Why does God refer to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22?

Answer

Genesis 1:26 states, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’” Genesis 3:22 mentions, “And the LORD God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us.’” There are other passages in the Old Testament where God refers to Himself using plural constructions. It is also noteworthy that Elohim, a primary title of God in the Old Testament (occurring over 2,500 times), is in the plural form.

Some individuals have used these verses to speculate that there are multiple gods. However, we can dismiss polytheism (belief in multiple gods) as it would contradict numerous other Scriptures affirming that God is one and there is only one God. In Isaiah 45 alone, God declares three times, “I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me” (vv. 5, 6, 18).

Another possible interpretation for God’s use of the plural form is that He was including the angels in His statement. By saying “us” and “our,” God was referring to all the heavenly host, including Himself. Nevertheless, the Bible does not state that angels share the same “image” or “likeness” as God (see Genesis 1:26). This description is specifically attributed to humanity.

Considering that the Bible, particularly the New Testament, portrays God as a Trinity (three Persons but one God), Genesis 1:26 and 3:22 likely represent a conversation within the Trinity. God the Father is conversing with God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament hints at the plurality of God, and the New Testament elucidates this plurality wi

With the doctrine of the Trinity. Clearly, there is no way we can completely comprehend how this functions, but God has provided us with adequate information to understand that He exists in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.