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state, their edicts -- even though unilaterally decided -- were often prefaced with the plural "we." For
example, the king might say, "We have decided to raise taxes" when, in fact, it was his decision alone.

The practice of pluralizing words of authority was also common in the ancient Hebrew language.
Although the practice was disappearing at the time the Bible was composed, there remain a number of
examples of its usage. The words for lord, master and God might appear in the plural to DENOTE A
SINGULAR BEING if that being held authority. If the context expressed control and/or authority, the
verb might be pluralized also. In Hebrew usage, "God" (Elohim) always appears in the plural for obvi-
ous reasons. According to the principle of authority and control, God (YEHOVAH) is the ultimate sov-
ereign: the One who sets up kings and removes them (Daniel 4:17ff).

Now, in Genesis 39:2, the Bible states that Joseph was in the house of his "master" the Egyp-
tian. The translators render "master" correctly as singular in this instance -- even though the word is
PLURAL in the Hebrew text! A similar pluralization takes place in Exodus 21:9, speaking about the
"owner" of an ox with the tendency to gore. The word is translated in the even though it also
occurs in the plural. Again, the substantive reason for pluralizing the above two examples in the Hebrew
text is because both "master" and "owner" denote authority and control -- thus qualifying under the prin-
ciple of the "Royal We."

Another great example -- and one that demonstrates contextually the use of the "Royal We"
principle -- is found in Isaiah 6:8. After describing God ("Elohim") on the throne (an obvious allusion to
the monotheistic God), Isaiah records His challenge as He inquires concerning who should be sent to a
corrupt Israel:

Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

In this verse we have both the singular "I" and the plural "us" in the same manner of usage as in
Genesis 2:17, "Let us make humanity in our image" -- giving a perfect example of the use of pluralization
when conveying particular authority. Something similar occurs when God (YEHOVAH) confuses the
languages in Genesis 11:8 -- notice:

Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one
another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the
earth...

Many other examples could be cited, but this should suffice to underscore the principle in-
volved. Trinitarian (and those who believe in the duality of the Godhead) arguments derived from the
pluralization of authority titles collapse under close scrutiny. It is just another example of shallow schol-
arship which turns their theology into a "tempest in a teapot" when examined in depth and in context.

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