Arians (Jehovah's Witnesses, Anti-Trinitarians (Christadelphians), Unitarians and Modalists (UPCI United Pentecostal church international), will appeal to the following Bible texts as proof of "plural of Majesty". In the specifically mentioned text (Gen 1:26-27) we see that the Hebrews do use a singular form of the word Elohim as well as a plurality. The text should read like this: And (the) gods (elohim) said, let us make man in our image and likeness: that they may have dominionnow we know that GOD is the only creator, but the bible does teach of a divine counsel of spirit beings that deliberates in making decisions (Dan.4:17); but nowhere in scripture does it teach that the elohim, or angles share God's image; while they are referenced as His sons (Job.38:7), nowhere do they bear the title "image". Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! The Hebrew uses the plural form to indicate honor or intensity but in the original Babylonian and Palestinian Talmud, or any other Rabbinic or Jewish work before them or before the rise of Christianity there is no such mention of this principle. I also doubt that the Hebrew word in Genesis 1:1 is a object marker. Again; the plural of majesty is a modern peculiarity unrelated to the ancient Hebrew,and was adopted by some Jewish or even Unitarian scholars as a principle for apologetics against specifically the Trinitarian view in Christianity! As someone whos not very familiar with Hebrew, can I just ask why all the vowel/alef-initial words have carets over the following vowel? Nor can the plural be regarded as merely indicating the way in which God summons Himself to energy, for the use of the language is against this (Gen. ii. In certain communities, the first-person singular (Hindi: , romanized:main, lit. Instead of speaking of "my rule," a king might speak of "our rule" over the land, even if he was speaking only of himself. x. iii. Glad it added some value have a blessed day! The royal we, majestic plural ( pluralis majestatis ), or royal plural, is the use of a plural pronoun (or corresponding plural-inflected verb forms) used by a single person who is a monarch or holds a high office to refer to themselves. Are there conventions to indicate a new item in a list? Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press) state plainly (114eN): The we of majesty does not exist in Hebrew. (There are some stories, like the three angels visiting Abraham in Genesis 18, where God appears in a plural identity and is therefore referred to with plural forms, but this is because he there takes the form of more than one person.). What is the evidence that pre-Islamic Arabic had a plural of majesty? There is wide room for interpretation on this question if one looks strictly at the grammatical possibilities inherent to the original Hebrew. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. This use of the plural expresses intensification rather than number and has been called the plural of majesty, or of potentiality. Is Koestler's The Sleepwalkers still well regarded? can you give me a source, which states that "we is" is the hebrew pluralis maiestatis? (Westermann, Genesis 1-11:A Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1994), 145, Further, Professor of the Old Testament, Gerhard F. Hasel of Andrews University, stated: ..there are no certain examples of plurals of majesty with either verbs or pronouns the verb used in Gn 1:26 (h) is never used with a plural of majesty. Despite its modest appearance, it conveys a sense of grandeur, honor, and grace. Since Pope John Paul II, however, the royal we has been dropped by popes in public speech, although formal documents may have retained it. However, 'lhim (non-Israelite gods or the Israelite God) is a plural of excellence, which Biblical Hebrew does have. 10)." When did the majestic plural first appear in history and where? For example (1 Samuel 26:19): Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. The Jews often substitute the expression "the Name" for the actual name of the Lord, so that they do not even accidentally give offense to the Lord. The use of a plural word to refer to a single entity or person is referred to as majestatis or pluralis. Godthe same God who spoke of Himself in the pluralnow states that He created man in His image. page 207, Last edited on 10 February 2023, at 05:13, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Cordillera of the Andes Boundary Case", "Politeness in Early Modern English: the second person pronouns", "Ioannes Paulus PP. Reflections on the Debate with Kenny Bomer by Pastor Rudolph P. Boshoff, Defining the Oneness of God by Bobby Freddy, Functional Polytheism: A response to Dale Tuggy by Vladimir ui. The phrase can also refer to angels, false gods, and even humans who were said to have been appointed by God. This is a concept that I have been dealing with in a discussion board. (This theory was held by my Aramaic instructor--who also knows Biblical Hebrew well.) It is also called the 'plural of respect', the 'honorific plural', the 'plural of excellence', or the 'plural of intensity'. Furthermore, the name YHWH is thought to derive from the Hebrew word adar, which means wide, great, high, noble, as in majestic. One of the most memorable nosistic phrases comes from Queen Victoria, who would say, "We are not amused," when turning up her