9.14 Look-alike words: אֵל, אֱלֹהִ֑ים, “God”, or אֶל, “to”

Memorize אֵלִי as “my God” (\(I\)-Hireq under the ל), and אֶלַי as “to me” (\(A\)-Patach under the ל)

  • אֵלִי is the only form of אֵל that appears with a pronominal suffix in the Bible

אֱלֹהִ֑ים retains the \(O\)-Holem over the ל

  • Although אֵל may not appear with a suffix apart from this one time, אֱלֹהִ֑ים can, and in the Torah, frequently does take suffixes. The words below are close but not equivalent.

  • אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ = your God (See Deuteronomy 6:5)

  • אֵלֶ֫יךָ = to you (2MS)

  • אֱלֹהִ֑ים = God, gods

  • אֲלֵיהֶם = to them (3MP)

  • אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ = our God (Exodus 3:18)

  • אֵלֵ֫ינוּ = to us (1CP)

  • אֱלֹהָֽי = my gods (Genesis 31:30)

  • אֵלֶ֫יהַ = to her/it (3FS)