What Names Mean in Genesis 1-11

God = Elohim = Ruler, Judges, Angels, gods, Divine Ones, God
Elohim is a plural noun which is almost always translated a singular name for God.  Sometimes this leads to confusion when interpreting the scriptures.

For example in Genesis 5:22 modern translations say that Enoch walked with God.  Ancient translators such as the writer of 1 Enoch (which is a book that was not included in the Bible) instead interpreted this verse angels and not God, so that Enoch walked with the Angels. 

The LORD = Jehovah = the existing one.  Jehovah is used with Elohim in Genesis, so Jehovah Elohim.  Because the name Jehovah Elohim is used in the second creation story of Genesis (Genesis 2:3-25) and only Elohim in chapter 1, some scholars have concluded that Genesis 2 was written by a different author.  But it is equally possible that two stories of creation were handed down the generations by word of mouth until both were written down somewhat in present form.

Man = There were two words for man; the first was Adam (from the word "adam" which means red) which could be either a name or a general term for all of humankind .  There were two colors of people in the ancient world; Black and Red.  Adam was created male and female.  Adam also became the first Adam's name and he was Red.  So where do the Blacks come from?  Africa.  (Just a little humor)  Contrary to 19th Century opinion Blacks do not come from the curse and the mark of Cain (I also heard this legend in the Congo 30 year ago, many Africans believe this to be true even today); for all of Cain's descendants were killed in the flood.  The Bible does not concern itself with the origins of Black skin - probably because we are all people and the Bible is more concerned with people - individuals and groups - no matter what race or nationality.

Genesis 5:2 puts it this way: "He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created."  Mankind is literally Adam in the Hebrew, so this would be better read, "God created them Adam when they were created."

Man = iysh or ish - This is the second word for "man."  The first time ish is used is in context with the creation and the naming of the woman in the second creation story (Genesis 2:23). Before this, Adam was used to term humankind. 
 
Ground = Adamah also comes from the word adam which means red.  Adam was made from adamah (the ground).  The ground is a word commonly used in the first 9 chapters of Genesis.  It is referred to 27 times in the first 9 chapters of Genesis and 10 times in the rest of Genesis.  In the world when Genesis was written, the ground was very important.  We came from it, we live by it, and we will return to it.

Eden = Eden - Pleasure or Delight

Woman = Ishshah - From the word ish (man) - Notice that the first woman was not named Eve until she gave birth to a son.

Eve = meaning "living" or "life" from the root word "to breathe."  In Genesis 1-4, life is in the breath, whether the breath of God or the breath of a human.

Cain = possession - could this explain some of Cain's problems?  His brother has a name that relates to life.  On the other hand, his name reminds him that he belongs to others as a possession.

Abel = breath

Fruit = fruit, produce, offspring - used 7 times in the first 4 chapters of Genesis, it is important throughout the rest of the Bible.  Producing in one form or another was and still is the center of human existence as it is central to the book of Genesis.

Seth = compensation - the third child of Adam and Eve.  He was the compensation of Abel.  As Eve put it,  “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”

Noah = Rest - No doubt Noah's father believed that Noah would bring help to farming the land.  It is also probable that his father was thinking that having a son would guarantee some short retirement before he died. 

Sons of God = A lot of modern translators believe the sons of God were people from the line of Seth and the sons of man were from the line of Cain.  But this does not explain how the offspring would end up giants.  The Bible nowhere tells us that Cain was a giant or capable of giving birth to a giant.

The ancients believed that Watchers (who were angels who were given the task of watching over and helping humankind) lusted after earthly women.  These watchers had sex with human women and the result was the Nephilim.  This would better explain Genesis, but few today would believe that angels would or could have sex with humans.  But then few today would believe that there were real giants in times of old. 

Giants = Nephiyl - Many in today's world are a bit obsessed with the nephilim (plural for nephiyl).  The Nephilim were giants spawned by the intermingling of sons of God with the sons of Men.  I have written about this earlier in this blog and will leave it there.

Babel = Confusion


Abram = Exalted Father (his name will eventually be called Abraham)

Sarai = My Princess - It is possible that Sarai (her name will eventually be called Sarah) was a head woman of a clan (from which Abraham and Sarah left) or she may have been someone high in the ranks of the society in which she grew up.


Sodom = Burning - There were bitumen (tar) pits near Sodom, which in all likelihood gave Sodom it's name.  Those tar pits aggrivated by an earthquake are also deemed to be the likely source of Sodom's destruction as large chunks of burning tar