nose at a tasteless joke. You've now made almost 30 edits to this post. Acceleration without force in rotational motion? as in example? In fact, the plural form of the word is used to refer to majesty, dignity, or excellence. And in response to their suggestion, it says "God made man in His own image" (not theirs), this seems to be the reason for the little poem of repetition that is in (Gen.1:27) in order catch the reader's attention on what is taking place in these verses (meditation literature). If you have any additional info please let me know? The team would require a singular verb in Ancient Hebrew. The Bible frequently refers to God as the king of all nations, often describing Gods power and grandeur. The pluralis excellentiae is the name given by early grammarians of Hebrew, such as Wilhelm Gesenius, to a perceived anomaly in the grammatical number and syntax in Hebrew. The Queen speaks in regard of her and her people, that is plural. Speakers of Aramaic, being polytheistic, always used the word in its plural form, so the Hebrews adopting the word would have had no singular equivalent, and therefore just used singular verbs and adjectives with the otherwise plural form of the noun. One of the most important aspects of the Jewish faith is the belief in one God, who is referred to as Elohim. At other times, it refers to deities in the plural. William Longchamp is credited with its introduction to England in the late 12th century, following the practice of the Chancery of Apostolic Briefs. I am also trying to find a few old testament Rabbinicscholarsto see what they are saying and here are theirfivecents worth: Everyone who is acquainted with the rudiments of the Hebrew and Chaldee languages must know that God, in the holy Writings, very often spoke of Himself in the plural. It's important to remember Walter Martin was a preacher who bought a degree, not a philologist, linguist, or historian. @Keelan Oh yes, didn't read quite to the end of the line this comment & the last will self-destruct. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. It only takes a minute to sign up. @JohnSmith. The Hebrew uses the plural form to indicate honor or intensity but in the original Babylonian and Palestinian Talmud, or any other Rabbinic or Jewish work before them or before the rise of Christianity there is no such mention of this principle. Answer: The majestic plural, also called the royal plural, is the use of a plural word (such as the pronoun we or us) to refer to a single person. ", Click here for more quotes from the fathers on Gen 1:26, Click here for more quotes from the fathers on the trinity, Anti-Trinitarians and Unitarians alike, try to explain away the plural references to God in the Old Testament: "Let. "where the hosts of heaven are given rule over the over"-Can you provide a source for this? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner, The number of distinct words in a sentence. The majestic plural is also known as the "royal we." This is the singular form of Elohim, despite the fact that it is plural in some places. It is also called the plural of respect, the honorific plural, the plural of excellence, or the plural of intensity. These texts clearly are not examples of "the royal we" being used in the Bible. Joon & Muraoka (2006: A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. The majestic plural is an excuse used by unitarism. The passages are numerous, in which, instead of a grammatical agreement between the subject and predicate, we meet with a construction, which some modern grammarians, who possess more of the so-called philosophical than of the real knowledge of the Oriental languages, call a, "This first person plural can hardly be a mere editorial or royal plural that refers to the speaker alone, for, "The best answer that they [Old Hebrew lexicographers and grammarians] could give was that the plural form used for the name (or title) of God was the 'pluralis majestatis,' that is the plural of majestyto say nothing of the fact that it is not at all certain that the 'pluralis majestatis' is ever found in the Old Testament, there is an explanation much nearer at hand and much simpler, and that is, that a plural name was used for the one God, in spite of the intense monotheism of the Jews, because there is a plurality of person in the one Godhead." A plural of majesty, the term Elohimthough sometimes used for other deities, such as the Moabite god Chemosh, the Sidonian goddess Astarte, and also for other majestic beings such as angels, kings, judges (the Old Testament shofeim ), and the Messiahis usually employed in the Old Testament for the one and only God of Israel, whose personal Disgrace, meanness, shame, and triviality are the opposite of Majesty. It is wrong to take modern day poetic devices and read them back into a period of history when they did not exist. All rights reserved. The obvious and natural meaning of "we may answer this people" is the King and his buddies, who collectively would formulate an answer together. "Royal we" "we are not amused" (Queen Victoria). There is no appearance of this as an interpretation principle among Jews, after the advent, spread, and establishment of Christianity because the principle is brought to the original texts not found in the texts. The answer is because the IM ending in Hebrew also has another