El-Olam in the Bible: “God Everlasting” at Beersheba
El-Olam (Hebrew: ʾēl ʿôlām) appears explicitly once in the Bible—Genesis 21:33—where Abraham plants a tamarisk at Beersheba and “calls on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.” This single scene is remarkably dense. It connects the name of God to land, water, covenant-making, and public worship. The title El-Olam does not introduce a different deity; it functions as an epithet for the LORD, compressing into one phrase God’s enduring sovereignty across generations. By tracing how the Bible uses this title, and how “everlasting/ancient” language worked in the world around Israel, we see why Abraham invokes El-Olam precisely at a well—where life, memory, and promise converge.
1. Reading Genesis 21:33 Carefully
Abraham’s Beersheba narrative (Gen 21:22–34) moves in a deliberate sequence:
Public recognition of rights: Seven ewe-lambs certify Abraham dug the well (vv. 28–30).
Covenant formalities: A sworn pact resolves local disputes (vv. 22–24, 27, 32).
Liturgical seal: Abraham plants a tamarisk and “calls on the name of the LORD, El-Olam” (v. 33).
Why pair a tree with a name of God? In the Bible, trees often witness covenants and mark sacred memory. Naming God as El-Olam at this moment declares that the God who outlasts dynasties also anchors Abraham’s embodied life—his water rights, his household’s future, and the story carried by the land.
Key observation: In context, El-Olam is an epithet of Yahweh (“the LORD, the everlasting God”), not a second god. The title folds “everlasting” into Israel’s known God, fusing eternity with covenant faithfulness.
2. What Does “Olam” Mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew noun ʿôlām can carry a range of time-related nuances:
Unbounded duration: “everlasting,” “forever,” “from of old.”
Remote time: “ancient,” “long ago,” “perpetual.”
Covenantal endurance: promises and statutes “for ʿôlām.”
When paired with the divine name or titles, the stress falls on God’s unceasing, sovereign faithfulness rather than abstract timelessness. Thus El-Olam communicates:
Continuity—God remains when contexts change (Exile, dynastic shifts).
Competence—His rule is not seasonal or local; it spans eras and nations.
Covenant stamina—what God pledges He sustains across generations.
3. Why Beersheba? Place, Permanence, and Public Witness
Beersheba is theologically perfect for El-Olam:
A well signals sustainable life in the Negev; water rights are future-oriented.
A planted tree grows over time; it is a living monument.
A sworn pact binds parties beyond the day they sign.
Naming the LORD “El-Olam” at Beersheba aligns the everlasting character of God with the long-term needs of Abraham’s household. The title thus resonates with:
Providence: God is not merely creator; He is caretaker over time.
Public faith: Abraham’s worship is audible and visible to neighbors.
Memory ethics: places hold stories; invoking El-Olam frames the story rightly.
4. Is “El-Olam” a Separate Deity or an Epithet?
The Bible’s own usage favors epithet. Several factors help:
Grammatical fit: Genesis 21:33 reads as an appositional construction—“the LORD, the everlasting God.”
Biblical parallels: “God of eternity” (Isa 40:28), “King of eternity” (Jer 10:10) echo the same theology without implying another god.
Absence as a standalone deity: Unlike some ancient lists of gods, the Bible does not treat “Olam” as an independent divine name.
Bottom line: El-Olam in the Bible clarifies who the LORD is—everlasting—rather than adding a new god to Israel’s faith.
5. Ancient Near Eastern Texture: Why “Everlasting” Resonated
In the wider West Semitic world, “everlasting/ancient” language sometimes accompanies high gods or solar deities (e.g., “Sun the everlasting” in inscriptions). Such usage proclaimed cosmic scope and reliable recurrence (like sunrise). The Bible repurposes that cultural register:
No pantheon: The LORD alone is truly “everlasting.”
No astral dependence: Creation cycles witness to, but do not define, God’s eternity.
No local limit: The eternal LORD is not tied to one city or shrine.
Thus, when Abraham invokes El-Olam, the Bible situates Israel’s God above regional claims while still meeting Abraham here and now—at one particular well with lasting consequences.
6. El-Olam and the Shape of Biblical Faith
El-Olam integrates core biblical themes:
a) Creation and Sustenance
“Everlasting” confesses that the Creator also preserves what He has made. The God of the Bible is not a clockmaker but the ongoing Lord of history and seasons.
b) Covenant and Patience
Abraham’s promise unfolds over decades. El-Olam assures that divine patience outlasts human delay and conflict (as the well dispute demonstrates).
c) Worship and Public Ethics
Calling on the name of El-Olam in a contested space models public piety: worship that dignifies neighbors, pursues peace, and testifies to God’s character before watching communities.
7. Reading El-Olam Across the Canon
The El-Olam moment tunes our reading of other passages where “everlasting” frames God’s identity:
Isa 40:28: the LORD as “God of eternity” grounds comfort for the weary.
Jer 10:10: “the King of eternity” contrasts the living God with lifeless idols.
Psalms: from “Your throne is established from of old” to “from everlasting to everlasting,” the Psalter turns ʿôlām into praise vocabulary.
Practical takeaways for Bible readers
When ʿôlām modifies God or His reign, look for stability and steadfast love.
When ʿôlām modifies covenantal terms, expect intergenerational scope.
When ʿôlām marks places/events (e.g., memorials), consider public memory as discipleship.
8. Why This Name Matters for Abraham’s Heirs
El-Olam is not an abstract philosophical label. It is pastoral and practical:
It steadies faith when promises seem slow.
It shapes patience in negotiations, peacemaking, and communal life.
It encourages practices that endure (wells kept, trees planted, oaths honored).
In short, confessing the LORD as El-Olam trains communities to live long-obedience lives—to invest in durable goods: justice, hospitality, and worship that will still be telling the truth a century from now.
Conclusion
El-Olam in the Bible compresses a world of theology into one scene at a well. Abraham’s public act at Beersheba—tree, treaty, and prayer—names the LORD as the everlasting God whose faithfulness outlives crises and cements hope. The title is not a stray relic of another deity; it is Israel’s confession that the one God known by the Name is also the God whose reign and mercy endure. To say “El-Olam” is to anchor ordinary life—digging, planting, promising—in the permanence of God.
Bible Verses About El-Olam
Genesis 21:33 – “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.”
Isaiah 40:28 – “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
Jeremiah 10:10 – “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.”
Psalm 90:2 – “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Psalm 93:2 – “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.”
Psalm 103:17 – “But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children.”
Psalm 145:13 – “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.”
Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, ‘Destroy.’”
Lamentations 5:19 – “But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.”
Genesis 17:7 – “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.”
