There are many verses that show that The God of The Old Testament was a being comprised of multiple persons, yet is one God. # Getting Some Context Before we can't get into the Trinity in the Bible we first need to understand the word Elohim and what it means and how it is used. ## What Is Elohim? The Hebrew word *Elohim* is the third word of the Hebrew Scriptures ([Genesis 1:1](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.1.1)). *Elohim* comes from a root that means “strength, might, or power.” “Elohim” is the most common word for “God” and is used over 2300 times in the Scriptures. “*Elohim*” is plural and can be literally translated as “gods.”, “Eloah” is the singular form of “*Elohim*,” but it is used much less frequently – only 250 times. A good example of *Elohim* meaning "Gods" can be seen in [Exodus 12:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.12.12): > [!bible]+ [Exodus 12:12 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/2/12/) > 12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods (*elohim*) of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. %% #Exodus %% *Elohim* is not a term that exclusively refers to the God of Israel; rather, it’s used to describe any being that resides in the spiritual realm. Thus, *Elohim* can refer to God, angels, spirits of the dead, or other divine beings mentioned in the Bible ([[@Heiser2015-it]]). One good example is in Psalm 82:1. > [!bible]+ [Psalm 82:1 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/82/) > 1. God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods (*elohim*) he holds judgment: %% #Psalm %% Mike Heiser expands on this in the **Unseen Realm**: he argues that *Elohim* is best understood as a term denoting a being’s residence in the spiritual realm, rather than implying anything about their nature, power, or status. He emphasizes that the God of Israel (*Yahweh*) is unique among all *Elohim* as the creator and ruler of all things, distinguished by His attributes, authority, and unique claim to worship. In this way, *Elohim* describes God but doesn’t imply polytheism; rather, it shows God’s supreme authority over a council of spiritual beings. Heiser uses passages like the above Psalm 82, where God presides over the “divine council” of *elohim*, to argue that the biblical worldview includes a structured spiritual hierarchy with Yahweh as the supreme ruler. > [!question] Does The God of The Bible being called Elohim mean He is plural in nature? No: normally the plural name “*Elohim*” is followed by a singular verb or pronoun in the Bible when speaking of the God of Israel. Using a singular verb with a noun generally signals that the subject is singular, even if the noun itself has a plural form. In English, this is most commonly seen with nouns that don’t change between singular and plural forms, such as *sheep*. For example, consider these two sentences: 1. "The sheep *is* in the field." 2. "The sheep *are* in the field." In the first sentence, the singular verb *is* indicates that only one sheep is present. In the second, the plural verb *are* shows there are multiple sheep in the field. The verb agreement with *is* or *are* clarifies whether *sheep* is singular or plural in each context. This concept applies similarly to ancient languages like Hebrew. In the case of the Hebrew word *Elohim*, it is a plural form. However, when it’s used with singular verbs and adjectives, it signifies a single deity—the God of Israel—rather than a group of gods. So the word for God in Genesis 1:1, is technically a plural form, but it takes singular verbs and descriptors from the rest of the verse and chapter. > [!bible]+ [Genesis 1:1 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/1/) > 1. In the beginning, God [*Elohim*] created [*bara, a singular verb*] the heavens and the earth. %% #Genesis %% This is also seen throughout the rest of Genesis, in verse 26 we see that Elohim is plural, but changes back to singular in verse 27. > [!bible]+ [Genesis 1:26-27 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/1/) > 26. Then God [*Elohim*] said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27. So God [*Elohim*] created man in his [*singular*] own image, in the image of God [*Elohim*] he [*singular*] created him; male and female he [*singular*] created them. %% #Genesis %% It's possible that verse 26 should be "Then Gods [*Elohim*] said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...". Genesis swapes out the singular language for plural language throughout the entire book, such as in these examples. > [!Example] > - [Genesis 1:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.1.26) Go > - [Genesis 3:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.3.22) > - [Genesis 11:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.11.7) > - [Genesis 19:24](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.19.24) > - [Genesis 20:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.20.13) > - [Genesis 35:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.35.7) But it is also possible that God is speaking to divine council ([Job 38:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JOB.38.7)) this has to be figured out by **CONTEXT**. Genesis is brought out a lot in Trinitarian discussions so we will use this article to go over it: > [!question]- [[Who Is God Talking To In Genesis]]? You can read that article to go into the discussion. Regardless of who God is talking to in Genesis, the Bible gives a lot more evidence that the nature of the God of Israel is plural. # The Bible Does Show That Gods "Nature" Is Plural While the Bible mostly uses singular verbs and pronouns for the God Of Israel. This is not always the case, there