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 he word El comes from a root word meaning “might, strength, power” and probably
derives from the Ugaritic term for god.
In Scripture, the primary meanings of this root are “god” (pagan or false gods), “God” (the true God of Israel), and sometimes “the mighty” (referring to men or angels). When used of the true God of Israel, El is almost always qualified by additional words that further define the meaning that distinguish Him from false gods. These other names or titles for God are sometimes called “construct forms.”
El and El Constructs
For each name in the list below, I provide the following information:
- The Hebrew text for the name
- The most common English transliteration (in italics)
- A definition for the name, references to the Tanakh, and frequency information
- Additional comments, if applicable.
God
El. [basic form]
The name for God meaning “strength, might, or power.”
The basic form El appears over 250 times in the Tanakh.
Appears primarily in construct relation when describing the God of Israel.
Note that the pictogram for the word El appears as a “strong Controller” or Sovereign:
The One God
El Echad.
The One God (Mal. 2:10).
Echad means one in Hebrew and hearkens to the Shema.
The Faithful God
El Hanne’eman.
The Faithful God (Deut. 7:9).
From aman, to support, nourish.
The God of Truth
El Emet.
The God of Truth (Ps. 31:5).
Emet means firmness, faithfulness, reliableness.
The Righteous God
El Tsaddik.
The Righteous God (Isa. 45:21).
Tsaddik means just, righteous.
The All-Sufficient God
El Shaddai.
The All Sufficient God.
Shad means “breast” in Hebrew (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25; Exod. 6:3; Num. 24:6; Ruth 1:20; Job (various references); Psa. 22:10; 68:15; 91:1; Ezek. 1:24; 10:5; 23:21 etc.). Occurs 48 times in the Tanakh.
The Most High God
El Elyon.
The Most High God.
This title stresses God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy (Gen. 14:20; Ps. 9:2).
Sometimes referred to in Scripture simply as Elyon (e.g., Num. 24:16).
The Everlasting God
El Olam.
God Everlasting; The Everlasting God; (Gen. 21:33, Ps. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4).
Olam means world, universe, everlasting time or space.
The God who sees me
El Roi.
God Who Sees me; Hagar’s name for God when He saw her affliction (Gen. 16:13).
Notice the Chateph Qamets under the Resh.
The God of Jeshurun
El Yeshurun.
The God of Jeshurun
Yeshurun means “the righteous (yashar) people”: Israel's ideal character and high calling (Deut. 32:15; 33:5,26; Isa. 44:2).
The Mighty God
El Gibbor.
The Mighty God. Picture of God as a Warrior and Champion (Isa. 9:6).
Gibbor means strong or mighty
The God of knowledge
El De’ot.
The God of Knowledge (1 Sam. 2:3).
God has perfect knowledge of all things, from beginning to end (omniscient).
The Great God
El Haggadol.
The Great God (Deut. 10:17).
When used about God, gadol means great, grand, awesome.
The God of Glory
El Hakkavod.
The God of Glory (Ps. 29:3).
Kavod means glory, weight, and honor.
Note the use of the Maqqef (binder) in this construct name.
The Holy God
El Hakkadosh. (Sometimes transliterated Hakadosh).
The Holy God (Isa. 5:16). Kaddosh means sacred, holy, set apart, utterly unique
and one of a kind.
The God of the Heavens
El Hashamayim.
The God of the Heavens (Ps. 136:26).
Shamayim refers to the abode of God.
The God of my life
El Chaiyai.
The God of my life (Ps. 42:8).
The first person personal pronoun ending is used with the word Chayim.
The Gracious God
El-Channun.
The Gracious God (Jonah 4:2).
Chen means grace.
The God of Israel
El Yisrael.
The God of Israel (Ps. 68:36 [H]).
Israel comes from the verb sara, contend, and associates El with YHVH (Gen. 32).
The God of my strength
El Sali.
God of my Strength; God my Rock (Ps. 42:9).
Sala means cliff or crag in Hebrew, used poetically like Tzur (Rock).
The God of Compassion
El Rachum.
The God of Compassion; Compassionate God (Deut. 4:31).
From racham (Qal). Rechem means womb.
The God of my salvation
El Yeshuati.
The God of my Salvation (Isa. 12:2).
From yeshuah, meaning salvation, deliverance, and victory.
The God of our salvation
El Yeshuatenu.
The God of our Salvation (Psalm 68:19).
From yeshuah, meaning salvation, deliverance, and victory.
The Jealous God
El-Kanno.
The Jealous God (Exod. 20:5; 34:14; Num. 5:14, 30; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Jos. 24:19; 1 Ki. 19:10, 14; Ezek. 39:25; Joel 2:18; Nah. 1:2; Zech. 1:14; 8:2).
Suggests that God watches us lovingly and closely, like a faithful and passionate bridegroom watches over his betrothed.
God with us
Immanuel.
God is with us (Isa. 7:14).
Immanu is a preposition with plural ending.
The Awesome God
El Hannora.
The Awesome God (Neh. 9:32).
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isa 7:14 KJV)
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