1:19–22Colossians 3:12–24

PraisePsalm 34:1–9Psalm 96:10–13Psalm 100Psalm 103Psalm 113Psalm 136Psalm 145Psalm 148Isaiah 11:1–9Revelation 7:9–12

ProtectionGenesis 16:1–16Exodus 3:7–10Deuteronomy

33:26–272 Samuel 22:2–4Psalm 9:9–10Psalm 16:9–11Psalm 18:1–18Psalm 20Psalm 28:6–9Psalm 33:13–15,

18–19Psalm 40:10–11Psalm 91Psalm 121:3–8Psalm 144:1–2, 7–10Proverbs 3:26Proverbs 18:10Isaiah 43:1–5Isaiah 49:22–25,

52–57Nahum 1:7Zechariah 2:5John 6:40John 10:1–18, 27–29Romans 10:9–101 Corinthians 15

ProvisionGenesis 21:17–19Genesis 22:1–14Deuteronomy 15:4–5Deuteronomy 28:9,

12Psalm 34:9–22

Genesis 40:3 62 63Genesis 38 :10

2 Yahweh was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. He worked in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 Joseph’s master saw that Yahweh was with him and that Yahweh made everything he did successful. 4 Pot i phar liked Joseph so much that he made him his trusted servant. He put him in charge of his household and everything he owned. 5 From that time on Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s household because of Joseph. Therefore, Yahweh’s blessing was on everything Pot i phar owned in his house and in his fields. 6 So he left all that he owned in Joseph’s care. He wasn’t concerned about anything except the food he ate.

Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After a while his master’s wife began to desire Joseph, so she said, “Come to bed with me.”

8 But Joseph refused and said to her, “My master doesn’t concern himself with anything in the house. He trusts me with everything he owns. 9 No one in this house is greater than I. He’s kept nothing back from me except you, because you’re his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against Elohim?” 10 Although she kept asking Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his clothes and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he ran outside and left his clothes in her hand.

13 When she realized that he had gone but had left his clothes behind, 14 she called her household servants and said to them, “Look! My husband brought this Hebrew here to fool around with us. He came in and tried to go to bed with me, but I screamed as loud as I could. 15 As soon as he heard me scream, he ran outside and left his clothes with me.”

16 She kept Joseph’s clothes with her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought here came in and tried to fool around with me. 18 But when I screamed, he ran outside and left his clothes with me.”

19 When Pot i phar heard his wife’s story, especially when she said, “This is what your slave did to me,” he became very angry. 20 So Joseph’s master arrested him and put him in the same prison where the king’s prisoners were kept.

While Joseph was in prison, 21 Yahweh was with him. Yahweh reached out to him with his unchanging love and gave him protection. Yahweh also put Joseph on good terms with the warden. 22 So the warden placed Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in that prison. Joseph became responsible for everything that they were doing. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care because Yahweh was with Joseph and made whatever he did successful.

Joseph in Prison

40 1 Later the king’s cupbearer a and his baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his chief cupbearer and his

chief baker. 3 He put them in the prison of the captain of the guard, the same a 40:1 A cupbearer was a trusted royal official who ensured that the king’s drink was not poisoned.

Elohim Gen. 40:8

Yahweh Gen. 49:18

JosephJacob’s favorite son, Joseph,

was sold into slavery by his

brothers. With all its twists

and turns, his is one of the

best-known stories in the

Bible. Joseph called God

• Elohim(Gen.39:9)



Names of God Reading Path Systemxvii

Names of God Reading Path System

For continued prayer and praise of the names and titles of God throughout Scripture, readers can follow a particular name through Scriptures using the reading path system. For each name of God listed below, references in the margins of the Bible will lead you to the next location of the name in the biblical text. The table below lists the first instance of each name. In this way, you can further your study and appreciation for each name and title of God profiled in the text.

Because the names Elohim, Yahweh, Yahweh Elohim, and Yeshua occur frequently and are easily followed within each chapter, the editors have chosen to link only the last instance of these names in each chapter to the next instance in order to simplify the reading path system. In addition, both Elohim and Yahweh have variations that make up one chain in the link reference system. The editors have started from the assumption that readers will gain the most value by looking at these names in all their variations, whether the biblical term is singular, plural, Aramaic or Hebrew. The editors have chosen the name “Elohim” in the reference system to note the location of related names El, Eloah, Elohe, and Elah. “Yahweh” is used to note the variation Yah.

Names and Titles First referencesAb, Abba Deuteronomy 32:6Adonay Genesis 20:4Adonay Elohim* Daniel 9:3Adonay Yahweh Genesis 15:2Adonay Yahweh Elohe Tsebaoth Amos 3:13Adonay Yahweh Tsebaoth Psalm 69:6Bar-Enash* Daniel 7:13Ebed Isaiah 42:1Ehyeh Exodus 3:14El Chay, Elohim Chay Deuteronomy 5:26El Elyon, Elah Illa-ah, Elyon, Elyonin, Illa-ah Genesis 14:18El Kanna Exodus 20:5El Olam Genesis 21:33El Roi* Genesis 16:13El Shadday, Shadday Genesis 17:1El Yahweh* Psalm 85:8Elohe Tsebaoth* Amos 5:27


Names of God Reading Path Systemxvii

Names and Titles First referencesElohim, El, Elah, Eloah Genesis 1:1Elohim Elyon Psalm 57:2Elohim Tsebaoth Psalm 80:7Esh Oklah Deuteronomy 4:24Go’el Job 19:25Ha-shem Leviticus 24:11Ish* Hosea 2:16Ish Makoboth* Isaiah 53:3Machseh Psalm 14:6Magen 2 Samuel 22:3Maon* Psalm 71:3Mashiach Psalm 2:2Melek Psalm 5:2Metsuda 2 Samuel 22:2Migdal-Oz Psalm 61:3Miqweh Yisrael* Jeremiah 17:13Qedosh Yisrael 2 Kings 19:22Roeh Psalm 23:1Rophe* Psalm 147:3Ruach Numbers 11:17Ruach Elohim, Ruach El Genesis 1:2Ruach Qodesh Psalm 51:11Ruach Yahweh Judges 3:10Sar Shalom* Isaiah 9:6Shophet Judges 11:27Tsemach Jeremiah 23:5Tsur 1 Samuel 2:2Yah Elohim* Psalm 68:18Yahweh, Yah Genesis 4:1Yahweh Adonay Psalm 68:20Yahweh El* Isaiah 42:5Yahweh El Elyon* Genesis 14:22Yahweh Elohim Genesis 2:4Yahweh Elohe Tsebaoth Amos 4:13Yahweh Elohim Tsebaoth 2 Samuel 5:10Yahweh Elyon Psalm 7:17Yahweh Nissi* Exodus 17:15Yahweh Ropheka* Exodus 15:26Yahweh Shalom* Judges 6:24Yahweh Shammah* Ezekiel 48:35Yahweh Tsebaoth 1 Samuel 1:3Yahweh Tsidqenu Jeremiah 23:6Yahweh Yireh* Genesis 22:14Yeshua Matthew 1:1

*Indicates a name that occurs one time in Scripture.


Publisher’s Note

While most modern translations obscure the names and titles of God by replacing them with just a few terms like “God,” “Lord,” or “Lord,” this Bible reintroduces the transliteration of ancient words to help readers under-stand the rich distinctions made in the original Hebrew and Aramaic. The translation into which these transliterated names and titles of God have been inserted is God’s Word Translation, which has itself been translated by biblical scholars to reach a twenty-first century reading audience by accurately rendering the text in clear, everyday language.

Though the names and titles of God don’t change, the structure of lan-guage does—how we put together a sentence, how often we use pronouns, how we turn a phrase, how we use language to indicate the plural nature of God. In our efforts to make the names of God in the original Hebrew and Aramaic clear in this translation, the editors were guided by several principles.

The notes, headings, and bracketed comments within God’s Word Trans-lation remain in English, so that Hebrew transliterations were used only where the original language indicates a name.

Where the original Hebrew text uses pronouns for God, and the editors could be certain which name of God was replaced with a Hebrew pronoun, that original name of God has been transliterated into the text. In areas where the original proper noun referred to by the pronoun was in ques-tion, the pronoun has been left in the text.

