The Names of God in the Old Testament

    Throughout the Old Testament the Lord is referred to with many different names. When descriptions of the Lord are added in as "names" the list is extremely extensive. The Lord is referred to as a Judge (Psalm 7:8), a Stone (Genesis 49:24) and a Father (Psalm 68:5). Though these aren't names, in the sense of Elohim, Jehovah, or YHWH, they are titles that describe the work of the Lord. As a matter of fact titles like Father are much more familiar with the lay Christian than many of the formal names given to God by the writers in the Old Testament.

    The Hebrew names of God found in the New Testament do reveal to the present day reader how the nation of Israel saw God at work in their daily lives. Whether it is El Shaddai or Jehovah Sabaoth when they were facing a battle or Jehovah-Raah when they were looking for comfort during a difficult ordeal, they saw that they served a multifaceted God and that translated into the multiple names and names attached to adjectives when they spoke about their God. A study of the names of God that are found in the Old Testament can give the Christian a better understanding of how God was viewed both in the times that the Biblical text was written as well as in the time of Christ. We can see for instances, the parallel between God being a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5) and Jesus calling God, Father, throughout the New Testament. Or David, also in the Psalms, talking about God judging him, and the images in Revelation of final judgment of all mankind.

    The following is an overview of some of the most prominent names ascribed to God:

1. El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
   
   1. אני אל שדי
      
   2. Occurs seven times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 17:1; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 43:14; Genesis 48:3
      
   4. El is a word commonly translated "God" and is combined with other words to describe various aspects of God's personality and how he interacts with humans in various situations.
      
2. El Elyon (The Most High God)
   
   1. עליוןאל
      
   2. Occurs twenty-eight times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 14:18; Genesis 14:19; Genesis 14:20; Genesis 14:22; Psalm 57:2; Psalm 78:35
      
   4. Can also be translated "the Most Exalted God"
      
3. Adonai (Lord, Master)
   
   1. אדני
      
   2. Occurs four hundred thirty-four times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 15:2; Exodus 34:23; Exodus 20:7; Ezra 10:3
      
4. Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
   
   1. יהוה
      
   2. Occurs six thousand five hundred and nineteen times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 2:4; Jonah 1:1; Job 1:6; Daniel 9:2; Ezra 1:1
      
5. Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
   
   1. יהוה נסּי
      
   2. Occurs one time in the Old Testament
      
   3. Exodus 17:15
      
   4. During battle, armies would march under banners. For Israel their banner was the LORD.
      
6. Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
   
   1. יהוה
      רעה
      
   2. Occurs four times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 48:15; Genesis 49:24; Psalm 23:1; Psalm 80:1
      
   4. Can also be translated, "The Lord is My Friend"
      
7. Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
   
   1. יהוה רפה רפא
      
   2. Jeremiah 30:17; Jeremiah 3:22; Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 103:3
      
8. Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
   
   1. שׁםיהוה
      
   2. Occurs only once in the Old Testament
      
   3. Ezekiel 48:35
      
9. Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
   
   1. 
      יהוה
      צדקנו
      
   2. Occurs two times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:16
      
10. Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
    
    1. 
       
       יהוה
       צדקנו
       
    2. Occurs two times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 20:8
       
11. El Olam (The Everlasting God)
    
    1. אל
       עולם
       
    2. Genesis 21:33; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 26:4
       
12. Elohim (God)
    
    1. אלהים
       
    2. Occurs more than two thousand times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Genesis 1:1; Proverbs 2:5; Ruth 1:16; Joel 2:13
       
13. Qanna (Jealous)
    
    1. אל
       קנא
       
    2. Occurs six times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 6:15
       
14. Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
    
    1. יהוה יראה
       
    2. Occurs once in the Old Testament
       
    3. Genesis 22:14
       
15. Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
    
    1. יהוה שׁלום
       
    2. Occurs once in the Old Testament
       
    3. Judges 6:24
       
16. Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
    
    1. יהוה
       צבאות
       
    2. Occurs more than two hundred and eighty-five times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Isaiah 10:26; Isaiah 14:22; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 48:1; Hosea 12:5; Amos 3:13; Micah 4:4; Nahum 3:5
       
    4. Can be translated at "Lord of the Armies"
       

    Blue Letter Bible. The Names of God in the Old Testament. Blue Letter Bible. 1 Apr 2002. 29 Sept 2008.
    

    <http://blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.html>.
    

    Smith's Bible Dictionary by Dr. William Smith (1884)
    

    Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
    

    The Names of God by Lambert Dolphin <http://ldolphin.org/Names.html>
    

    The Names of God by Kenneth S. Hemphill Published by B & H Pub Group, 2001
    

    Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890.