The names of God can be a powerful and revealing study. More than names, we find personality traits and characteristics. Throughout the Bible, God introduces Himself to mankind as the undisputed Master of the Universe. But He is not so distant from us that He cannot touch us in our infirmity, or befriend us on our journey. Here is a brief study on the Biblical names of God, that may add some depth without going too deep =).

El Shaddai (el shad-di') = All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty
El is a name that is translated as "God". It is commonly used with another word to define a characteristic or trait of God. The word Shaddai, comes from 'shad' meaning "breast". It does not assign a feminine value to God, but rather refers to God as one who nurtures His people as a mother would her child. El Shaddai is then God our Source.

El Elyon (el el-yone') = The Most High God
Elyon literally means "Most High". It expresses the extreme sovereignty and majesty of God and His highest preeminence.

Elohim (el-o-heem') = God, Judge, Creator
Elohim is translated as "God." Multiple possibilities exist for the exact root term of this word. However, it is the undisputed name for the monotheistic God of Israel. Like Adonai, this term is plural and is only used to indicate The Living God of Israel. When it is singular, it does not refer to the Creator.

Adonai (ad-o-noy') = Lord, Master
Adonai is the word commonly used as a substitute for Yahweh and Jehovah. Like Elohim, Adonai is plural. When it appears in the singular, adon, it refers to a human lord.

Yahweh (yah-weh) = Lord, Jehovah
In the Old Testament Yahweh occurs 6,519 times. There are a couple of variations in the name, but it is used more than any other name of God. Meaning Lord or Master it indicates God's absolute, omnipotent power. By Jewish tradition, this name was too holy to speak and was thus spelled YHWH. Yahweh is defined as "The Existing One" in reference to his response to Moses' question 'Whom shall I say sent me?', God said, "I Am, that I Am", or Yahweh.

Yahweh Nissi (yah-weh nis-see') = The Lord My Banner, The Lord my Miracle
From the word Nes (nês), Nissi is the term for Banner or more exactly, a Battle Standard. The Flag of our faith.

Yahweh Raah (yah-weh raw-aw') = The Lord My Shepherd
From the word Rô'eh, Raah is the Hebrew term for "shepherd". The shepherd nurtures His flock. A deeper translation of the word, is "friend" or "companion", proving the often overlooked relationship that God desires to have with His people. So Yahweh Raah might also be translated as "The Lord my Friend."

Yahweh Rapha (yah-weh raw-faw') = The Lord my Healer
Rapha (râpâ') means "to restore", or "heal". The scriptures are filled with God's promises to make His people whole. So the healing power of Yahweh Rapha includes spiritual, mental, emotional and, yes, physical healing.

Yahweh Shammah (yah-weh shawm'-maw) = The Lord Is There, The Lord is Present
Shammah is from the word sham, which is directly translated as "there." Yahweh Shammah symbolizes the name for Jerusalem, meaning that God will never leave or forsake His people. Nice name =).

Yahweh Tsidkenu (yah-weh tsid-kay'-noo) = The Lord our Righteousness
Tsedek (tseh'-dek) is the root form of Tsidkenu meaning "righteousness". So Yahweh Tsidkenu can be translated as "The Lord Who is Our Righteousness". Melchizedek was the High Priest Abraham paid tithe to, an individual who has sparked some curiosity among scholars. The book of Genesis reports Abraham experiencing multiple epiphanies. Because of the name Melchizedek (literally Malkiy-Tsedeq {mal-kee-tseh'-dek}) which is translated as The King of Righteousness, and from the context of scripture, many believe this High Priest of Salem (not yet Jerusalem) was in fact Jesus Christ. This isn't clearly documented, so one would require spiritual revelation to discern the truth for themselves.


Yahweh M'kaddesh (yah-weh M-qadash) = The Lord who Sanctifies You, The Lord Who makes Holy
From qâdash, M'kaddesh means to "dedicate", "sanctify", or "make holy". The act of Sanctification is the dedication of a person or object to be set apart from that which is unrighteous. So Yahweh M'kaddesh is "The Lord who sets you apart."

El Olam (el o-lawm') = The Everlasting God, The God of Eternity, The God of the Universe, The God of Ancient Days
Olam comes from the root word "'lm" meaning "eternity". So Olam means "eternal," or "everlasting", and El Olam is "The Eternal God."

Yahweh Jireh (yah-weh yir-eh') = The Lord will Provide
Yahweh Jireh is the name that Moses called Mount Moriah after God tested his faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. At the last moment, God stopped Abraham and provided a ram in Isaac's stead. Hence, Abraham recognized God as Yahweh my Provider.

Yahweh Shalom (yah-weh shaw-lome') = The Lord is Peace
From shâlêm, Shalom is translated as "peace" or "absence of strife." Some say "Know God, Know Peace...No God, No Peace".

Yahweh Gaol (yah-weh ga'al) = The Lord my Redeemer
Gaol is interpreted as redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, or ransom. Typified by Boaz in the Book of Ruth, the two words Yahweh and Gaol do not appear together in the scripture. But from the beginning to the end, the scriptures point to God as being, more than anything else, the Redeemer of fallen man. The entire concept of the scriptures is that God loved mankind so much that He would pay the ultimate sacrifice, or ransom to redeem us from destruction. Until one has met Yahweh as Gaol, the rest is simply academic.

Yahweh Sabaoth (yah-weh se ba'ôt) = The Lord of Hosts, The Lord of Powers
Yahweh Sabaoth is "The Lord of Armies". The Lord of Hosts is the king of all heaven and earth. One who's prowess in battle, both siritual and physical, is immeasurable. It is only because God has given mankind a free will that the Lord of Hosts has not intervened to destroy unrighteousness. But rest assured, the scriptures report the day is coming when grace and mercy are no more. When He shows Himself as Yahweh Sabaoth, it is on the behalf of some and on the account of others. It is by the exercise of their free will that individuals determine their standing before Yahweh Sabaoth.