In cases in which God’s Word Translation chose a pronoun instead of the name of God, this Bible has reintroduced the original name found in the Hebrew text.

Since portions of Daniel and Ezra were originally written in Aramaic, the names of God in these sections have been transliterated from Aramaic.

Though Hebrew is not the original language of the gospels, The Names of God Bible has chosen to transliterate Jesus to Yeshua in the New Testa-ment because it highlights important connections between this name and key names in the Old Testament. It is also the name by which Jesus would have been known to friends and family, at least during the early years of his life, before being addressed as “Rabbi.” By using this Hebrew name in the New Testament, we hope that readers will gain a deeper appreciation for the world which Jesus entered as man—a very Hebrew world, rich in tradition and custom.

May your reading of the Word be enriched and enhanced by these efforts.


Preface

God’s Word® Translation

God’s Word® Translation (GW), produced by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society, fills a need that has remained unmet by English Bibles: to translate the Bible from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to their closest natural English equivalent.

GW consciously combines scholarly fidelity with natural English. Because it was translated by a committee of biblical scholars, GW is an accurate, trustworthy translation. Because of the involvement of English reviewers at every stage of the translation process, GW reads like contemporary literature.

Closest Natural Equivalence

Like many Bibles published before it, God’s Word has been translated directly from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Unlike many Bibles before it, however, GW used a translation theory that reflects the advance-ment of translation theory and practice.

Closest natural equivalent (CNE) translation provides readers with a meaning in the target language that is equivalent to that of the source language. It seeks to express that meaning naturally, in a way that a native English speaker would speak or write. Finally, it expresses the meaning with a style that preserves many of the characteristics of the source text.

However, CNE does not attempt to make all books or passages function on the same level. The more difficult books of the Bible are translated to the same level of difficulty as the original languages. In addition, abstract concepts in Greek and Hebrew are translated into abstract concepts in English, and concrete concepts remain concrete in translation.

This translation theory is designed to avoid the awkwardness and inac-curacy associated with formal-equivalent translations, and to avoid the loss of meaning and oversimplification associated with functional-equivalent translations.

Translation Process

The first consideration for the translators of GW was to find equivalent English ways of expressing the meaning of the original text, ensuring that the translation is faithful to the meaning of the source text. The next con-sideration was readability; the meaning is expressed in natural English by


xx PrefacexxiPreface

using common English punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and vocabu-lary. The third consideration was to choose the natural equivalent that most closely reflects the style of the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek text. At the core of this effort was a full-time translation team composed of biblical scholars who served as translators, English experts who actively reviewed English style with scholars at every stage of the translation process, and profes-sional production personnel who oversaw the work. The basic process is outlined below.

Translation

In the first step of this process, a biblical scholar used the principles of closest natural equivalence to produce an initial translation of one of the books of the Bible. During this time, the translator was able to consult with the rest of the translation team as needed.

English Review

With the initial draft of a book completed, an expert in English style re-viewed the translator’s text and suggested changes. The English reviewer was concerned primarily with a natural English rendering. Additionally, the English reviewer electronically searched the entire translation to ensure that any proposed revisions would not destroy the translation’s consistency.

The translator and the English reviewer then worked together to pro-duce a second draft that improved both the naturalness and accuracy of the translation. Upon completion of the second draft, the translator and English reviewer served as resources for the rest of the editorial process.

Peer Review

After the English review process, the second draft was circulated to the other full-time translators and English reviewers for comments. This peer review stage allowed the other members of the translation team to compare the draft with their own work, offer suggestions for further improvement, and maintain consistency from one book of the Bible to another.

Technical Review

The translator and English reviewer incorporated all appropriate sug-gestions offered in the peer review stage to produce a third draft. This draft was then submitted to a number of scholarly technical reviewers, who submitted written suggestions for improvements in the translation.

Review by Book Editorial Committee

The next step in the process produced a fourth draft of the text. Taking into account the comments of the technical reviewers, a book editorial committee met to read and discuss the text for each book of the Bible.

The final step for the book editorial committee was reading the text aloud. Since the Bible is read not only silently but also aloud in worship and instructional settings, having a Bible translation that can be immediately grasped by the listener or reader and understood without the benefit of rereading was an important consideration.


xx PrefacexxiPreface

Review by Consultative Committee

After the members of the book editorial committee finished their work, they passed the fourth draft to the members of the consultative committee. This group of more than fifty Christian leaders from various denominations submitted comments and suggestions.

Review by Old Testament, New Testament, and Bible Editorial Committees

The final editorial changes were made when all the books of the Bible had been completed or were near completion. Old and New Testament committees and, finally, a Bible editorial committee approved the accuracy and readability of the text.

Features of God’s Word® Layout

The features that distinguish God’s Word from other Bible translations are designed to aid readers. The most obvious of these is the open, single-column format. This invites readers into the page.

In prose, GW looks like other works of literature. It contains frequent paragraphing. Whenever a different speaker’s words are quoted, a new paragraph begins. Lists, genealogies, and long prayers are formatted to help readers recognize the thought pattern of the text. The prose style of GW favors concise, clear sentences. While avoiding very long, complicated sentences, which characterize many English Bible translations, GW strives to vary the word arrangement in a natural way. Doing this enhances read-ability and brings the Scriptures to life.

The books that are primarily poetry in GW are instantly recognized by their format. The single-column format enables readers to recognize paral-lel thoughts in parallel lines of poetry. In a single-column, across-the-page layout, a variety of indentations are possible. The translators have used indentation to indicate the relationship of one line to others in the same context. This enables a person reading the Bible in English to appreciate the Bible’s poetry in much the same way as a person reading the Bible in the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek.

Punctuation, Capitalization

In English, meaning is conveyed not only by words but also by punctua-tion. However, no punctuation existed in ancient Hebrew and Greek writing, and words were used where English would use punctuation marks. God’s Word strives to use standard English punctuation wherever possible. At times this means that a punctuation mark or paragraph break represents the meaning that could only be expressed in words in Hebrew or Greek.

Italics are also used as they would be in other printed English texts: for foreign words or to indicate that a word is used as a word. (GW never uses italics to indicate emphasis.)

Wherever possible, GW has supplied information in headings or half-brackets to identify the speaker in quoted material. To minimize the confu-sion produced by quotations within quotations, quotation marks are used


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sparingly. For instance, they are not used after formulaic statements such as “This is what the Lord says: . . .”

Contractions can fit comfortably into many English sentences. Certainly, “Don’t you care that we’re going to die” is more natural than, “Do you not care that we are going to die?” GW achieves a warmer style by using con-tractions where appropriate. But uncontracted words are used in contexts that require special emphasis.

GW capitalizes the first letter in proper nouns and sentences. Some religious literature chooses to capitalize pronouns that refer to the deity. As in the original languages, GW does not capitalize any pronouns (un-less they begin sentences). In some cases scholars are uncertain whether pronouns in the original texts refer to God or someone else. In these cases the presence of capitalized pronouns would be misleading. Additionally, in some cases Hebrew or Greek pronouns are not ambiguous but an En-glish pronoun would be. In those cases, GW uses the appropriate proper noun in its place.

Gender References

The Scriptures contain many passages that apply to all people. Therefore, God’s Word strives to use gender-inclusive language in these passages so that all readers will apply these passages to themselves. For example, traditionally, Psalm 1:1 has been translated, “Blessed is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked. . . .” As a result, many readers will un-derstand this verse to mean that only adult males, not women or children, can receive a blessing. In GW the first Psalm begins “Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of the wicked. . . .”

If a passage focuses upon an individual, however, GW does not use plural nouns and pronouns to avoid the gender-specific pronouns he, him, and his. In these cases the translators considered the text’s focus upon an individual more important than an artificial use of plural pronouns. For example, Psalm 1:2 has been translated “Rather, he delights in the teachings of the Lord. . . .” In addition, gender-accurate language is preserved in passages that apply specifically to men or specifically to women.

Word Choice

The translation team chose words that were natural in context and that were as easily understood as possible without losing accuracy and faithfulness to the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible.

One of the challenges faced by the translators of GW was finding words that accurately communicate the meaning of important theological concepts in the Bible. Many of these concepts have traditionally been translated by words that no longer communicate to most English speakers. Examples of these theological terms include covenant, grace, justify, repent, and righ-teousness. While these words continue to be used by theologians and even by many Christians, the meanings that readers assign to them in everyday use do not equate to the meanings of the Hebrew or Greek words they are intended to translate. God’s Word avoids using these terms and substitutes words that carry the same meaning in clear, natural English. In some cases


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traditional theological words are contained in footnotes the first time they occur in a chapter.

