Explain the difference between JHVH and Elohim?

Elohim is plural in Hebrew: Gods. Possibly a pre-Hebrew pantheon that got written over? Much like happened in other cultures, when a new dominant culture moved in and took over the joint. (Non-canon, of course)

JHVH is the not-a-name given to God by the Hebrews, because you’re not supposed to be able to pronounce it (no vowels) or really know it (because in those days, knowing a God’s name gave you power over the God).

I knew that Elohim had a plural suffix. (like Nephilim.) in the book I have it as a single entity because I said, it sounds better (and more exotic) than JHVH.

Perhaps it’s the most royal “We.” ;)

I just found a discussion of this elsewhere by simply Googling the phrase “difference between…” etc. don’t know why I hadn’t to do it earlier.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070718054028AAS3Jnm

The tetragrammaton (YHWH) means different things in different interpretations. According to many religious traditions, it is connected with God’s explanation of Godself as “I am that I am.”

Elohim has a good discussion in Wikipedia.

I learned in school that the Tetragrammaton was God’s sacred name, never to be spoken. In the Torah, the word is associated with mercy. Elokim (writing or saying it the other way is seen as using the name in vain) is the name used when describing God’s creating of the universe and also the name used when referring to God’s aspect of justice. To put it simpler, when justice is being done in the Bible, the name Elokim is used, when God is being merciful, JHVH is used.

@drdoombot: when you say “writing or saying it the other way” do you mean JHVH? or do you mean Elohim, the more usual English spelling? (I thought you meant the former. but I do not like to assume.)

(I think that Elokim sounds better than Elohim, actually. I like to have some reassurance that people actually use that spelling so that I have a justification for using it.)

Amongst religious Jews, JHVH is not pronounced at all (there are no vowels written under the letters in Hebrew to indicate how to pronounce it). When the Tetragrammaton appears in writing, the word “Hashem” is said instead (during prayer, it’s “Adonai”).

The word “Elohim” is only said during prayer. Outside of prayer, “Elokim” is substituted instead. There is a similar word, Eloheinu, which is said often during prayer, but outside of prayer is pronounced Elokeinu.

I know it’s a little confusing, but the basic idea is that God’s name is only said during holy rites, so in discussion, study, etc., one letter of the name is changed so that everyone knows what you’re talking about without saying God’s name in vain. There is something significant about the sound “h” always being replaced (the letter “hay” in Hebrew, which makes the “h” sound, has some kind of special connection to God). If you ever ask a rabbi to state the letters of the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew, he won’t say “Yud Hay Vuv Hay” but “Yud Kay Vuv Kay.”

guess I will still with Elohim then. thank you for explaining.