What does the word elohim mean?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Hebrew word elohim is used throughout Scripture in multiple ways. It can refer to the one true God, false gods, spiritual beings, or human authorities, depending on context, but these terms are not all equal. Most often, elohim describes the Lord Himself as the sovereign Creator, as seen in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth,” emphasizing that He alone is eternal and uncreated. At the same time, Exodus 20:3 warns, “You shall have no other gods (elohim) before me,” showing the word can also refer to false objects of worship that have no real power. Passages like Psalm 82:1 and Psalm 8:5 use elohim for spiritual beings or heavenly courts, yet always make clear they are under God’s authority, not equal to Him. The New Testament continues this understanding by using Theos for God and affirming in 1 Corinthians 8:4–6 that “there is no God but one,” while still recognizing that “so-called gods” exist but not as equal to God. Across both Testaments, Scripture consistently draws a sharp line: only one Elohim of elohim is real, supreme, and worthy of worship. That truth confronts us today by exposing anything that competes for our trust—whether success, control, money, or fear—as powerless compared to the one true God, who alone reigns over all.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In Hebrew, elohim is a category word for divine beings or objects of worship, not automatically the true God.
• Elohim most commonly refers to the one true God of Israel. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.” When used this way, elohim refers to YHWH as the sovereign Creator. Even though the word is grammatically plural, it is paired with singular verbs when speaking of Israel’s God, showing us signs of the Trinity or the fullness, majesty, and supremacy of God, not multiple gods.
• Elohim can refer to “gods” in a false or pagan sense. Exodus 20:3 says, “You shall have no other gods (elohim) before me.” Deuteronomy 6:14 also warns against following other elohim of the nations.
• Elohim can refer to God-honoring spiritual beings (angels or divine council language). For example, Psalm 8:5 reads, “You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings (elohim)” (Also translated “angels” in the Septuagint and Hebrews 2:7). Psalm 82:1 reads, “God (Elohim) stands in the divine council; in the midst of the elohim he judges.” These elohim refer to spiritual beings in God’s heavenly court, but they are always under God’s authority.
• Elohim can even refer to human judges or representatives. Exodus 21:6 and Exodus 22:8—9 reference servants or disputes being brought before the elohim (interpreted as judges). Because judges represent God’s authority, they can be called elohim in a functional sense—not because they are divine but because they act in God’s name.
• Various passages distinguish God as the Elohim of elohim (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2; Daniel 2:47). Though there are other elohim, whether spiritual or human, there are none like God; He is supreme above all.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The New Testament primarily uses Theos (the Greek equivalent of elohim). John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God (Theos).” The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament used in Jesus’ time) consistently translates elohim as Theos. Therefore, the New Testament doesn’t redefine elohim; it continues its meaning in Greek.
• In John 10:34–35 (quoting Psalm 82), Jesus cites “you are gods” (elohim/theoi) to show that the term can be used of human authorities without denying the uniqueness of God. Again, the New Testament confirms that the term can be used in multiple senses but must not blur the distinction between God and created beings.
• The New Testament sharply distinguishes the one true God from all others.  First Corinthians 8:4–6 says, “There is no God but one.” Even if “so-called gods” exist in perception, only one God is real and supreme.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Context matters. The word elohim can be used in Scripture for the one true Creator, false gods, spiritual beings, and even human judges, but the meaning is always shaped by how and where it is used. Further, using the word elohim when referring to God does not place Him in the same category as created beings. Nor does it suggest multiple equal gods competing for authority. The Lord alone is the sovereign God who stands as the Maker of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1). That clarity keeps us grounded: power, influence, or spiritual presence does not equal deity—only God is God.

This is why how we interpret Elohim matters so much, especially when it comes to belief systems that reshape its meaning outside of Scripture. For example, Mormon (LDS) theology looks at verses that use the word elohim and redefines it in a way that differs from the Bible’s consistent teaching—treating “God” as part of a broader hierarchy of exalted beings rather than the one uncreated Creator. But Scripture does not leave room for that shift in meaning. It repeatedly draws a sharp line between the one true God and everything else, declaring that there is no God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6). So while the same word may be used in different contexts, the Bible’s message is unwavering: there is only one Elohim of elohim, and that is the one Lord who reigns over all.

This word challenges us in what vies for our attention and trust. Everything else that carries power or influence in our lives is still created, limited, and accountable to Him. The “gods” of our modern world—success, control, approval, money, even fear—may feel weighty, but they are not ultimate. Are you living for the One who is?

UNDERSTAND

• Elohim is a biblical word that depends on context, and it can refer to the one true God, false gods, spiritual beings, or human authorities.
• Most often, Elohim refers to the one true Creator.
• Scripture is clear that only one Elohim is supreme.

REFLECT

• When you think about what “rules” your day-to-day decisions, what would your life say functions as your practical elohim?
• How are you challenged or encouraged by the truth that there is only one God, even though the Bible refers to multiple things with the term elohim?
• How does the contextual range of the term elohim in the Hebrew Bible (God, false gods, spiritual beings, judges) shape your understanding of ancient Israel’s conceptual framework of divinity and authority?
  

ENGAGE

• How should Christians interpret the semantic flexibility of elohim without collapsing its different referents into a single category of “divine beings”?
• What hermeneutical principles should govern how passages like Psalm 82 and John 10:34 are understood?
  
• What are some modern examples of “so-called gods” that people tend to live for today without realizing it?