Living, Active, and Life-Changing

While all these features make God’s Word Translation an accurate and readable Bible, the ultimate goal of the God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society is to bring the readers of GW into a new or closer relationship with Jesus. The translation team and support staff of the Mission Society pray that your reading of GW makes the living, active, and life-changing words of our great God and Savior clear and meaningful.

For more details on the translation process and the unique features that enable GW to accurately and clearly communicate God’s saving, life-changing message, visit www.godsword.org. For more information on available editions of GW, visit www.godswordtranslation.org.

Notes on the Text of God’s Word

Brackets

Proper names or foreign words whose meaning is significant for un-derstanding a particular Bible passage are translated in brackets ( [ ] ) following the name or phrase. When reading aloud a bracketed word may be treated as “that is.”

Half-brackets ( � � ) enclose words that the translation team supplied because the context contains meaning that is not explicitly stated in the original language.

Footnotes

Five types of footnotes are used in God’s Word:

1. Explanatory footnotes clarify historical, cultural, and geographical details from the ancient world to make the text more understand-able to modern readers. These footnotes also identify word play in Hebrew or Greek that would otherwise be lost to the English reader.

2. Alternate translation footnotes offer other plausible translations. They are introduced by the word or.

3. Footnotes that state “English equivalent difficult” mark passages where a Hebrew or Greek expression cannot be adequately trans-lated into modern English without resorting to a long, inappropriate paraphrase.

4. Footnotes that state “Hebrew meaning uncertain” or “Greek mean-ing uncertain” mark passages where scholars are not sure exactly what a Hebrew or Greek expression means.

5. Textual footnotes are included wherever God’s Word translates the meaning of some text other than the Masoretic Text printed in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia or its footnotes (Old Testament) or the Greek text printed in the twenty-seventh edition of Novum Testamentum Graece (New Testament).


xxivPreface

Terms Used In FootnotesAramaic one of the languages of the Old Testament, related to

HebrewDead Sea Scrolls

one or more of the Qumran manuscripts

Egyptian one or more of the ancient translations of the Bible into the ancient Egyptian or Ethiopic languages

Greek in the Old Testament: one or more of the ancient Greek translations of the Old Testament; in the New Testa-ment: the Greek language, the language of the New Testament

Hebrew the primary language of the Old TestamentLatin one or more of the ancient Latin translations of the BibleMasoretic Text

the traditional Hebrew text of the Old Testament

manuscript an ancient, handwritten copy of a textSamaritan Pentateuch

Samaritan Hebrew version of the first five books of the Bible

Syriac the ancient Syriac translation of the BibleTargum one of the ancient Aramaic translations of the Old

Testament


xxivPreface

OlDTestament


Introduction toGenesis

The word genesis means “beginning,” so it is no surprise that the book of Genesis is all about beginnings. In the first eleven chapters, we read about the origins of the world, of humankind, marriage, sin, farming, sibling ri-

valry, murder, hunting, meat eating, and wine making. We meet characters like Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah, who commandeered a ship through a world-destroying flood. We encounter stories about the creation of the world, the insidious snake in the garden, and the tower of Babel.

In chapter 12, the storyteller zooms in and focuses on one man: Abraham. Already senior citizens, Abram and his wife Sarai (their names will change later) leave their family home and, obeying God’s command, head west to a land of promise. From them, God says, he will forge a great nation, one that will bless the whole world.

This second part of Genesis is also about beginnings. It’s about the origins of the Hebrew people, the nation of Israel. Characters include Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau, Rachel and Leah, Joseph and his brothers. The stories ring true because the characters are far from perfect, flawed just as we are. Here we find accounts of the near-sacrifice of Isaac, the destruction of Sodom, Esau selling his birthright, Jacob wrestling with an angel, and Joseph’s coat of many colors.

These are among the oldest, most cherished stories in the world. In ways too numerous to trace, they have shaped our memory and influenced our history. According to tradition, in the second millennium BC, Moses collected ancient stories in order to write the original version of Genesis. Though we do not know the book’s precise history, we do know that the author did not select the stories randomly. Not only does Genesis tell us about important beginnings, but it also repeats a central theme of Scripture—that the God who created us is also intent on redeeming us.

Over and over in Genesis, human beings mess things up. Over and over God comes to the rescue. Adam and Eve listen to the lies of the snake, and God promises a redeemer to save them. The world descends into chaos, and God tells Noah to build a ship so that at least a remnant will be saved from the coming


judgment. Eventually God chooses Abraham to found a nation through whom “every family on earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). The message of Genesis sets the stage for all the Scripture that follows: no matter how great our sin, God’s grace is infinitely greater.

Key Names of God in Genesis

Yahweh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LordEl, Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GodRuach Elohim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the Spirit of GodEl Elyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . God Most HighAdonay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LordEl Shadday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . God AlmightyEl Olam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the Everlasting GodEl Roi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the God Who Sees MeYahweh Yireh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the Lord Will Provide


Genesis

The Creation

1 1 In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water.

The Ruach Elohim was hovering over the water. 3 Then Elohim said, “Let there be light!” So there was light. 4 Elohim saw

the light was good. So Elohim separated the light from the darkness. 5 Elohim named the light day, and the darkness he named night. There was evening, then morning—the first day.

6 Then Elohim said, “Let there be a horizon in the middle of the water in order to separate the water.” 7 So Elohim made the horizon and separated the water above and below the horizon. And so it was. 8 Elohim named �what was above� the horizon sky. There was evening, then morning—a second day.

9 Then Elohim said, “Let the water under the sky come together in one area, and let the dry land appear.” And so it was. 10 Elohim named the dry land earth. The water which came together he named sea. Elohim saw that it was good. 11 Then Elohim said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: plants bearing seeds, each according to its own type, and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds, each according to its own type.” And so it was. 12 The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seeds, each according to its own type, and trees bearing fruit with seeds, each according to its own type. Elohim saw that they were good. 13 There was evening, then morning—a third day.

14 Then Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs and will mark religious festivals, days, and years. 15 They will be lights in the sky to shine on the earth.” And so it was. 16 Elohim made the two bright lights: the larger light to rule the day and the smaller light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17 Elohim put them in the sky to give light to the earth, 18 to dominate the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. Elohim saw that it was good. 19 There was evening, then morning—a fourth day.

20 Then Elohim said, “Let the water swarm with swimming creatures, and let birds fly through the sky over the earth.” 21 So Elohim created the large sea creatures, every type of creature that swims around in the water and every type of flying bird. Elohim saw that they were good. 22 Elohim blessed them and said, “Be fertile, increase in number, fill the sea, and let there be many birds on the earth.” 23 There was evening, then morning—a fifth day.

24 Then Elohim said, “Let the earth produce every type of living creature: every type of domestic animal, crawling animal, and wild animal.” And so it was. 25 Elohim made every type of wild animal, every type of domestic animal,

Ruach Elohim Gen. 41:38


Key Scripture: Genesis 1:2

RUACHSPIRIT

The Hebrew word for “spirit” is ruach

(ru-ACH), which can be translated as “wind,” “breath,” or “mind.” It is

closely associated with “life” since there is no life without “breath.” Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Spirit [Ruach] of God was hovering over the water.” The scene is evocative, as though God hovers over the young world like an eagle hovering over its chicks (Deuteronomy 32:11).

The Spirit offers wisdom, ability, guid-ance, power, and revelation. So powerful is the breath of the Spirit that it can even bring the dead to life. Though Ruach when used in connection with God in the Hebrew Scrip-tures may simply refer to his power or his will, more often it signifies that God is present by his Spirit. “Holy Spirit” (Ruach Qodesh), “God’s Spirit” (Ruach El), “the Lord’s Spirit” (Ruach

Yahweh), and “the Spirit of God” (Ruach Elo-

him)—all are phrases found in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The word ruach can also describe angelic beings or even the “spirit” of a human being.

In the New Testament the Greek word pneuma refers to that which gives life to the body, to the human spirit, to good and evil spirits, and to the Holy Spirit. The Greek word Parakletos is also used and is translated as “counselor,” “advocate,” or “helper.”

