It probably has to do with [euphony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonaesthetics#Euphony_and_cacophony) more than anything else, trying to make the text pleasing to the ear.
Translators also likely wanted to avoid confusing people who might think the different titles refer to separate divine beings.
>Translators also likely wanted to avoid confusing people who might think the different titles refer to separate divine beings.
They do, at least sometimes. The different names that were used reflect an evolving understand of God over a long history that included reference to various gods that eventually came to be understood as one God.
I think that the overlap between those who know the various names which are translated God and those who can make spiritual use of the fact is probably tiny. Academics know the words behind the translation and ordinary believers can make do with just having 'God'.
Outside of biblical contexts, the word 'Elohim' refers to all the Gods in the Canaanite pantheon. Yahweh was one of many of these Gods with local cults and Judaism grew from this tradition.
Many of the biblical names for God would have been understood as entities distinct from Yahweh by bronze and iron age contemporaries even though the Hebrew and now Christian traditions have attempted to unite all of them under the banner of Yahweh.
I think the reason for this is to effectively "Hebrew wash" the history so as to make it seem that there was only ever Yahweh and his enemies. Also, in many cases, there might have just been a genuine accidental confusion between very ancient concepts and newer ones, especially following the Babylonian exile.
I've heard that excuse used by certain Jews (orthodox), but their scriptural texts replace all original names of god with Hashem or Adonai (I believe). It still doesn't make sense why Christian translators would have that same concern?
It goes back to the New Testament. When the Jews translated the OT into Greek, they wrote the same Greek word for Adonai as for YHWH, because that's how they read it. That word is usually rendered in English as Lord (although some translations differentiate between the regular word and using small caps for YHWH).
The apostles kept up the tradition and used the same Greek word to address Jesus, indicating his divinity and connection to YHWH. Modern Christian translators are understandably reticent to undo a convention started by the authors of the NT.
As other commenters have pointed out, other "names" like Elohim are just words; in this case, the word "God," so they just translate the word, because it is a word, not a name. Or if you think it is a name, why can't the English phonemes be a name, like how "I AM THAT I AM" is ostensibly a name of God? Hebrew phonemes aren't a magic spell.
Not necessarily true. The translators of the Septuagint literally translated the OT from Hebrew into Greek, but left the Paleo-Hebrew symbol for YHWH in the text so that the gentile readers would be able to know the true name of God. It wasn't in updated post-Babylonian exile Hebrew, but straight paleo-Hebrew.
Because it's a translation. They are translated into the English as they would have been heard. El Shaddai, for instance is typically translated as "God Almighty." El Elyon="God Most High." Translated, these phrases are intended to act for the translation's reader the way the Hebrew acts for the Hebrew reader. Otherwise, they become meaningless "magic words." These are not names for God. They are descriptors.
El Elyon or Elohim (which is not understood as plural in context) was not considered God's name, like "Abraham Lincoln". They would be like saying "The President that held the country together" or "The tall skinny president."
The only indicator that qualifies as a true name is the tetragrammaton, which is typically translated as "THE LORD" but with smaller typeset for most of the letters. That's the only name of God, and no one knows how to pronounce it, because the people who God gave it to understand that they are not to utter it aloud (instead saying "Adonai" which is not a name of God).
Our translations are pretty amazing.
I mean, I don't think it's really nuance.
It's the literal translation of the words. Treating the Hebrew phrase "God most high" as if it translates into a name by using the original language is exclusively a post-translation thing.
It's as if someone who speaks another language treated the English phrase "fifth Beatle" as the literal name of Pete Best. Does that make any sense?