are many verses that cannot be seen to be singular without altering the text of Scripture. > [!Info]- **Plural Verbs** > There are several instances when “*Elohim*” is accompanied by a plural verb. Starting even in the first book of the Bible in the 20th chapter of Genesis: > > > [!bible]+ [Genesis 20:13 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/20/) > > 13. And when God [*Elohim*] caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” > %% #Genesis %% > > Also in the 35th chapter: > > > [!bible]+ [Genesis 35:7 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/35/) > > 7. and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God [*Elohim*] had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. > %% #Genesis %% > > [Genesis 20:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.20.13) literally says in Hebrew that *Elohim (God)* they caused me to wander from my father’s house… And in [Genesis 35:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.35.7) *Elohim (God)* they appeared to him. Given the context that most of the Book of Genesis has shown God to be singular in nearly every, these verses are not enough to establish a plurality in the Godhead. However the rest of the Old Testament is fill with verses like this, such in [2 Samuel 7:23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2SA.7.23) > > > [!bible]+ [2 Samuel 7:23 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/10/7/) > > 23. And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God [*Elohim*] went [*Plural*] to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? > %% #2Samuel %% > > To read this properly in English, it would be "And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom the Gods went to redeem to be his people". This is not an isolated case, as multiple times in the Psalms of David the author uses plural verbs, such in [Psalm 58:11](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.58.11) declaring: > > > [!bible]+ [Psalm 58:11 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/58/) > > 11. Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God [Elohim] who [*Plural - They*] judges on earth.” > %% #Psalm %% > > The Psalmist states that “there is a Gods, they judge the earth.” This will not be the last time that plural verbs are used. > [!info]- **Plural Pronouns:** > > There are times when plural pronouns are used to describe the One God. Going back to our examples back in Genesis chapter 1. > > > [!bible]+ [Genesis 1:26-27 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/1/) > > 26. Then God [*Elohim*] said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27. So God [*Elohim*] created man in his [*singular*] own image, in the image of God [*Elohim*] he [*singular*] created him; male and female he [*singular*] created them. > %% #Genesis %% > > The Lord God, speaking in [Genesis 1:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.1.26) says: "Let **Us** make man in **Our** image according to **Our** likeness". It is made apparent in the verse 27 that the singular God made Man in His image, so *who* is Elohim talking to, and *why*? Take the next example from Genesis chapter 3 when the serpent is talking in plural once again to both Adam and Eve: > > > [!bible]+ [Genesis 3:5 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/3/) > > 5. For God [*Elohim*] knows that when you [*plural*] eat of it your [*plural*] eyes will be opened, and you will be like God [*Elohim*] , knowing good and evil.” > %% #Genesis %% > > The plural "you" in this verse is referring to Adam and Eve, the serpent is talking to both of them, he uses the plural "Elohim" to speak of the God that created them. Check out what God said about it. > > > [!bible]+ [[Genesis 3:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.3.22) - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/3/) > > 22. Then the LORD God [*Elohim*] said, “Behold, the man has become like one of **us** in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever — ” > %% #Genesis %% > > This statement follows the story of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge. The expression "like one of us" directly references the serpent's earlier claims in [Genesis 3:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.3.5), which speaks of being "like God" yet uses a plural pronoun. It's not just in the garden account that God is talked about with plural pronouns, as we see in the 11th chapter. > > > [!bible]+ [[Genesis 11:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.11.7) - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/1/11/) > > 7. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” > %% #Genesis %% > > This narrative describes the Tower of Babel, where the LORD directly intervenes to scatter people and confuse languages. Here, the phrase "let **us** go down and there confuse their language" is immediately explained in [Genesis 11:8-9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.11.8-9), stating, "So the LORD [Yahweh] scattered them abroad from there ¦ The LORD confused the language of the whole earth." So once again, just like in Genesis 1:26, God talks in the plural then follows up with only a single God taking action. It's not just in Genesis, the book of Isaiah is full of this as well, such in [Isaiah 6:8](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.6.8) . > > > [!danger]+ Other Non Trinitarian Interpretations Of These Passages > > **Divine Council**: > > The use of plural language to refer to God has led to several interpretations of these verse, each attempting to explain this plurality within the context of the Hebrew Bible. One interpretation suggests that the plural language might refer to God speaking with