The New Testament speaks of the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the body of Christ so that together we can do the will of God

on earth. The Holy Spirit is the One with the power to re-create the life of God within us.

Praying to Ruach

I couldn’t sleep. The lighted numbers on my alarm clock glared at me from across the room. Anxious thoughts kept racing through my brain. My eleven-year-old was attending an educational program in another city, stay-ing four nights in the home of friends and three nights at home. I was anxious to raise the money to bring this program for learning disabled children to my city so my daughter could move home again. But I felt alone and confused about how to proceed.

By 5:00 a.m., I gave up and tumbled out of bed. After the requisite cup of coffee, I began praying, asking God to help me figure out what to do about my daughter’s situation. I had the subtle impression that instead of giving me ideas, he was saying something—I

am going to fight for you. I hoped it was God’s voice and not wishful thinking.

Later that day, another mother called. I had invited her and a few other parents to a meeting in Toronto to learn more about the educational program I hoped to establish in Grand Rapids. Until then, no one had replied. Guess what! An influential administrator in her school system wanted to make the trip to Toronto. This was the breakthrough I had prayed for—only a first step, but at least a door was opening.

After I hung up, the words I had heard that morning came back to me—I will fight for you.

Alone in my office, I gave a little victory shout. Then I turned back to my writing. Before the phone call, I had been editing a piece I had written a few weeks earlier, and my own words bounced back to me:

Though we are weak and limited, we are not

defenseless because we belong to a God of

unimaginable power. And though it may seem

that he is sleeping through our time of need,

he is still Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Lord of Armies,

able to do far more than we think or imagine.

and then came the prayer I had written:

Yahweh Tsebaoth, Lord of Armies, please calm

my fear and anxiety. You know everything that

is going on in my life right now. . . . Help me to

rest in the knowledge that you are with me.

I tell the story, not because it is finished and certainly not because it is extraordinary, but because it illustrates one way the Holy Spirit commonly works in our lives—speaking a word to guide and encourage. Like me, you may be anxious about some perplexing problem. Ask God to open your heart to his Spirit, to fill you with his gifts and direct you with his wisdom.

kSpirit of the Living God, Ruach, breathe your life

into me. Purify, counsel, encourage, convict, and

enable me. Give me your gifts that I may use

them wisely in your service.


After this, I will pour my Ruach on everyone.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.Your old men will dream dreams.Your young men will see visions.

In those days I will pour my Ruach on servants, on both men

and women. (Joel 2:28–29)

Life is spiritual. Your physical existence doesn’t contribute to that life. The

words that I have spoken to you are spiritual. They are life. (John 6:63)

The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. (John 14:26)

Key Scripture: Genesis 1:2

RUACHSPIRIT

on earth. The Holy Spirit is the One with the power to re-create the life of God within us.

Praying to Ruach

I couldn’t sleep. The lighted numbers on my alarm clock glared at me from across the room. Anxious thoughts kept racing through my brain. My eleven-year-old was attending an educational program in another city, stay-ing four nights in the home of friends and three nights at home. I was anxious to raise the money to bring this program for learning disabled children to my city so my daughter could move home again. But I felt alone and confused about how to proceed.

By 5:00 a.m., I gave up and tumbled out of bed. After the requisite cup of coffee, I began praying, asking God to help me figure out what to do about my daughter’s situation. I had the subtle impression that instead of giving me ideas, he was saying something—I

am going to fight for you. I hoped it was God’s voice and not wishful thinking.

Later that day, another mother called. I had invited her and a few other parents to a meeting in Toronto to learn more about the educational program I hoped to establish in Grand Rapids. Until then, no one had replied. Guess what! An influential administrator in her school system wanted to make the trip to Toronto. This was the breakthrough I had prayed for—only a first step, but at least a door was opening.

After I hung up, the words I had heard that morning came back to me—I will fight for you.

Alone in my office, I gave a little victory shout. Then I turned back to my writing. Before the phone call, I had been editing a piece I had written a few weeks earlier, and my own words bounced back to me:

Though we are weak and limited, we are not

defenseless because we belong to a God of

unimaginable power. And though it may seem

that he is sleeping through our time of need,

he is still Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Lord of Armies,

able to do far more than we think or imagine.

and then came the prayer I had written:

Yahweh Tsebaoth, Lord of Armies, please calm

my fear and anxiety. You know everything that

is going on in my life right now. . . . Help me to

rest in the knowledge that you are with me.

I tell the story, not because it is finished and certainly not because it is extraordinary, but because it illustrates one way the Holy Spirit commonly works in our lives—speaking a word to guide and encourage. Like me, you may be anxious about some perplexing problem. Ask God to open your heart to his Spirit, to fill you with his gifts and direct you with his wisdom.

kSpirit of the Living God, Ruach, breathe your life

into me. Purify, counsel, encourage, convict, and

enable me. Give me your gifts that I may use

them wisely in your service.


RUACH


Genesis 3:158 9Genesis 1 :26

and every type of creature that crawls on the ground. Elohim saw that they were good.

26 Then Elohim said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness. Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.” 27 So Elohim created humans in his image.

In the image of Elohim he created them.He created them male and female.

28 Elohim blessed them and said, “Be fertile, increase in number, fill the earth, and be its master. Rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.”

29 Elohim said, “I have given you every plant with seeds on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seeds. This will be your food. 30 I have given all green plants as food to every land animal, every bird in the sky, and every animal that crawls on the earth—every living, breathing animal.” And so it was.

31 And Elohim saw everything that he had made and that it was very good. There was evening, then morning—the sixth day.

2 1 Heaven and earth and everything in them were finished. 2 By the seventh day Elohim had finished the work he had been doing. On the seventh day

he stopped the work he had been doing. 3 Then Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart as holy, because on that day he stopped all his work of creation.

The Creation of Man and Woman 4 This is the account of heaven and earth when they were created, at the

time when Yahweh Elohim made earth and heaven. 5 Wild bushes and plants were not on the earth yet because Yahweh Elohim

hadn’t sent rain on the earth. Also, there was no one to farm the land. 6 Instead, underground water would come up from the earth and water the entire surface of the ground.

7 Then Yahweh Elohim formed the man from the dust of the earth a and blew the breath of life into his nostrils. The man became a living being.

8 Yahweh Elohim planted a garden in Eden, in the east. That’s where he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Yahweh Elohim made all the trees grow out of

the ground. These trees were nice to look at, and their fruit was good to eat. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil grew in the middle of the garden.

10 A river flowed from Eden to water the garden. Outside the garden it divided into four rivers. 11 The name of the first river is Pishon. This is the one that winds throughout Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is pure. Bdellium b and onyx are also �found� there.) 13 The name of the second river is Gihon. This is the one that winds throughout Sudan. 14 The name of the third river is

Tigris. This is the one that flows east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.15 Then Yahweh Elohim took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to

farm the land and to take care of it. 16 Yahweh Elohim commanded the man. He said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. 17 But you must never eat

a 2:7 There is a play on words here between Hebrew ʾadam (man) and ʾadamah (earth).b 2:12 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

Elohim Gen. 2:2

Elohim Gen. 3:1

So Elohim created

humans in his image.

In the image of Elohim

he created them.

He created them

male and female.

Genesis 1:27



from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

18 Then Yahweh Elohim said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.”

19 Yahweh Elohim had formed all the wild animals and all the birds out of the ground. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each creature became its name. 20 So the man named all the domestic animals, all the birds, and all the wild animals.

But the man found no helper who was right for him. 21 So Yahweh Elohim caused him to fall into a deep sleep. While the man was sleeping, Yahweh Elohim took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 Then Yahweh Elohim formed a woman from the rib that he had taken from the man. He brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.She will be named woman

because she was taken from man.”24 That is why a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with

his wife, and they will become one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, but they weren’t ashamed of it.

The First Sin and the First Promise

3 1 The snake was more clever than all the wild animals Yahweh Elohim had made. He asked the woman, “Did Elohim really say, ‘You must never eat the

fruit of any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman answered the snake, “We’re allowed to eat the fruit from any

tree in the garden 3 except the tree in the middle of the garden. Elohim said, ‘You must never eat it or touch it. If you do, you will die!’ ”

4 “You certainly won’t die!” the snake told the woman. 5 “Elohim knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You’ll be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.”