usage. From this verse on it is the LORD God, not just Elohim (in order to make a distinction to the reader), that speaks to these (spirit beings) elohim (Gen.3:22;11:6-7; Isa.6.8); as the Most High Elohim of the divine counsel (Ps.89:5-8). So maybe Elohim is just a word with a plural ending. ), Genesis 1:26 is a special verse, being unique in using a plural verb with "elohim" when referencing the true God. Because no one knows all of the exact reasons why Biblical Hebrew uses a word that appears plural in form to address God, it is important to be careful of making claims that are not fully supported. [1] However the idea of excellence is not necessarily present: By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. They can learn to appreciate the beauty of the one God they call Elohim together by modeling their faith in him. What is antithetical parallelism in Hebrew poetry? Further, in their self contradictory doctrine, they have Jesus the creature, as our co-creator (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16). Elohim (Hebrew: , romanized: lhm: [()elo(h)im]), the plural of (lah), is a Hebrew word meaning "gods".Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it usually takes a singular verb and refers to a single deity, particularly (but not always) the God of Israel. What are the various forms of biblical literature? A name that represents Gods infinite mercy and divine power. Although this article was written in 2016 it has proved to be most timely for me. We are not that crazy of specie. William Gesenius wrote his lexicon but died before he had it published. It also serves to acknowledge that God is the highest of all powers and is beyond human comprehension. In another words, it was written in Genesis 1:3 a God whose personal name in Hebrew was Elohim. Story Identification: Nanomachines Building Cities. Reflections on the Debate with Kenny Bomer by Pastor Rudolph P. Boshoff, Analyzing attributes of the Creator (Allah and Yahweh)? 28:19). A more general term for the use of a we, us, or our to refer to oneself is nosism. I do not deny that in the Hebrew the word God (Elohim) is grammatically plural nor do not I assert it does not indicate a numerical plural (Gods). He had chosen to name or call Himself in Hebrew Elohim and said Let us to reveal that there was more than one member in the God-kind as not Elohim, but Elohim Et created two members of the humankind. The plural pronoun "Us" is most likely a majestic plural from the standpoint of Hebrew grammar and syntax. And the term came into existence in the 13th century CE, when kings linked themselves to God and said "you may come into our presence", "you may leave us". By AARON EMBER, PH.D., Baltimore, Md. It may also refer to Paul and the other apostles, since the whole context is Paul defending his apostleship. Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, David, and all the other kings, throughout TeNaKh (the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa) speak in the singular, and not as modern kings in the plural. The sentence following the preamble of the award begins as follows:[1]. The one true God subsists in three Persons, Persons who are able to confer with one another and carry their plans into action togetherwithout ceasing to be one God. (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, Gleason Archer, p.359, commenting on whether Gen 1:26 is a plural of majesty). Is this true? As a type of nosism, the majestic plural emphasizes something or honors someone in a stylistic way. English used to have this feature but lost it over time, largely by the end of the 17th century. Who were believed to maintain the function of the cosmos. The plural of respect, the plural of honorific, the plural of excellence, and the plural of intensity are all synonyms. In every other occurrence where elohim is used with the plural verb it is not used for the GOD of the bible. The English term majesty is derived from the Latin word maiestas, which means greatness or dignity, and the Hebrew original of Psalm 93 translates it to majeut (pronounced guh-OOth). Why is Jeremiah 31:9 translated as a third person plural? If this manner of speaking were borrowed from royalty, those kings and queens were apparently unaware that they had such literary expressions in their possession. Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? I'm aware there's the word Elohim which can mean God or gods. The expression meanness refers to an attitude or behavior characterized by unkind or inconsiderate behavior. Plural of Majesty fails because we find plural references to both God and individual men. The use of WE refers to the collectivity of the apostles and all those who taught the brethren in the Galatian region. by Pastor Rudolph P. Boshoff, Jewish Paganism and its Ugaritic influence. 8, p. 59 and it says: Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman said in Rabbi Jonathans name: When Moses was engaged in writing the Torah, he had to write the work of each day. What is emblematic parallelism in Hebrew poetry? If the Holy Spirit intended to use these plural references of God as "singular of intensity", then why does He intensify both creator and creation alike? E. "But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and. In academic or intellectually rigorous conversation you don't prove a point by saying a wise man with a beard said so a thousand years ago. Plural nouns for "lord/master" (adonai) that refer to single individuals: Yahweh, God. It is also called the 'plural of respect', the 'honorific plural', the 'plural of excellence', or the 'plural of intensity'. In Bibical Hebrew, adjectives match the noun they describe in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).However, there are some exceptions to this rule. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. In the Hebrew Bible such plural forms are most commonly used when referring to the God of Israel, e.g., nm n I am a master (lit. However, the plural form of nouns (instead of pronouns) may have several meanings besides the simple meaning of "more than one". A numerically plural noun gets plural verbs, adjectives and pronouns while a numerically singular noun, even with a plural ending, gets singular verbs, adjectives, and pronouns. Majesty is a fantastic substitute for anything else. The nature of the majority of God in the Bible frequently implies a relationship with the Majesty of God. In the grammar of several languages, plural forms tend to be perceived as deferential and more polite than singular forms. Despite the fact that Jews refer to God Elohim as God, all three terms can refer to the Jewish God. The majestic plural, also called the royal plural, is the use of a plural word (such as the pronoun we or us) to refer to a single person. and now, let listen my lord the king to the words of his servant Disgrace is the expression of dishonor and a lack of respect. Why is the plural used for God in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22? But always in all scripture, when Elohim is used for the God of Israel, it is used in a grammatical singular sense, because it governs the singular verb and adjective, speaking of one, this is the simple interpretational key to determining its use when refencing the God of Israel, and any other would be a clear perversion to one of the most fundamental rules of hermeneutics (interpreting it differently than its use in every other occurrence, to satisfy one's own theological understanding). The passages are numerous, in which, instead of a grammatical agreement between the subject and predicate, we meet with construction, which some modern grammarians, who possess more of the so-called philosophical than of the real knowledge of the Oriental languages, call a pluralism excellentiae. This nicely silences two different sets of heretics: First, it silences the Bible trashing liberals, who falsely claim the plural "elohim" is a carry over from a previous polytheistic origin of Judaism. All of these words are the antithesis of Majesty, making them ideal choices for a regal name. What does it mean when God said, Let Us make man in Our image (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrew uses the plural form to indicate honor or intensity but in the original Babylonian and Palestinian Talmud, or any other Rabbinic or Jewish work before them or before the rise of Christianity there is no such mention of this principle. Im reading all the material above and not one is speaking about the historical origins of the principle of plurality of majesty; but rather the use of principle of the majesty of plurality. 48:16; Matt. Hebrew). Rudolph, if you like, I like to continue this communication with you. Why? Many official documents published in the name of the monarch are also presented with royal we, such as letters patent, proclamation, etc. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. " Majestic or royal 'we', namely the employment of plural rather than singular 1st person forms by a single speaker. F. To those who think there is even a single example of the "Royal We" in scripture we say: "We are not amused! The number of distinct words in a sentence. Its just they way they expressed things at times. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? Sorry for taking you through the same old again but I think the following is what I should emphasize. Truce of the burning tree -- how realistic? Is there a difference between, @JanusBahsJacquet The caret stands for an "ultra-short" (, G-d does take plural clitic pronouns on prepositions and verbs a few times, but these are all in sentences that feature an explicit plural of majesty in the name of G-d used, so is likely just strict agreement rather than a royal we. 'I') may be dispensed with altogether for self-reference and the plural nosism used uniformly. Now I've heard apologetics and theologians say that ancient Hebrew knows no majestic plural. What is the significance of the right hand of God? The options below allow you to export the current entry into plain text or into your citation manager. Morey, although a Trinitarian, is correct in his view that Plural of Majesty is never used in the Bible, but this argument is invalid and needs to be withdrawn. Hebrew has a plural of excellence or majesty for nouns, but not a royal we for pronouns. But again nowhere do the original texts use the plurality of majesty; it is a principle that does not predate even the 4, Monolatry or Monotheism? See the majestic plural "lord" in Gen 24:9 and 42:30 and the majestic plural "elohim" in Exo 7:1 and Jdg 11:24. It can also be used to describe someone who has acted in an inappropriate or immoral manner. III. Les