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On almost every page in tanach you find the pair of words "hashem elokeynu" (Hashem our God). By saying "our God" it seems to imply that there are other gods.

If this implication is not correct why then is God frequently called by "hashem elokeynu" in tanach?

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By saying 'our God' it seems to imply that there are other gods.

There are. See e.g. Deuteronomy 8:19 "וְהָלַכְתָּ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים", "and you go after other gods". Not that they're real gods, of course, by which I mean that they don't have whatever powers and characteristics we ascribe to God, but they are called "gods" in the Torah, so it makes sense to refer to the real one as "our god".

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  • Well it seems silly to command not to follow other gods when there are none. Didn't the sitra achra have powers in the ancient days? Could it be that that's what is meant by "other gods"? – Ani Yodea Aug 4 '15 at 1:42
  • @AniYodea I don't know why you say "there are none": this answer says there are some. Anyway, no, no being has ever had power not granted him by God. – msh210♦ Aug 4 '15 at 2:56
  • @AniYodea It's like saying "Obey no regent of England other than Queen Elizabeth second. This includes not obeying Jimbo IV nor Howdy Doody III." In this case, Jimbo IV is a regent of England who is not real. – Double AA♦ Aug 4 '15 at 3:16

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