6 The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then their eyes were opened, and they both realized that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made clothes for themselves.

8 In the cool of the evening, the man and his wife heard Yahweh Elohim walk-ing around in the garden. So they hid from Yahweh Elohim among the trees in the garden. 9 Yahweh Elohim called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

11 Elohim asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man answered, “That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then Yahweh Elohim asked the woman, “What have you done?”“The snake deceived me, and I ate,” the woman answered.

14 So Yahweh Elohim said to the snake, “Because you have done this,

You are cursed more than all the wild or domestic animals.You will crawl on your belly.You will be the lowest of animals as long as you live.

15 I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other.



Key Scripture: Genesis 1

EL, ELOHIMGOD

E lohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. When we pray to Elohim, we

remember that he is the one who began it all, creating the heavens and the earth and separating light from darkness, water from dry land, night from day. Jesus used a form of the name in his agonized prayer from the cross. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) is the plural form of El

or Eloah, one of the oldest designations for divinity in the world. The Hebrews borrowed the term El from the Canaanites. It can refer ei-ther to the true God or to pagan gods. Though El is used more than two hundred times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than twenty-five-hundred times. Its plural form is used not to indicate a belief in many gods but to emphasize the majesty of the one true God. He is the God of gods, the highest of all. Elohim

occurs thirty-two times in the first chapter of Genesis. After that the name Yahweh appears as well and is often paired with Elohim, and the two together are often translated “the Lord God.”

Praying to El, Elohim

What do galaxies, human beings, mountain lions, sandpipers, catfish, dragonflies, and daisies have in common? Not one of these

exists by accident. They did not come into being by chance. Gerard Manley Hopkins once famously wrote that “the world is charged with the grandeur of God,” a belief shared by most people throughout history. Little won-der that the Bible invokes the name Elohim in its very first sentence, which says this: “In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.”

Everything that is exists for one reason: God wanted it to exist. It was his idea. Without telling us precisely how the world was made, Genesis 1 tells us precisely who made it—a Being of unfathomable wisdom, of infinite capability, who called forth nothing and made it into something.

As you begin to learn about Elohim, remem-ber that he is the Creator of all that is—of every flower and every fern, every bird and every beast, of the winds and the waters, of the universe in all its wonder. Every living thing was made by him. You were made by him. And you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Take a few minutes now to recall the beauty and intricacy of the world he has made, and then ask Elohim for the wisdom to act as his servant, thinking like him and loving like him so that you can faithfully care for the creation he has made.

kElohim, when I look at your heavens, the creation

of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you

have made—who am I that you should think of

me? Thank you for making me, for placing me in

this world, and for calling me along with others

to care for it as your servant. Give me reverence

and give me wisdom so that I can do this work

in a way that is pleasing to you.


These are all the blessings that will come to you and stay close to you because

you obey Yahweh your Elohim:You will be blessed in the city

and blessed in the country.You will be blessed. You will have

children. Your land will have crops. Your animals will have offspring.

Your cattle will have calves, and your flocks will have lambs and kids.The grain you harvest and the bread you bake will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come and blessed when you go.

Yahweh will bless your barns and everything you do. Yahweh your Elohim

will bless you in the land that he is giving you. (Deuteronomy 28:2–6, 8)

Don’t be afraid, because I am with you.Don’t be intimidated; I am your Elohim.

I will strengthen you.I will help you.

I will support you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Key Scripture: Genesis 1

EL, ELOHIMGOD

exists by accident. They did not come into being by chance. Gerard Manley Hopkins once famously wrote that “the world is charged with the grandeur of God,” a belief shared by most people throughout history. Little won-der that the Bible invokes the name Elohim in its very first sentence, which says this: “In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.”

Everything that is exists for one reason: God wanted it to exist. It was his idea. Without telling us precisely how the world was made, Genesis 1 tells us precisely who made it—a Being of unfathomable wisdom, of infinite capability, who called forth nothing and made it into something.

As you begin to learn about Elohim, remem-ber that he is the Creator of all that is—of every flower and every fern, every bird and every beast, of the winds and the waters, of the universe in all its wonder. Every living thing was made by him. You were made by him. And you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Take a few minutes now to recall the beauty and intricacy of the world he has made, and then ask Elohim for the wisdom to act as his servant, thinking like him and loving like him so that you can faithfully care for the creation he has made.

kElohim, when I look at your heavens, the creation

of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you

have made—who am I that you should think of

me? Thank you for making me, for placing me in

this world, and for calling me along with others

to care for it as your servant. Give me reverence

and give me wisdom so that I can do this work

in a way that is pleasing to you.


EL, ELOHIM



I will make your descendantsand her descendant hostile toward each other.

He will crush your head,and you will bruise his heel.”

16 He said to the woman,

“I will increase your pain and your laborwhen you give birth to children.

Yet, you will long for your husband,and he will rule you.”

17 Then he said to the man, “You listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree, although I commanded you, ‘You must never eat its fruit.’

The ground is cursed because of you.Through hard work you will eat �food that comes� from it

every day of your life. 18 The ground will grow thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat wild plants. 19 By the sweat of your brow, you will produce food to eat

until you return to the ground,because you were taken from it.

You are dust, and you will return to dust.”20 Adam named his wife Eve [Life] because she became the mother of every

living person.21 Yahweh Elohim made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife

and dressed them.22 Then Yahweh Elohim said, “The man has become like one of us, since he

knows good and evil. He must not reach out and take the fruit from the tree of life and eat. Then he would live forever.” 23 So Yahweh Elohim sent the man out of the Garden of Eden to farm the ground from which the man had been formed. 24 After he sent the man out, Elohim placed angels a and a flaming sword that turned in all directions east of the Garden of Eden. He placed them there to guard the way to the tree of life.

Cain Murders Abel

4 1 Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten the man that Yahweh promised.” 2 Then she

gave birth to another child, Abel, Cain’s brother. Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer.

3 Later Cain brought some crops from the land as an offering to Yahweh. 4 Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. Yahweh approved of Abel and his offering, 5 but he didn’t approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed. 6 Then Yahweh asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? 7 If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

8 Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Yahweh asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

a 3:24 Or “cherubim.”


Elohim Gen. 4:25



10 Yahweh asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the ground, which has received the blood of your brother whom you killed. 12 When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.”

13 But Cain said to Yahweh, “My pun-ishment is more than I can stand! 14 You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15 So Yahweh said to him, “Not so! Any-one who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Yahweh gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.

16 Then Cain left Yahweh’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.

Cain’s Ten Descendants—Cain to Lamech17 Cain made love to his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.

Cain was building a city, and he named it Enoch after his son. 18 To Enoch was born Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the first person to live in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the first person to play the harp and the flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubalcain, who made bronze and iron tools. Tubalcain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!Wives of Lamech, hear what I say!

I killed a man for bruising me,a young man for wounding me.

24 If Cain is avenged 7 times,then Lamech, 77 times.”

Adam’s Godly Descendants—Adam to Enosh25 Adam made love to his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him

Seth, because �she said,� “Elohim has given a me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”

26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to worship Yahweh.

Adam’s Ten Descendants—Adam to Noah—1 Chronicles 1:1–3

5 1 This is the written account of Adam and his descendants.

When Elohim created humans,he made them in the likeness of Elohim.

2 He created them male and female.a 4:25 There is a play on words here between Hebrew sheth (Seth) and shath (given).

Elohim Gen. 5:1

Yahweh Gen. 5:29

EveThe mother of all the living,

Eve is the first woman named

in Scripture. Her pivotal story

is recounted in Genesis, where

she called God by two names.

• Yahweh(Gen.4:1)

• Elohim(Gen.3:3)



He blessed them and called them humanswhen he created them.

3 When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father �of a son� in his own likeness, in his own image. He named him Seth. 4 After Adam became the father of Seth, he lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Adam lived a total of 930 years; then he died.

6 When Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh. 7 After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Seth lived a total of 912 years; then he died.

9 When Enosh was 90 years old, he became the father of Kenan. 10 After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Enosh lived a total of 905 years; then he died.

12 When Kenan was 70 years old, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 After he became the

father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Kenan lived a total of 910 years; then he died.

15 When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared. 16 After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years; then he died.