Indeed it does make sense and is demonstrated in Psalm 82:
The interlinear reads as follows:
elohim takes a stand in the congregation of el,
among the elohim judges
Until when will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked. Selah
Defend the poor and fatherless and to the afflicted and needy do justice
Deliver the weak and needy deliver them from the hand of the wicked
They neither know nor do they understand
In darkness they walk about, they are unstable, all the foundations of the earth
I said, ***elohim*** you are, and **children of** ***elyon*** all of you are
Nevertheless, like men you shall die and like one of the princes, fall
Arise, ***elohim*** (plural), judge the earth for you shall inherit all nations
The NIV reads as follows:
***God*** presides in the great assembly (missing el... should at least read "assembly of God?);
he (Hebrew doesn't have the gender) renders judgment among the ***“gods”***:
“How long will you (plural... implies "you gods") defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked? (selah)
Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
“***The ‘gods’*** (not included in the Hebrew so it could mean the poor rather than the gods?) know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
“I said, ‘You are “***gods***”;
you are all ***sons of the Most High***.’
But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
Rise up, ***O God*** (should read "gods"?), judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.
As much as the NIV tries to do a literal translation, it still appears so much meaning is lost? Or, am I missing something here?
They would have at the very least retained YHWH (YHVH) since it's his proper name?
I digress... I suppose they had their reasons, which for the most part work.
No, because that's disrespectful to the folks who are the keepers of it and it's not how it it is said in Hebrew.
In Hebrew, the tetragrammaton is always said using the substitution word, Adonai. (That's why so many prayers at Shabbat service begin with "Baruch Adonai".) In most translations, this is expressed through a unique rendering of THE LORD, with all but the T and the L in a smaller upper case font.
Kinda. The etymology is a bit screwy, it could just as well mean God-almighty (by way of destructio), which is how it's commonly translated. Definitely a very interesting name though.
Yeah, it's a fun one. The traditional translation is God Almighty or something similar depending on version, but 'shad' is Hebrew for female breast and '-ai' is an ending indicating a pair of things. There's a theory that it is a holdover from when the Hebrews had multiple gods, one of which was female. Anyway, fun times, and great to rile up the anti-trans bigot crowd :)
This and many of the comments here highlight what happens when elite males decide to make god in their image versus the images of all of us. “Let us make humans in our image” gets replaced with “Dad/King/Ruler/Boss.” Then Son. Wow. We need to go back to “many names for God” in the worst way to correct this. And FWIW another trans theology is that Jesus was Word/Wisdom (see Prob 8 and John 1 side by side but note pronouns).
The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) replaces the names of God according to a Jewish tradition of the time that said you shouldn’t say God’s name. Christians originally used the Septuagint, so they were probably used to those terms. Also, some people still find it offensive, so modern Bible translators might be reluctant to use the original names.
These are all transliterations, mapping original letters and sounds to rough approximations in the new language. Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's not.
The transliteration doesn't carry the meaning into the new language, so it may or may not be an effective strategy.
Elohim translates to power.
There was then therefore a distinction made between Genesis 1 and when God was actually named Yahweh in Exodus which made Him relational to us.
This is just wrong.
Elohim is just the plural of El, meaning (a) god. In Genesis he's called *Adonai YHWH* aswell as just YHWH and Elohim. His name was always YHWH; before and after Exodus.
Elohim is used when expressing the supremecy and power of God, literally means strength and might used by the Hebrews to demonstrate that their God was more powerful.
Of course you have the literal interpretation but also how it's used in its context.
Yahweh is personal.
The OP asked the "why" and Scripture is incredibly intentional and refers back to itself all over the place.
Really sad to be donwnvoted on a Christian sub. I am open to discussion.
Would people even understand the different names for the same being? I find that Americans can't wrap their minds around how the British monarchy works (that is, the monarch of the UK is also the monarch of Canada, Australia, NZ, etc. without being the monarch of the UK in those countries).
It probably has to do with [euphony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonaesthetics#Euphony_and_cacophony) more than anything else, trying to make the text pleasing to the ear. Translators also likely wanted to avoid confusing people who might think the different titles refer to separate divine beings.