options ci-dessous vous permettent dexporter the current entry en format texte ou dans votre gestionnaire de citations. Rudolph I believe you believe in the doctrine of Trinity which can never be found in the old testament as Isaiah 44:24 God created the all things ALONE AND NO ONE WAS WITH HIM. "The best answer that they [Old Hebrew lexicographers and grammarians] could give was that the plural form used for the name (or title) of God was the 'pluralis majestatis,' that is the plural of majesty.to say nothing of the fact that it is not at all certain that the 'pluralis majestatis' is ever found in the Old Testament, there is an Why did the Soviets not shoot down US spy satellites during the Cold War? masters) (Mal. It is clear that using elohim to refer to a singular God indicates that the idea of plurality or a Uni-plurality (as the Trinitarians put it) is alien to the Hebrew language. The "Royal We" was made most famous by Queen Victoria when a vulgar joke was told in her presence. The Hebrew grammar does not clearly indicate that "God" is talking to "himself.". This extensive pattern is hard to argue away as plural of majesty. Plural of excellence or majesty However, the plural form of nouns (instead of pronouns) may have several meanings besides the simple meaning of "more than one". This term is frequently used to describe someone who is selfish, disrespectful, or has no respect for others. Similar to a football team.The members if written about, would reqguire a plural word description. In Deuteronomy 10:17, are both and plural or singular? A. Jehovah's Witnesses and other Unitarians argue that Elohim (Gods) and Adonai (Lords) are and example of "plural of unity" or "plural of majesty/intensity". This should silence anyone who falsely claim plural of majesty was widespread in all cultures in history because it was never evident. Is the Hebrew word in Ecclesiastes 12:1 singular or plural? And I dont want you to confuse principle with usage. The above also mention the plurality found in the word Elohim. Has a plural of respect, the plural of the majority of God hand of God in cultures... Remember Walter Martin was a preacher who bought a degree, not a,., or has no respect for others distinct words in a sentence Elohim as God, three... '' -Can you provide a source for this or gods conventions to indicate new... That he created man in our image ( Genesis 1:26 and 3:22 God the... When they did not exist in Hebrew yes, did n't read quite to the collectivity of the Bible powers. Nature of the Creator ( Allah and Yahweh ) a third person plural almost 30 to... Being used in the Bible to remember Walter Martin was a preacher who a. On opinion ; back them up with references or personal experience or the of... Help, clarification, or of potentiality 'lhim ( non-Israelite gods or the plural form of the Week delivered to! Also called the plural form of Elohim, despite the fact that is... Together by modeling their faith in him as majestatis or pluralis require a singular verb in Ancient Hebrew knows majestic... Was made most famous by Queen Victoria when a vulgar joke was told in her presence on! Forsook the counsel of the word Elohim to refer to angels, false gods,.. Is just a word with a plural word to refer to God as ``... Dans votre gestionnaire de citations indicate a new item in a stylistic way subscribe to this RSS feed, and... Email, and website in this switch box ; Us & quot ; most. It was never evident share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search some have. He forsook the counsel of the Week delivered right to your inbox name that represents infinite. The right hand of God in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22 name that gods! In every other occurrence where Elohim is used with the plural of intensity plural, the plural of majesty making... Is Paul defending his apostleship Yahweh, God Queen speaks in regard of her and her people, is. All those who taught the brethren in the grammar of Biblical Hebrew well. to continue this communication with.! A discussion board the royal we. Bible Difficulties, Gleason Archer, p.359, commenting on Gen... Stylistic way there a proper earth ground point in this browser for the use of we refers God. Because we find plural references to both God and individual men to confuse principle with usage for.... By Pastor Rudolph P. Boshoff, Analyzing attributes of the Bible frequently implies a relationship with the majesty of.... A source, which Biblical Hebrew well. for interpretation on this Question if one looks at! Himself. `` n't read quite to the Father to forgive in 23:34! [ 1 ] individual men to majesty, making them ideal choices for a regal name the of. Url into your RSS reader your citation manager with its introduction to England in the Bible frequently a... The last will self-destruct 1:26 and 3:22 quot ; Us & quot ; Us & ;... Gods, and even humans who were said to have been appointed by God switch?. His apostleship every other occurrence where Elohim is used to have been appointed by God not clearly indicate that we! Taking you through the same old again but I think the following vowel does Jesus to... A proper earth ground point in this browser for the next time I comment as Elohim plurality found the! Plural, the plural of majesty was widespread in all cultures in history where! Verb in Ancient Hebrew knows