Frequency of Usage Does frequency of usage demonstrate anything? How often are various names used? It is easy to see, by glancing at various names in Strong's that Yhvh (#3068) occurs more often than any other single name (5,521 entries according to a Hebrew lexicon, compared to 2,249 entries for elohyim, # 430) but we should note that it does not stand alone in all these entries.
In the book of Genesis, the name "God" stands alone, in 178 entries, while the name "Lord" stands alone, in 138 entries. Compound names using either "God", "Lord", or both, total 43.In the New Testament, the situation is reversed with "Lord" being used in 687 entries, compared to "God" being used in 1,172 entries.
"Lord" is not always translated from #3068, "Yhvh". It is often translated from #136, "adonay", and from #113, "adown", meaning "sovereign, lord, master, or owner". It is sometimes translated from #3050, "yahh", meaning "Jah, a name of God".We can also compare the frequency of occurrences of the statement, "I am .........", with the name used, being either "God" or "Lord". In the five books of the Pentateuch, this statement uses "Lord" in 43 entries and "God" in 6 entries, and using a combination of "Lord" + "God" in 33 entries. The totals for the entire Old Testament are: "Lord" in 90 entries, "God" in 10 entries, and "Lord" + "God" in 46 entries.
Since more than half of the entries for "Lord", or 46, are found in the book of Ezekiel alone, we must consider several elements which affect frequency of usage.We should note that the frequency of usage of various terms depends upon: 1) the style of writing (prophetic, poetic, historical, or psalms), 2) the type of delivery (monologue, dialogue, prayer, narration, or psalms), and 3) the contents of the message (e.g. Ezekiel's prophetic warnings).
If frequency of usage of particular names demonstrates anything to us, it is that all of the inspired writers of scripture were comfortable using all of the names for the Father and the Son.
Examples in the Old Testament Since Ex. 6:3 shows that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob didn't know the term "yhwh", what did they call God? Did they use only "titles" or descriptive terms?
God's declaration:
Ex. 6:3, "And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (el shaddai) but by my name Jehovah (yhwh) was I not known to them."Abraham's example:
Gen. 12:7-8, "...and (Abram) called upon the name of the Lord (yhwh)."
Remember Moses is writing this account using the name "yhwh", which was given in 1450 BC. God first spoke to Abram about 1921 BC.
Ex. 6:3, " And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (el shaddai) but by my name Jehovah (yhwh) was I not known to them."Gen. 14:18-20, "And Melchizedek, king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God (el).
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God (el), possessor of heaven and earth:
And blessed be the most high God (el)..."
Verse 22, "And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God (el), the possessor of heaven and earth,"Gen. 15:1, "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Gen. 16:15, "And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name which Hagar bare, Ishma-el." (el shall hear).
Gen. 17:1, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God (el shaddai); walk before me, and be thou perfect."
Note: God did not say to Abram, "I am yhwh". He used "el shaddai" which confirms the statement in Ex. 6:3, that Abram did not know the name "yhwh".Gen 20:11, "And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God(elohyim) is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake."
Isaac's example:
Gen. 26:24-25, "And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God (elohyim) of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servants Abraham's sake."
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there:..."Gen. 27:28, (Isaac said to Jacob) "Therefore God (elohyim) give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:"
Gen. 28:3, (Isaac said to Jacob) "And God Almighty (el shaddai) bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;"
Jacob's example:
Gen. 28:13, "And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God (elohyim) of Abraham thy father, and the God (elohyim) of Isaac:..."
Gen. 28:17, "And he (Jacob) was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God (elohyim), and this is the gate of heaven."
Verse 19, "And he called the name of that place Beth-el:" (house of elohyim, God).
Verse 20, "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God (elohyim) will be with me,..."
Verse 21, "...then shall the Lord be my God (elohyim):"
Verse 22, "And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's (elohyim's) house:..."Gen. 30:6, "And Rachel said, God (elohyim) hath judged me, and hath heard my voice and hath given me a son:..."
Jacob related his dream to Rachel and Leah, in which God spoke to him. Gen. 31:13, "I am the God (el) of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, and get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."
In Moses' account of all three of these men, we see the word "Lord" (yhwh) used. Yet God inspired Moses to write that they did not know that term (Ex. 6:3). Why is the term used in these accounts? It is because Moses is writing the account, not Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. Moses is writing over 400 years after Abraham's experiences. He is writing sometime after God reveals himself to Moses as "I am", as the "self-existent one", or as "yhwh". Moses is simply using the name God emphasized to him from the burning bush, when he writes down the history of mankind for the previous 2,550 years.