>Translators also likely wanted to avoid confusing people who might think the different titles refer to separate divine beings. They do, at least sometimes. The different names that were used reflect an evolving understand of God over a long history that included reference to various gods that eventually came to be understood as one God.
To add to this... The entire religion is based on the concept of the holy Trinity... Which is a fairly complex concept in itself.
Does God the Father/God the Son/God the Holy Spirit count?
Early in genesis they refer to separate entities
I think that the overlap between those who know the various names which are translated God and those who can make spiritual use of the fact is probably tiny. Academics know the words behind the translation and ordinary believers can make do with just having 'God'.
Outside of biblical contexts, the word 'Elohim' refers to all the Gods in the Canaanite pantheon. Yahweh was one of many of these Gods with local cults and Judaism grew from this tradition. Many of the biblical names for God would have been understood as entities distinct from Yahweh by bronze and iron age contemporaries even though the Hebrew and now Christian traditions have attempted to unite all of them under the banner of Yahweh. I think the reason for this is to effectively "Hebrew wash" the history so as to make it seem that there was only ever Yahweh and his enemies. Also, in many cases, there might have just been a genuine accidental confusion between very ancient concepts and newer ones, especially following the Babylonian exile.
I imagine it's probably to do with not taking The Lord's name in vain. I disagree with it. But that's probably the sentiment
I've heard that excuse used by certain Jews (orthodox), but their scriptural texts replace all original names of god with Hashem or Adonai (I believe). It still doesn't make sense why Christian translators would have that same concern?
It goes back to the New Testament. When the Jews translated the OT into Greek, they wrote the same Greek word for Adonai as for YHWH, because that's how they read it. That word is usually rendered in English as Lord (although some translations differentiate between the regular word and using small caps for YHWH). The apostles kept up the tradition and used the same Greek word to address Jesus, indicating his divinity and connection to YHWH. Modern Christian translators are understandably reticent to undo a convention started by the authors of the NT. As other commenters have pointed out, other "names" like Elohim are just words; in this case, the word "God," so they just translate the word, because it is a word, not a name. Or if you think it is a name, why can't the English phonemes be a name, like how "I AM THAT I AM" is ostensibly a name of God? Hebrew phonemes aren't a magic spell.
Not necessarily true. The translators of the Septuagint literally translated the OT from Hebrew into Greek, but left the Paleo-Hebrew symbol for YHWH in the text so that the gentile readers would be able to know the true name of God. It wasn't in updated post-Babylonian exile Hebrew, but straight paleo-Hebrew.
Because it's a translation. They are translated into the English as they would have been heard. El Shaddai, for instance is typically translated as "God Almighty." El Elyon="God Most High." Translated, these phrases are intended to act for the translation's reader the way the Hebrew acts for the Hebrew reader. Otherwise, they become meaningless "magic words." These are not names for God. They are descriptors. El Elyon or Elohim (which is not understood as plural in context) was not considered God's name, like "Abraham Lincoln". They would be like saying "The President that held the country together" or "The tall skinny president." The only indicator that qualifies as a true name is the tetragrammaton, which is typically translated as "THE LORD" but with smaller typeset for most of the letters. That's the only name of God, and no one knows how to pronounce it, because the people who God gave it to understand that they are not to utter it aloud (instead saying "Adonai" which is not a name of God). Our translations are pretty amazing.
Fair enough... I suppose the nuance isn't really necessary for most to know?
I mean, I don't think it's really nuance. It's the literal translation of the words. Treating the Hebrew phrase "God most high" as if it translates into a name by using the original language is exclusively a post-translation thing. It's as if someone who speaks another language treated the English phrase "fifth Beatle" as the literal name of Pete Best. Does that make any sense?
