A term referring to deity or divine beings; most frequently used as a designation for Israel's god, but also applied more broadly to other gods, supernatural beings, or exalted persons (such as judges or rulers) depending on context. In most instances with the article or in reference to the Israelite god, the term denotes the singular divine figure worshiped by the Israelites. Occasionally, especially in poetic or archaic contexts, it refers to multiple gods. The form is morphologically plural but can function grammatically as singular or plural, depending on context.