18 When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch. 19 After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Jared lived a total of 962 years; then he died.

21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with Elohim for 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with Elohim; then he was gone because Elohim took him.

25 When Methuselah was 187 years old, he became the father of Lamech. 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Methuselah lived a total of 969 years; then he died.

28 When Lamech was 182 years old, he became the father of a son. 29 He named him Noah [Relief], and said, “This child will bring us relief from the work and painful labor of our hands since Yahweh has cursed the ground.” 30 After La-mech became the father of Noah, he lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Lamech lived a total of 777 years; then he died.

32 When Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Evil Increases on the Earth

6 1 The number of people increased all over the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of Elohim saw that the daughters of other humans

were beautiful. So they married any woman they chose. 3 Then Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not struggle with humans forever, because

they are flesh and blood. They will live 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the

sons of Elohim slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago.

5 Yahweh saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil. 6 Yahweh was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken. 7 So Yahweh said, “I will wipe

Elohim Gen. 6:2

Yahweh Gen. 6:3

Enoch walked with

Elohim; then he

was gone because

Elohim took him.

Genesis 5:24



off the face of the earth these humans that I created. I will wipe out not only humans, but also domestic animals, crawling animals, and birds. I’m sorry that I made them.” 8 But Yahweh was pleased with Noah.

Noah’s Family and the Ship 9 This is the account of Noah and his de scendants.

Noah had God’s approval and was a man of integrity among the people of his time. He walked with Elohim. 10 He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 The world was corrupt in Elohim’s sight and full of violence. 12 Elohim saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives.

13 Elohim said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people because the earth is full of their violence. Now I’m going to destroy them along with the earth. 14 Make yourself a ship of cypress wood. a Make rooms in the ship and coat it inside and out with tar. 15 This is how you should build it: the ship is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for the ship, and leave an 18-inch-high opening at the top.b Put a door in the side of the ship. Build the ship with lower, middle, and upper decks. 17 I’m about to send a flood on the earth to destroy all people under the sky—every living, breathing human. Everything on earth will die.

18 “But I will make my promise c to you. You, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives will go into the ship. 19 Bring two of every living creature into the ship in order to keep them alive with you. They must be male and female. 20 Two of every type of bird, every type of domestic animal, and every type of creature that crawls on the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 Take every kind of food that can be eaten and store it. It will be food for you and the animals.”

22 Noah did this. He did everything that Elohim had commanded him.

The Flood

7 1 Yahweh said to Noah, “Go into the ship with your whole family because I have seen that you alone are righteous among the people of today. 2 Take

with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal (a male and a female of each) and one pair of every kind of unclean d animal (a male and a female). 3 Also, take seven pairs of every kind of bird (a male and a female of each) to preserve animal life all over the earth after the flood. 4 In seven days I will send rain to the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. I will wipe off the face of the earth every living creature that I have made.”

5 So Noah did everything that Yahweh commanded him. 6 Noah was 600 years old when the flood came to the earth. 7 Noah, his sons,

his wife, and his sons’ wives went into the ship to escape the floodwaters. 8 Clean and unclean animals, birds, and creatures that crawl on the ground 9 came to Noah to go into the ship in pairs (a male and female of each) as Elohim had commanded Noah.

10 Seven days later the flood came on the earth. 11 On the seventeenth day of the second month of the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, all the deep springs burst open. The sky opened, 12 and rain came pouring down on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.

13 On that same day Noah and his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, as well as Noah’s wife and his three daughters-in-law went into the ship. 14 They had with a 6:14 Or “teakwood.”b 6:16 Hebrew meaning uncertain.c 6:18 Or “covenant.”d 7:2 “Clean” refers to anything that is presentable to God. “Unclean” refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

Yahweh Gen. 7:1

Elohim Gen. 7:9



them every type of wild animal, every type of domestic animal, every type of creature that crawls on the earth, and every type of bird (every creature with wings). 15 A pair of every living, breathing animal came to Noah to go into the ship. 16 A male and a female of every animal went in as Elohim had commanded Noah. Then Yahweh closed the door behind them.

17 The flood continued for 40 days on the earth. The water increased and lifted the ship so that it rose high above the ground. 18 As the water rose and became very deep, the ship floated on top of the water. 19 The water rose very high above the earth. It covered all the high mountains everywhere under the sky. 20 It rose 23 feet above the mountaintops.

21 Every creature that crawls on the earth died, including birds, domestic and wild animals, and everything that swarms over the earth, along with every human. 22 Everything on dry land (every living, breathing creature) died. 23 Every living creature on the face of the earth was wiped out. Humans, domestic ani-mals, crawling creatures, and birds were wiped off the earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ship were left.

24 The floodwaters were on the earth for 150 days.

God Remembers Noah

8 1 Elohim remembered Noah and all the wild and domestic animals with him in the ship. So Elohim made a wind blow over the earth, and the water

started to go down. 2 The deep springs and the sky had been shut, and the rain had stopped pouring. 3 The water began to recede from the land. At the end of 150 days the water had decreased. 4 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ship came to rest in the mountains of Ararat. 5 The water kept de-creasing until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

6 After 40 more days Noah opened the window he had made in the ship 7 and sent out a raven. It kept flying back and forth until the water on the land had dried up. 8 Next, he sent out a dove to see if the water was gone from the surface of the ground. 9 The dove couldn’t find a place to land because the water was still all over the earth. So it came back to Noah in the ship. He reached out and brought the dove back into the ship. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent the dove out of the ship. 11 The dove came to him in the evening, and in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf. Then Noah knew that the water was gone from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent out the dove again, but it never came back to him.

13 By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water on the land had dried up. Noah opened the top of the ship, looked out, and saw the surface of the ground. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the land was dry.

15 Then Elohim spoke to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ship with your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives. 17 Bring out every animal that’s with you: birds, do-mestic animals, and every creature that crawls on the earth. Be fertile, increase in number, and spread over the earth.”

18 So Noah came out with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. 19 Every animal, crawling creature, and bird—everything that moves on the earth—came out of the ship, one kind after another.

20 Noah built an altar to Yahweh. On it he made a burnt offering of each type of clean a animal and clean bird. 21 Yahweh smelled the soothing aroma. Yahweh said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, even a 8:20 “Clean” refers to anything that is presentable to God.

Elohim Gen. 8:1

Yahweh Gen. 8:20

Elohim Gen. 9:1

Yahweh Gen. 9:26



though from birth their hearts are set on nothing but evil. I will never again kill every living creature as I have just done. 22 As long as the earth exists,

planting and harvesting,cold and heat,summer and winter,day and night

will never stop.”

God Blesses Noah and His Sons

9 1 Elohim blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fertile, increase in number, and fill the earth. 2 All the wild animals and all the birds will

fear you and be terrified of you. Every creature that crawls on the ground and all the fish in the sea have been put under your control. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be your food. I gave you green plants as food; I now give you everything else.

4 “But you are not to eat meat with blood in it. (Blood is life.) 5 In addition, I will demand your blood for your life. I will demand it from any animal or from any person. I will demand the life of any person �who kills� another person. 6 Whoever sheds human blood,

by humans his blood will be shed,because in his image, Elohim made

humans.7 Be fertile, and increase in number. Spread over the earth, and increase.”

God’s Promise—The Sign of the Rainbow 8 Elohim also said to Noah and his sons, 9 “I

am going to make my promise a to you, your de-scendants, 10 and every living being that is with you—birds, domestic animals, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ship—every living thing on earth. 11 I am making my promise to you. Never again will all life be killed by floodwaters. Never again will there be a flood that destroys the earth.”

12 Elohim said, “This is the sign of the promise I am giving to you and every living being that is with you for generations to come. 13 I will put my rainbow in the clouds to be a sign of my promise to the earth. 14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth, a rainbow will appear in the clouds. 15 Then I will remember my promise to you and every living animal. Never again will water become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember my everlasting promise to every living animal on earth.”

17 So Elohim said to Noah, “This is the sign of the promise I am making to all life on earth.”

Noah Curses Canaan but Blesses Shem and Japheth18 Noah’s sons, who came out of the ship, were Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

19 These were Noah’s three sons. From them the whole earth was populated. Ham was the father of Canaan.b

a 9:9 Or “covenant.”b 9:19 The second part of verse 18 (in Hebrew) has been placed just after verse 19 to express the complex Hebrew sentence structure more clearly in English.