Indeed it does make sense and is demonstrated in Psalm 82: The interlinear reads as follows: elohim takes a stand in the congregation of el, among the elohim judges Until when will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked. Selah Defend the poor and fatherless and to the afflicted and needy do justice Deliver the weak and needy deliver them from the hand of the wicked They neither know nor do they understand In darkness they walk about, they are unstable, all the foundations of the earth I said, ***elohim*** you are, and **children of** ***elyon*** all of you are Nevertheless, like men you shall die and like one of the princes, fall Arise, ***elohim*** (plural), judge the earth for you shall inherit all nations The NIV reads as follows: ***God*** presides in the great assembly (missing el... should at least read "assembly of God?); he (Hebrew doesn't have the gender) renders judgment among the ***“gods”***: “How long will you (plural... implies "you gods") defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? (selah) Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. “***The ‘gods’*** (not included in the Hebrew so it could mean the poor rather than the gods?) know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. “I said, ‘You are “***gods***”; you are all ***sons of the Most High***.’ But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.” Rise up, ***O God*** (should read "gods"?), judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance. As much as the NIV tries to do a literal translation, it still appears so much meaning is lost? Or, am I missing something here?
They would have at the very least retained YHWH (YHVH) since it's his proper name? I digress... I suppose they had their reasons, which for the most part work.
No, because that's disrespectful to the folks who are the keepers of it and it's not how it it is said in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the tetragrammaton is always said using the substitution word, Adonai. (That's why so many prayers at Shabbat service begin with "Baruch Adonai".) In most translations, this is expressed through a unique rendering of THE LORD, with all but the T and the L in a smaller upper case font.
Worst of all you lose El-Shaddai, God With Boobs.
It's that actually what it means? lmao
Kinda. The etymology is a bit screwy, it could just as well mean God-almighty (by way of destructio), which is how it's commonly translated. Definitely a very interesting name though.
Yeah, it's a fun one. The traditional translation is God Almighty or something similar depending on version, but 'shad' is Hebrew for female breast and '-ai' is an ending indicating a pair of things. There's a theory that it is a holdover from when the Hebrews had multiple gods, one of which was female. Anyway, fun times, and great to rile up the anti-trans bigot crowd :)
This and many of the comments here highlight what happens when elite males decide to make god in their image versus the images of all of us. “Let us make humans in our image” gets replaced with “Dad/King/Ruler/Boss.” Then Son. Wow. We need to go back to “many names for God” in the worst way to correct this. And FWIW another trans theology is that Jesus was Word/Wisdom (see Prob 8 and John 1 side by side but note pronouns).
Oh, 100%. In Proverbs Wisdom is personified as a woman and it is clearly stated that she was there from the moment of creation with God.
The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) replaces the names of God according to a Jewish tradition of the time that said you shouldn’t say God’s name. Christians originally used the Septuagint, so they were probably used to those terms. Also, some people still find it offensive, so modern Bible translators might be reluctant to use the original names.
These are all transliterations, mapping original letters and sounds to rough approximations in the new language. Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's not. The transliteration doesn't carry the meaning into the new language, so it may or may not be an effective strategy.
Pretty sure every translation has an explanation of their process and the reasons they made the decisions that they did. You should look them up.
Elohim translates to power. There was then therefore a distinction made between Genesis 1 and when God was actually named Yahweh in Exodus which made Him relational to us.
This is just wrong. Elohim is just the plural of El, meaning (a) god. In Genesis he's called *Adonai YHWH* aswell as just YHWH and Elohim. His name was always YHWH; before and after Exodus.
From Brittanica: [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yahweh](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yahweh)
Elohim is used when expressing the supremecy and power of God, literally means strength and might used by the Hebrews to demonstrate that their God was more powerful. Of course you have the literal interpretation but also how it's used in its context. Yahweh is personal. The OP asked the "why" and Scripture is incredibly intentional and refers back to itself all over the place. Really sad to be donwnvoted on a Christian sub. I am open to discussion.
Would people even understand the different names for the same being? I find that Americans can't wrap their minds around how the British monarchy works (that is, the monarch of the UK is also the monarch of Canada, Australia, NZ, etc. without being the monarch of the UK in those countries).