The Names of God in the Old and New Testament

The Hebrew Bible employs multiple names for God, each revealing distinct aspects of the divine character and relationship with Israel. The most common designations are Elohim (God), YHWH (the LORD, often called the Tetragrammaton), and Adonai (Lord). These names appear both independently and in compound forms throughout Scripture, with their usage patterns reflecting theological emphases that shift across biblical books and traditions.

The Primary Divine Names

Elohim, a plural form used with singular verbs when referring to Israel's God, appears as a proper name of equal dignity with YHWH ^[13]. The name occurs in compound forms like El-elohe-Israel ("God, the God of Israel") ^[4], emphasizing both divine sovereignty and covenant relationship. Personal names incorporating El or Elohim demonstrate how thoroughly this divine designation permeated Israelite culture: Elijah means "God the Lord, the strong Lord" ^[5], while Jemuel signifies "God's day; son of God" ^[2].

The Tetragrammaton YHWH, traditionally rendered as "the LORD" in English translations, derives from the divine self-disclosure in Exodus 3:13-14. This personal covenant name became so sacred in post-exilic Judaism that readers substituted Adonai when encountering it in Scripture ^[9]. The practice reflects reverence for what Jewish tradition called the Shemhamphorash, the ineffable name, alongside other sacred names of varying letter counts that were believed to hold special power ^[12].

The Name as Divine Presence

Biblical usage of "the name" extends beyond mere designation to signify God's self-revealed character and reputation ^[9]. When the psalmist declares, "God is known in Judah, In Israel, great is his Name" ^[7], the reference encompasses divine attributes, mighty acts, and covenant faithfulness. Solomon's temple was built "for the name of the LORD" (1 Kings 5:5), indicating that the structure housed not merely a symbol but the manifestation of God's presence and character among his people ^[9].

This understanding carries into the New Testament, where "the name" becomes a technical term applied to Jesus. Early Christians suffered "for the name" (Acts 5:41; 3 John 1:7), treating Jesus' designation with the same reverence Israel accorded YHWH ^[9]. The identification reaches its apex in Revelation 1:8, where "I am" — the divine name from Exodus 3 — is claimed by Christ, along with the title "Alpha and Omega," signifying comprehensive divine sovereignty ^[8].

Compound Names and Theophoric Elements

Hebrew personal names frequently incorporated divine elements, creating theophoric compounds that functioned as confessions of faith. Jehoash ("fire of the Lord") ^[3] and Lael ("to God; to the mighty") ^[1] exemplify this pattern. These names served as constant reminders of divine attributes and Israel's relationship with YHWH, embedding theology into everyday address.

The practice of name-sharing between Old and New Testament figures carries theological weight. Joshua (Yehoshua) and Jesus (Iēsous) bear the same name, a connection the author of Hebrews exploits to argue that while Joshua led Israel into Canaan, Jesus provides the ultimate rest God promised ^[11]. This wordplay demonstrates how the New Testament writers understood continuity between the testaments through shared nomenclature.

Textual Variations and Editorial Patterns

The dual recensions of Psalm 14 and 53 reveal deliberate editorial choices regarding divine names. Psalm 14 alternates between Elohim (three times) and YHWH (four times), while Psalm 53 uses Elohim exclusively in all seven occurrences ^[13]. This variation suggests that different collections or editorial traditions preferred specific divine names, possibly reflecting liturgical contexts or theological emphases within ancient Israel's worship communities.

The declaration "at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel" ^[6] captures the layered quality of biblical divine nomenclature, where titles accumulate to express the fullness of God's identity and covenant relationship. Christ's promise to "declare thy name unto my brethren" ^[10] extends this revelatory function into the messianic age, making knowledge of the divine name central to the community of faith.

Sources

Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Lael — to God; to the mighty”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jemuel — God's day; son of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jehoash — fire of the Lord”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: El-elohe-Israel — God, the God of Israel”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Elijah — God the Lord, the strong Lord”
Sirach “Sirach 47:19 (DRC) — And at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel.”
Psalms “Psalms 76:1 (Rotherham) — God is, known in Judah, In Israel, great is his Name;”
Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 1:8: 1:8 I am is the name of God in the Old Testament (Exod 3:13-14; 6:2; Deut 6:4). Jesus applied this name to himself (cp. John 4:26). Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; they signify that God’s actions are all-encompassing. God is fully in control.”
1 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Kings 5:4: 5:4-5 Unlike David, Solomon enjoyed peace [literally rest] on every side. Solomon’s name (Hebrew shlomoh) may be a variation of the word for “peace” (Hebrew shalom). • The name of the Lord signifies God’s self-revealed character and reputation. The Hebrew term translated the name was sometimes used in oral reading of Scripture so the reader could avoid uttering the personal name of God (the tetragrammaton—YHWH). The New Testament applies the term “the name” to Jesus (Acts 5:41; 3 Jn 1:7).”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 22:22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren,.... Not those who were more nearly related to him according to the flesh; for though there were some who believed in him, and to whom he declared the name of God, as James and Joses, and Judas and Simon, Mat 13:55; yet there were others that did not believe on him, Joh 7:3; nor those more remotely related to him, as all the Jews, who were his brethren and kinsmen also according to the flesh; to these indeed he came and preached, but they received him not; but rather his apostles, whom he called his brethren, even after his re”
Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 4:8: 4:8 Joshua is the same name as Jesus (Greek Iēsous, Hebrew Yehoshua‘). It is normally translated Joshua in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament (see also study note on Exod 17:9). The author is making a word play on Jesus’ and Joshua’s shared name. Joshua did lead God’s people into the Promised Land (Josh 3–4), but God had more in mind when he promised his people rest. God’s ultimate rest is provided by Jesus (Heb 3:13-14; 4:3, 9-11, 14-16).”
John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 17:6: I have manifested thy name,.... Not the "Nomen Tetragrammaton", the name of four letters, the name "Jehovah", and which the Jews call "Shemhamphorash", and say is ineffable, and to be pronounced by Adonai; who also speak of other names, and say (i), "truly the former wise men had holy names, which they received from the prophets, as the name of "seventy two" letters, and the name of "forty two" letters, and the name of "twelve" letters, and many other holy names; and by which they could do new signs and wonders in the world; but they did not make use of them, only in ”
Psalms (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 53:2: In both recensions of the Psalm the name of God occurs seven times. In Psa 14:1-7 it reads three times Elohim and four times Jahve; in the Psalm before us it is all seven times Elohim, which in this instance is a proper name of equal dignity with the name Jahve. Since the mingling of the two names in Psa 14:1-7 is perfectly intentional, inasmuch as Elohim in Psa 53:1, Psa 53:2 describes God as a Being most highly exalted and to be reverentially acknowledged, and in Psa 52:5 as the Being who is present among men in the righteous generation and who is mighty in t”

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