Read Exodus 22:6-8
JPS Tanakh
:
6 When a man gives money or goods to another for safekeeping, and they are stolen from
the man’s house if the thief is caught, he shall pay double; 7 if the
thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall come near (נקרב) to
God (האלהים) that he has not laid hands on the other’s property. 8 In
all charges of misappropriation pertaining to an ox, an ***, a sheep, a
garment, or any other loss, whereof one party alleges, “This is it” the
case of both parties shall come before God (האלהים): he whom God
(אלהים ) declares guilty (ַיְר ִשי ֻףן) shall pay double to the other.
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm — 366 Occurrences
HA-ELOHIM the [TRUE GOD]
8 Occurrences for hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm to mean judges.
Exodus 21:6 הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (judges?) (singular w/definite article)
Exodus 22:8 הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (judges?) (singular w/definite article)
Exodus 22:9 הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (judges?) (singular w/definite article)
"For discriminating students of the Sacred Scriptures the New World
Translation preserves all the uses of ha-el and ha-elohim in the Hebrew
texts by translating such accurately as “the [true] God.” " Watchtower
1966 pg 526 par.17
So how did we get from singular ha-Elohim (God) to plural ha-Elohim (judges)?
"Observe
that in Noah’s history recording the days of Enoch, after idolatry had
become practiced, the true worshipers frequently put a definite article
ha before el or elohim to indicate “the true God” Jehovah as distinct
from the false gods who were also being referred to as el or elohim but
not as ha-el or ha-elohim". pg 526 par. 16 Watchtower 1966
