When the Old Testament refers to the one God with plurals

 

These are brief notes based on work by Steve Rudd. It’s not the argument I make in my book but it’s interesting data.

Some anti-Trinitarians would say that God is never referred to in the Bible with plural words. That isn’t strictly true, as this post will show.

 

Trinitarian perspective

When one sees in the text that God is referred to (as by God or by others) with any singular personal pronouns like He or I, then that’s one of the three persons speaking, not all three. Likewise, it’s one of the three persons saying to either of the others, "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). This isn’t some random modern apologetic. It’s what the early church taught about Genesis 1:26 as being about the Father and the Son in particular. For example:

He speaks to the Son, "Let Us make man after Our image, and after Our likeness." (Epistle of Barnabas 6)

See similar arguments about the same verse in: Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4:20:1; in Tertullian, Against Praxeas 12 and 5.8); in Origen, Against Celsus 5.38); in Novatian, Concerning the Trinity 26; and in  the Apostolic Constitutions 5.8.

 

Elohim and Adonai

Elohim – God(s) - and Adonai - Lord(s) - are both plural words in Hebrew. And apart from the name ‘Yahweh’, that’s what God is usually called in the Hebrew OT. In that light, it’s unsurprising that plural verbs go with it. In Hebrew, it reads like ‘Gods’ and ‘Lords’ create (Ecclesiastes 12:1); and make (Gen 1:26; Ps 149:2; Job 35:10; Isa 54:5); and wander (Genesis 20:13); and reveal (Genesis 35:7); and judge (Psalm 58:11). But those plurals actually go with it being one God, one Lord.

It’s also unsurprising that a plural adjective can go with it, i.e. “holy” Gods or Lords. (In English, that doesn’t come across.) More on this below.

So it wouldn’t be true that you can’t find plurals, whatever explanation you prefer for it.

 

Plural pronouns

And “us” / ”our” – that’s God preferred plural pronouns in  the following:

·           "Then Elohim said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness" (Genesis 1:26)

·           "Then Yahweh Elohim said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us" (Genesis 3:22)

·           "Come, let us go down and there confuse [plural verb] their language" (Genesis 11:7)

·           "Elohim saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"" (Isaiah 6:8)

·           So it wouldn’t be true that you can’t find plurals, whatever explanation you prefer for it.

So again, it wouldn’t be true that you can’t find plurals, whatever explanation you prefer for it.

 

Other plurals

"Let Israel be glad in his maker [asah plural]" (Psalm 149:2)
"Elohim my maker [asah plural]" (Job 35:10)
"For your husband [baal plural] is your Maker [asah plural]" (Isaiah 54:5)
" Elohim had revealed [plural form of gla] Himself to him" (Genesis 35:7)
“Surely there is Elohim who judges [plural form of shaphat] on earth" (Psalm 58:11)
"You will not be able to serve Yahweh, for He is holy [plural form of qadosh] Elohim." (Joshua 24:19)

"And the knowledge of the Holy [plural form of qadosh] One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

"Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy [plural form of qadosh] One. " (Proverbs 30:3)

And God is called creator, with the plural form of bara (Eccl 12:1)

So again, it wouldn’t be true that you can’t find plurals, whatever explanation you prefer for it.

 

 

Appendix: Angels are not included in God’s "us" and "our":

For the avoidance of doubt, "Let us make man in our image" cannot be God speaking to angels. Angels are not made in God’s image in the first place and were not co-creators of humanity. 

(NB As “God never said to any angel that "Today I have begotten You" (Hebrews 1:5) Jesus cannot be an angel.)

For the avoidance of doubt, there are no instances of God speaking to angels with we / us. That’s despite God speaking to humanity in terms of "us" in Isaiah 1:18: ""Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord.” It just doesn’t happen with angels.