I will put my rainbow

in the clouds to be a

sign of my promise

to the earth.

Genesis 9:13



20 Noah, a farmer, was the first person to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some wine, got drunk, and lay naked inside his tent. 22 Ham, father of Canaan, saw his father naked. So he went outside and told his two brothers.

23 Shem and Japheth took a blanket and laid it over their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered their father’s naked body. They turned their faces away so that they didn’t see their father naked.

24 When Noah sobered up, he found out what his youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said,

“Canaan is cursed!He will be the lowest slave to his brothers.

26 Praise Yahweh, the Elohim of Shem!Canaan will be his slave.

27 May Elohim expand the territory of Japheth.a

May he live in the tents of Shem.Canaan will be his slave.”

28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 Noah lived a total of 950 years; then he died.

The 14 Descendants of Japheth—1 Chronicles 1:4–7

10 1 This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their descendants. Shem, Ham and Japheth had children after the flood.

2 Japheth’s descendants wereGomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

3 Gomer’s descendants wereAshkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 Javan’s descendants werethe people from Eli shah, Tarshish, Cyprus, and Rhodes.b

5 From these descendants the people of the coastlands spread into their own countries. Each nation had its own language and families.

The 30 Descendants of Ham—1 Chronicles 1:8–16 6 Ham’s descendants were

Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 Cush’s descendants were

Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca.

Raamah’s descendants wereSheba and Dedan.

8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, the first mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter whom Yahweh blessed. That’s why people used to say, “�He’s� like Nimrod, a mighty hunter whom Yahweh blessed.” 10 The first �cities� in his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in Shinar [Babylonia]. 11 He went from that land to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen, the great city between Nineveh and Calah. 13 Egypt was the ancestor of

the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.

15 Canaan was the father ofa 9:27 There is a play on words here between the Hebrew yapht (May God expand) and yepheth (Japheth).b 10:4 1 Chronicles 1:7, Samaritan Pentateuch, Greek; Masoretic Text “the Dodanim.”

Yahweh Gen. 10:9

Elohim Gen. 15:13

Yahweh Gen. 11:5



Sidon his firstborn, then Heth, 16 also the Jeb u sites, the Amo rites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hi vites, the Arkites, the Si nites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

Later the Canaanite families scattered. 19 The border of the Canaanites extended from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as far as Lasha.

20 These were Ham’s descendants by families and languages within their coun-tries and nations.

The 26 Descendants of Shem—1 Chronicles 1:17–23

21 Shem, Japheth’s older brother, also had children. �Shem was� the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.

22 Shem’s descendants wereElam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.

23 Aram’s descendants wereUz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.

24 Arpachshad was the father of Shelah,and Shelah was the father of Eber.

25 Two sons were born to Eber.The name of the one was Peleg [Division], because in his day the earth

was divided.His brother’s name was Joktan.

26 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. These were Joktan’s sons. 30 The region where they lived extended from Mesha toward Sephar in the eastern mountains.

31 These were Shem’s descendants by families and languages within their countries according to their nations.

32 These were the families of Noah’s sons listed by their genealogies, nation by nation. From these �descendants� the nations spread over the earth after the flood.

The Tower of Babel

11 1 The whole world had one language with a common vocabulary. 2 As people moved toward the east,a they found a plain in Shinar [Babylonia]

and settled there. 3 They said to one another, “Let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.”

They used bricks as stones and tar b as mortar. 4 Then they said, “Let’s build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in

the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves so that we won’t become scattered all over the face of the earth.”

5 Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that the descendants of Adam were building. 6 Yahweh said, “They are one people with one language. This is only the beginning of what they will do! Now nothing they plan to do will be too difficult for them. 7 Let us go down there and mix up their language so that they won’t understand each other.”a 11:2 Or “from the east.”b 11:3 Or “bitumen.”

NoahNoah was a good man sur-

rounded by people whose

thoughts were evil, all day

and every day. In the midst

of a corrupt world, Noah fol-

lowed God and was able to

hear his voice. He referred

to God as

• Yahweh(Gen.9:26)

• Elohim(Gen.9:26)



8 So Yahweh scattered them all over the face of the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 This is why it was named Babel, because there Yahweh turned the language of the whole earth into babble. From that place Yahweh scattered them all over the face of the earth.

The Ten Descendants of Shem—Shem to Terah—1 Chronicles 1:17–2310 This is the account of Shem and his descendants. Two years after the flood

when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arpachshad. 11 After he became the father of Arpachshad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

12 Arpachshad was 35 years old when he became the father of Shelah. 13 After he became the father of Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

14 Shelah was 30 years old when he became the father of Eber. 15 After he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

16 Eber was 34 years old when he became the father of Peleg. 17 After he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

18 Peleg was 30 years old when he became the father of Reu. 19 After he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

20 Reu was 32 years old when he became the father of Serug. 21 After he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

22 Serug was 30 years old when he became the father of Nahor. 23 After he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

24 Nahor was 29 years old when he became the father of Terah. 25 After he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 Terah was 70 years old when he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Terah Moves to Haran27 This is the account of Terah and his descendants. Terah was the father of

Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, his native land. 29 Both Abram and Nahor married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, daughter of Haran. (Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah.) 30 Sarai was not able to have children.

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his daugh-ter-in-law Sarai, wife of his son Abram. They set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came as far as Haran, they stayed there. 32 Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.

The Lord’s First Promise to Abram

12 1 Yahweh said to Abram,

“Leave your land,your relatives,

and your father’s home.Go to the land that I will show you.

2 I will make you a great nation,I will bless you.I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

Yahweh Gen. 12:1



3 I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you, I will curse.

Through you every family on earth will be blessed.”

The Lord’s Second Promise to Abram 4 So Abram left, as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was

75 years old when he left Haran. 5 Abram set out for Canaan. He took along his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the servants they had acquired in Haran.

6 They arrived in Canaan,a and Abram trav-eled through the land to the oak tree belonging to Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaan-ites were in the land. 7 Then Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I’m going to give this land to your descendants.” So he built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

8 He moved on to the hills east of Bethel, and he put up his tent—with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He also built an altar to Yahweh there and worshiped Yahweh. 9 Abram kept moving toward the Negev.

Abram Deceives Pharaoh10 There was a famine in the land. Abram went to Egypt to stay awhile because

the famine was severe. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, Abram said to his wife Sarai, “I know that you’re a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they’ll say, ‘This is his wife!’ Then they’ll kill me but let you live. 13 Please say that you’re my sister. Then everything will be alright for me, and because of you I will live.”

14 When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians saw how very beautiful his wife was. 15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they raved about her to Pharaoh, so Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s palace. 16 Everything went well for Abram because of her, and he was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels.

17 However, Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his household with terrible plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Then Pharaoh called for Abram. “What have you done to me?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me that she’s your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister’ and allow me to take her for my wife? Here’s your wife! Take her and go!” 20 Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram. They sent Abram away with his wife and everything that he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 1 Abram left Egypt with his wife and everything he had and went to the Negev. Lot was with him. 2 Abram was very rich because he had livestock,

silver, and gold. 3 He traveled from place to place. He went from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the area between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been originally, 4 where he had first made an altar. There Abram worshiped Yahweh.

5 Lot, who had been traveling with Abram, also had his own sheep, cattle, and tents. 6 There wasn’t enough pastureland for both of them. They had so many possessions that they were unable to remain together. 7 Quarrels broke out between Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders. (Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in that area.)a 12:6 English equivalent difficult.

Yahweh Gen. 13:4

I will make you a great

nation, I will bless

you. I will make your

name great, and you

will be a blessing.

Genesis 12:2



8 Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have any more quarrels between us or between our herders. After all, we’re relatives. 9 Isn’t all this land yours also? Let’s separate. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right, and if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 10 Then Lot looked in the direction of Zoar as far as he could see. He saw that the whole Jordan Plain was well-watered like Yahweh’s garden or like Egypt. (This was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

11 Lot chose the whole Jordan Plain for himself. He moved toward the east. They each went their own way. 12 Abram lived in Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain, moving his tents as far as Sodom.13 (The people who lived in Sodom were very wicked. They committed terrible sins against Yahweh.)