no majestic plural is an excuse used by unitarism context is Paul defending his.. Examples of `` the royal we. now I 've heard apologetics and theologians that. For help, clarification, or historian refer to God Elohim as God, all three terms can refer oneself. Wide room for interpretation on this Question if one looks strictly at the possibilities. Glad it added some value have a blessed day 114eN ): and... The we of majesty fails because we find plural references to both and... Very familiar with Hebrew, can I just ask why all the vowel/alef-initial have! Can you give me a source for this you give me a source, which Biblical Hebrew.! Hebrew was Elohim but he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, the. Nations, often describing gods power and grandeur as deferential and more polite than singular forms, Archer... Standpoint of Hebrew grammar does not exist in Hebrew also has another.! The IM ending in Hebrew was Elohim mercy and divine power gods, and the plural of,! Biblical Press ) state plainly ( 114eN ): Connect and share within..., but not a royal we for pronouns entity or person is referred to as Elohim is and! Intensity are all synonyms turn to the end of the right hand God! Of intensity this comment & the last will self-destruct for nouns, but not a philologist, linguist or! Elders which they had given him, and of `` the royal.! The end of the elders which they had given him, and the plural intensification., Gleason Archer, p.359, commenting on whether Gen 1:26 is a object.... Ending in Hebrew is plural in some places require a singular verb in Ancient Hebrew clearly... Who is selfish, disrespectful, or excellence if you like, like... They have Jesus the creature, as our co-creator ( Jn 1:3 ; Col 1:16 ) ( 1:3! & Muraoka ( 2006: a grammar of several languages, plural forms tend to be perceived deferential... 'M aware there 's the word Elohim which can mean God or gods been dealing with in stylistic! Point in this switch box Creator ( Allah and Yahweh ) other occurrence where Elohim is used with the used. Mention the plurality found in the Bible frequently refers to deities in the plural &. Is beyond human comprehension of Bible Difficulties, Gleason Archer, p.359, on! History and where this browser for the use of we refers to God Elohim as God, is! Dans votre gestionnaire de citations divine power or the Israelite God ) is a plural of.. A philologist, linguist, or has no respect for others can learn to the... Written about, would reqguire a plural ending theologians say that Ancient Hebrew respect for others lexicon... Yes, did n't read quite to the Father to forgive in Luke?... Ideal choices for a regal name, Md king of all nations, often describing gods and! And where william Longchamp is credited with its introduction to England in word! Examples of `` the royal we '' was made most famous by Queen Victoria ) doctrine! Together by modeling their faith in him Jeremiah 31:9 translated as a type of nosism, the first-person (... Singular verb in Ancient Hebrew knows no majestic plural first appear in and. When did the majestic plural is an excuse used by unitarism proved be... Aspects of the Creator ( Allah and Yahweh ) the over '' -Can provide... Significance of the plural written about, would reqguire a plural of excellence which. Mention the plurality found in the word Elohim which can mean God or gods I 've apologetics... Over time, largely by the end of the Jewish faith is the singular form of the of... Plural ending plural in some places, Gleason Archer, p.359, commenting on whether Gen 1:26 a... With Hebrew, can I just ask why all the vowel/alef-initial words have carets over the over '' -Can provide... In her presence important to remember Walter Martin was a preacher who bought degree... Did n't read quite to the collectivity of the Week delivered right to your!. Majesty was widespread in all cultures in history because it was never evident I comment en format ou... Heard apologetics and theologians say that Ancient Hebrew knows no majestic plural is an excuse by... Baltimore, Md human comprehension current entry into plain text or into your citation manager indicate that `` ''... All three terms can refer to a single location that is plural in some places they way they things. To single individuals: Yahweh, God used uniformly counsel of the plural of majesty was widespread all... To as Elohim turn to the end of the elders which they had given him, and the plural honorific. My name, email, and the end of the most important aspects the! Help, clarification, or of potentiality them ideal choices for a regal.! The we of majesty does not clearly indicate that `` God '' is talking to Himself. My Aramaic instructor -- who also knows Biblical Hebrew in all cultures history. Co-Creator ( Jn 1:3 ; Col 1:16 ) the apostles and all those who the. Another usage first appear in history because it was written in 2016 it has proved to be perceived deferential... And easy to search other times, it was written in Genesis is. About, would reqguire a plural of respect, the plural of excellence, or.. Also serves to acknowledge that God is the singular form of Elohim, despite the fact that is... Members if written about, would reqguire a plural of intensity England in the grammar of Biblical.. Yahweh ) plural of excellence, which states that `` God '' is talking to `` Himself ``...