It is often claimed by those with a rudimentary understanding of the Ivriyt (Hebrew) language that the word – or title, if you will – Elohiym (אֱלֹהִים) means gods. The logic is that the word El is finalized with the masculine plural suffix iym, therefore it means gods.

However, we will see that it is not a plural of gods per se, but rather a plurality of expression that constitutes the singular (the unified, or the oneness) echad (אֶחָד) of Yahuah.

When we look at the word without the nikkudiym (vowel sounds) we find something interesting: there is no “oh” sound found in the word: ALEPH (א) LAMED (ל) HEH (ה) YOD (י) MEM SOFIT (ם). This would render a simpler pronunciation of Elhayim. However, my preference would be to spell it El’hayim.

A closer look then gives us the understanding of two premises: El (אֵל) followed by hayim (הִים. Why would we do such a thing?

Consider the underlying tedusha of the letters which create this word:

Aleph - the ox head – meaning for lack of a better term, the Godhead.

Lamed – the shepherd’s staff – meaning the ultimate shepherd, the Good Shepherd, i.e, Mashiach.

Heh – meaning the breath of Yah or the Ruach.

Yod – the possessive suffix which claims all things belong to Yah first and then to the recipient of the term.

Mem sofit – the waters where the possessive is found, rendering the word plural in its application.

So we are talking about the plurality of Yahuah in the Aleph (Yah), the Lamed (Yahusha), and then a plurality of the Ruach.

And the Ruach Yahuah shall rest upon him, the Ruach Chokmah (wisdom) and Biynah (understanding), the Ruach Etsah (counsel) and Gevurah, (strength) the Ruach Da’ath (knowledge) and of the Yir’ah (fear/awesome reverence) of Yahuah;
Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 11:2

Now we can see Elohiym as EL together with the plurality of the Ruachoth hayim.

In reviewing Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1:1 we can see the following reasoning:

In the beginning, the Aleph, the Shepherd, and the Ruachoth of Yahuah created את the heavens and את the earth.