angels/divine council . While angels are indeed present in key biblical events such as the creation narrative (as noted in [Job 38:4-7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JOB.38.4-7)), they are not portrayed as co-creators with God or as sharing in His image. The Bible does not describe humans as being in the image of angels, nor does it ascribe the divine image to angels. To say that God is speaking the divine council is to imply that humans share the image of the divine council. > > > **Royal We**: > >Another approach is the "deliberation" or "cohortative plural" concept, where the plural form is used to express self-deliberation or internal dialogue. This linguistic device is similar to an individual contemplating out loud, using "we" or "us" while thinking alone. Additionally, the "plural of majesty," also known as the royal "we." is proposed. This linguistic form is used to emphasize the authority and grandeur of a singular ruler or figure. While it is seen in some biblical texts like [1 Kings 12:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1KI.12.9), [2 Chronicles 10:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2CH.10.9), and more likely [Ezra 4:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EZR.4.18) none of these interpretations fully resolve the issue of the specific usage of plural language in [Genesis 3:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.3.22) ("The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil") and [Genesis 11:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.11.7) ("Come, let us go down and confuse their language"). These verses open the door to further exploration of other Old Testament passages that hint at the plurality within the Godhead. > > > > ### See [[Who Is God Talking To In Genesis]] > > [!NOTE]- **Plural Nouns:** > > There are several intriguing occurrences where plural nouns refer to the one God such as in the book of Joshua where it reads that the LORD is literally "Holy Gods", then the following clause makes it singular once again. > > > [!bible]+ [Joshua 24:19 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/6/24/) > > 19. But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God [holy Gods]. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. > %% #Joshua %% > > In Ecclesiastes, it literally claims that we should remember our Creators. > > > [!bible]+ [Ecclesiastes 12:1 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/21/12/) > > 1. Remember also your Creator [Creators] in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; > %% #Ecclesiastes %% > > The Psalms and prophets keep this plural nouns going, with David saying to "Let Israel rejoice in his Maker [literally Makers] ([Psalm 149:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.149.2)). > > > [!bible]+ [Psalm 149:2 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/149/) > > 2. Let Israel be glad in his Maker [Makers]; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! > %% #Psalm %% > > Isaiah continues this thought by saying "For your Maker [literally Makers] is your husband [literally husbands] ([Isaiah 54:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.54.5))." > > > [!bible]+ [Isaiah 54:5 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/23/54/) > > 5. For your Maker [Makers] is your husband [husbands] , the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. > %% #Isaiah %% > > [!NOTE]- **Plural Descriptions:** > > In the Old Testament there are mysterious plural descriptions of God. King David writes: > > > [!bible]+ [Psalm 110:1 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/110/) > > 1. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” > %% #Psalm %% > > This is expanded in [Psalm 45:6-7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.45.6-7) > > > [!bible]+ [Psalm 45:6-7 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/45/) > Your throne, O God [*Elohim*], is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7. you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God [*Elohim*], your God [*Elohim*], has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; > %% #Psalm %% > > In the Christian and Jewish tradition, these verses are interpreted as referring to the Messiah, with the author of the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament applying this passage to Jesus ([Hebrews 1:8-9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/HEB.1.8-9)), declaring Him as God, and His Father as God (see [[The Author Of Hebrews Said Jesus Was God]]).. > > ![[The Trinity Foreshadowed In The Old Testament#God Has A God?]] > > At the same time the Spirit of God was dwelling in the prophets, and at the same time the God’s Presence was manifested in the Jerusalem Temple in the 1 Book of Kings. > >> [!bible]+ [1 Kings 8:27 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/11/8/) >> 27. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! %% #1Kings %% > >In this next Psalm, the Hebrew uses plural language ("they are created") when speaking about the actions of God's Spirit. This use of the plural could be seen as supporting the idea of a plurality within the Godhead, as it attributes a collective action ("they are created") to the singular subject (God's Spirit). > >> [!bible]+ [Psalm 104:30 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/19/104/) >> 30. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. %% #Psalm %% > > > ## Additional Passages Where God is Plural ![[Full Index Of Trinity Passages]] The plural nature in these verses are intriguing when view in light of the Shema. The first line of the Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6 ([[Does The Shema Disprove The Trinity]])