After Moses' time, do people stop using the names known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and use only "yhwh"?
Moses' example:
Ex. 6:2, "and God (elohyim) spoke unto Moses..."
Num. 24:4 "He hath said, which heard the words of God (el), which saw the vision of the Almighty (Shadday)..."
Deu. 10:17, "For the Lord (Yhwh) your God (Elohyim) is God (Elohyim) of gods (elohyim), and Lord (Adon) of lords (adon), a great God (El), a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."
Deu. 32:4, "He is the Rock (tsuwr)..." [Note: This is also the name of a Midianite and an Israelite, Zur. See Strong's 6697, 6698.]
Deu. 32:15, "...then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock (tsuwr) of his salvation."
Deu. 32:18, "Of the Rock (tsuwr) that begat thee thou are unmindful, and hast forgotten God (el) that formed thee."
Deu. 32:8, "When the most High (elyown) divided to the nations their inheritance..."
Deu. 33:26, "There is none like unto the God (el) of Jeshurun,..."Joshua's example:
Jos. 3:10, "And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God (el) is among you,..."
Jos. 9:23, "Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God (elohyim)."
Samuel's example:
1 Sam. 10:19, "And ye have this day rejected your God(elohyim),..."
David's example:
2 Sam. 22:3, "The God (elohyim) of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence."
Ezra's example:
Ezra 9:4, "Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God (elohyim) of Isra-el, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice."
Verse 6, "And said, O my God (elohyim), I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God (elohyim): for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens."
Verse 10, "And now, O our God (elohyim), what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,"Nehemiah's example:
Neh. 1:5, "And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God (el)..."
Neh. 4:4, "Hear O our God (elohyim)..."Job's example: (God's words)
Job 40:1-2, "Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,
Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty (shadday) instruct him? he that reproveth God (elowahh), let him answer it."Isaiah's example:
Isa. 7:13, "...will ye weary my God (elohyim) also?"
Isa. 7:14, "...Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [with us (is) God]." (Also, Isa. 8:8.)
Here we see "God" identified as a "name".Jeremiah's example: (God's words)
Jer. 7:21, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God (elohyim) of Israel;"
Ezekiel's example:
Eze. 1:1, "...and I saw visions of God (elohyim)."
Daniel's example:
Dan. 2:23, "I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God (elahh) of my fathers,..."Hosea's example:
Hos. 1:10, "...Ye are the sons of the Living God (el)."
Hos. 8:2, "Israel shall cry unto me, My God (elohyim), we know thee."
Hos. 8:14, "For Israel hath forgotten his Maker (asah),"
Hos. 11:9, "...for I am God (el), and not man; the Holy One (qadowsh) in the midst of thee:"Joel's example:
Joel 1:13, "...ye ministers of my God (elohyim):"
Amos' example:
Amos 3:13, "...saith the Lord God, the God (elohyim) of hosts,".
Amos 4:13, "...The Lord, The God of hosts (elohyim tsaba), is his name."
Amos 5:27, "...saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts (elohyim tsaba)."Jonah's example:
Jonah 3:5, "So the people of Nineveh believed God (elohyim)..."
(Note that the Ninevehites called Him "God", and He answered their prayers.)Jonah 4:2, "...for I knew that thou art a gracious God (el),..."
Micah's example:
Micah 3:7, "...for there is no answer of God (el)."
Micah 4:2, "...to the house of the God (elohyim) of Jacob;..."Nahum's example:
Nahum 1:2, "God (el) is jealous (qannow),..."
Ex. 34:14, "...for the Lord, whose name is Jealous (qanna), is a jealous (qanna) God:"Habakkuk's example:
Hab. 1:12, "...O Lord my God (elohyim), mine Holy One?(qadosh)...O mighty God (tsur)...."
Zechariah's example:
Zech. 8:8, "...they shall be my people and I will be their God(elohyim), in truth and in righteousness."
There are many more examples. These are just a few of the more obvious ones. The examples inspired and preserved by God for our benefit, are that all of the patriarchs and prophets were comfortable using all of the names (shem) of God, and God found that acceptable and found these men to be righteous.
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