Plural in Form, Singular in Grammar

A plural noun sometimes gets used as proof of something it is not proving. Elohim is grammatically plural in Hebrew - the -im ending is the standard masculine plural.
But grammar settles how it is being used in any given verse. In Genesis 1:1, elohim is the subject and the verb bara - created - is singular. One actor. Hebrew does this: a plural form carrying a singular referent, with the surrounding grammar telling you which is meant.
Then in Psalm 82:1 the same word appears twice in one line and does two different jobs. Elohim stands in the divine council; in the midst of elohim he holds judgment. Singular subject, plural object. The form did not change. The referent did.
Which is the whole lesson of this series in one verse: usage decides, not the ending.
Scripture links:
- Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
- Deuteronomy 6:4 - "The LORD our God, the LORD is one."
- Psalm 82:1 - "God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment."
One word doing two jobs in a single sentence.