The Lord’s Third Promise to Abram14 After Lot left, Yahweh said to Abram, “Look north, south, east, and west of

where you are. 15 I will give all the land you see to you and to your descendants for an indefinite period of time. 16 I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants. 17 Go! Walk back and forth across the entire land because I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oak trees belonging to Mamre at He bron. There he built an altar for Yahweh.

Abram Rescues Lot

14 1 At that time �four kings�—King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of El-lasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim—2 went to war

against �five kings�—King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 The five kings joined forces and met in the valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea). 4 For 12 years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies came and defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, going as far as El Paran on the edge of the desert. 7 On their way back, they came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Am a lek ites and also the Amo rites who were living at Haz azon Tamar.

8 Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and prepared for battle in the valley of Siddim. 9 They fought against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 The valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. As the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell because of the tar pits, but the other kings fled to the hills. 11 So the four kings took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as all their food, and left. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions since he was living in Sodom.

13 Then a soldier who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew what had happened. He was living next to the oak trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner. (These men were Abram’s allies.)

14 When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he armed a his 318 trained men, born in his own household, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan. 15 He split up his men to attack them at night. He defeated them, pursuing them all the way to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 He brought back everything they had, including women and soldiers. He also brought back his relative Lot and his possessions.a 14:14 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

Yahweh Gen. 15:1



Melchizedek Blesses Abram17 After Abram came back from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the

king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Then King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of El Elyon. 19 He blessed Abram, and said,

“Blessed is Abram by El Elyon,maker a of heaven and earth.

20 Blessed is El Elyon,who has handed your enemies

over to you.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of every-thing.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and keep everything else for yourself.”

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I now raise my hand and solemnly swear to Yahweh El Elyon, maker of heaven and earth, 23 that I won’t take a thread or a san-dal strap. I won’t take anything that is yours so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I won’t take one single thing except what my men have eaten. But let my allies Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

The Lord’s Fourth Promise to Abram

15 1 Later Yahweh spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said,

“Abram, don’t be afraid.I am your shield.Your reward will be very great.” b

2 Abram asked, “Adonay Yahweh, what will you give me? Since I’m going to die without children, Eliezer of Damascus will inherit c my household. 3 You have given me no children, so this member of my household will be my heir.”

4 Suddenly, Yahweh spoke his word to Abram again. He said, “This man will not be your heir. Your own son will be your heir.” 5 He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 6 Then Abram believed Yahweh, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abram’s approval by Yahweh. 7 Then Yahweh said to him, “I am Yahweh, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land so that you will take possession of it.”

8 Abram asked, “Adonay Yahweh, how can I be certain that I will take pos-session of it?”

9 He answered Abram, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a mourning dove, and a pigeon.” 10 So Abram brought all these animals to him. He cut each of them in half and laid each half opposite the other. However, he did not cut the birds in half.

11 When birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was just about to set, a deep sleep—a dreadful, deep dark-ness—came over Abram.a 14:19 Or “Possessor.”b 15:1 Or “I am your shield, your very great reward.”c 15:2 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

El Elyon Gen. 14:19

El Elyon Gen. 14:20

El Elyon Num. 24:16

Adonay Yahweh Gen. 15:8

Adonay Yahweh Deut. 3:24

King MelchizedekReferred to as a priest, this

mysterious man blessed

Abram after he rescued Lot,

calling God

• ElElyon(Gen.14:19)



13 Elohim said to Abram, “You can know for sure that your descendants will live in a land that is not their own, where they will be slaves, and they will be oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve, and after that they will come out with many possessions. 15 But you will die in peace and be buried at a very old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, because the sin of the Amo rites will not have run its course until then.”

17 The sun had gone down, and it was dark. Suddenly a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between the animal pieces. 18 At that time Yahweh made a promise a to Abram. He said, “I will give this land to your descendants. This is the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates. 19 It is the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amo rites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jeb u sites.”

Abram and Hagar

16 1 Sarai, Abram’s wife, was not able to have children. She owned an Egyp-tian slave named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Yahweh has kept me

from having children. Why don’t you sleep with my slave? Maybe I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed with Sarai.

3 After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Abram’s wife Sarai took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to be disrespectful to Sarai, her owner.

5 So Sarai complained to Abram, “I’m being treated unfairly! And it’s your fault! I know that I gave my slave to you, but now that she’s pregnant, she’s being disrespectful to me. May Yahweh decide who is right—you or me.”

6 Abram answered Sarai, “Here, she’s your slave. Do what you like with her.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar so much that she ran away.

7 The Messenger of Yahweh found her by a spring in the desert, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s slave, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

She answered, “I’m running away from my owner Sarai.” 9 The Messenger of Yah-weh said to her, “Go back to your owner, and

place yourself under her authority.” 10 The Messenger of Yahweh also said to her, “I will give you many descendants. No one will be able to count them because there will be so many.” 11 Then the Mes-senger of Yahweh said to her,

“You are pregnant,and you will give birth to a son.

You will name him Ishmael [God Hears],because Yahweh has heard your cry of distress.

12 He will be as free and wild as an untamed donkey.He will fight with everyone, and everyone will fight with him.He will have conflicts with all his relatives.” b

a 15:18 Or “covenant.”b 16:12 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

Elohim Gen. 17:3

Yahweh Gen. 16:2

HagarHagar, Sarah’s maidservant,

encountered God in the

desert. Because the Lord

saw her misery and pro-

vided for her in the midst of

a desperate circumstance,

she called him by a name

unique in the Bible.

• ElRoi(Gen.16:13)



13 Hagar named Yahweh, who had been speaking to her, “You Are El Roi.” She said, “This is the place where I watched �the one� who watches over me.” 14 This is why the well is named Beer Lahai Roi [Well of the Living One Who Watches Over Me]. It is still there between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son. Abram named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.

The Lord’s Fifth Promise to Abraham

17 1 When Abram was 99 years old, Yahweh appeared to him. He said to Abram, “I am El Shadday. Live in my presence with integrity. 2 I will

give you my promise,a and I will give you very many descendants.” 3 Imme-diately, Abram bowed with his face touching the ground, and again Elohim spoke to him, 4 “My promise is still with you. You will become the father of many nations. 5 So your name will no longer be Abram [Exalted Father], but Abraham [Father of Many] because I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will give you many descendants. Many nations and kings will come from you. 7 I will make my promise to you and your descendants for generations to come as an everlasting promise. I will be your Elohim and the God of your descendants. 8 I am also giving this land where you are living—all of Canaan—to you and your descendants as your permanent possession. And I will be your Elohim.”

9 Elohim also said to Abraham, “You and your descendants in generations to come are to be faithful to my promise. 10 This is how you are to be faithful to my promise: Every male among you is to be circumcised. 11 All of you must be circumcised. That will be the sign of the promise from me to you. 12 For gen-erations to come every male child who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether he is born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner who’s not related to you. 13 Every male born in your household or bought with your money is to be circumcised without exception. So my promise will be a sign on your flesh, an everlasting promise. 14 Any uncircumcised male must be excluded from his people because he has rejected my promise.”

15 Elohim said to Abraham, “Don’t call your wife by the name Sarai anymore. Instead, her name is Sarah [Princess]. 16 I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become �a mother of� nations, and kings will come from her.” 17 Immediately, Abraham bowed with his face touch-ing the ground. He laughed as he thought to himself, “Can a son be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, have a child?” 18 Then Abraham said to Elohim, “Why not let Ishmael be my heir?”

19 Elohim replied, “No! Your wife Sarah will give you a son, and you will name him Isaac [He Laughs]. I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants. 20 I have heard your request about Ishmael. Yes, I will bless him, make him fertile, and increase the number of his descendants. He will be the father of 12 princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will make my promise to Isaac. Sarah will give birth to him at this time next year.” 22 When Elohim finished speaking with Abraham, he left him.

Abraham’s Household Circumcised23 So Abraham took his son Ishmael, everyone born in his household, and

everyone bought with money—every male in his household—and circumcised them that day, as Elohim had told him. 24 Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised. 25 His son Ishmael was 13 years old when he was circumcised. 26 That same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 All the men a 17:2 Or “covenant.”

Yahweh Gen. 17:1

Yahweh Gen. 18:1

El Shadday Gen. 28:3

Elohim Gen. 19:29


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