There are some strange and unexpected shifts in language found in the Hebrew Bible (i.e., our Old Testament). These shifts occur not just in one or two places. They occur throughout the Hebrew Bible. Let’s consider a few…
1. “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the LORD out of the heavens?” (Genesis 19:24).
The wording is odd. Why does it read, “from the LORD”? Is this simply emphasizing that the LORD is doing this? Or is something else being said? Adam Clarke points out in his commentary that some believe two persons of the Godhead are being mentioned. He admits that this is possible, but “does not appear to me to be plainly indicated here (Adam Clarke, Vol. 1, p. 125).
2. “God tested Abraham … then He said, ‘ Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love …and offer him as a burnt offering …’ … The Angel of the LORD… He said, ‘…now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son… from Me’” (Genesis 22:1-2, 11-12).
Why the shift from “God” (3rd person) to “Me” (1st person)? Is this simply language of agency? Or is more intended? One source has remarked, “In every passage where the angel of the Lord appears, there is also an odd shift in pronouns.” Then the source adds that this occurs “since the angel of the Lord is mysteriously identified separately from God and also as God Himself (Genesis 22:15-16; Exodus 3:2, 4, 6, 7, 11; Judges 6:11-16)” (One for Israel, The Pierced God, oneforisrael.org).
3. “(Israel) blessed Joseph and said, ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has feed me all my long life to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads…’” (Genesis 48:15-16).
The one petitioned or invoked is called two things. He is twice called “God.” He is also called “The Angel” (The Messenger).
The Angel of the LORD is a puzzling character to many Bible students. He at times seems to be called God (Genesis 31:11 cf. 31:13; 49:15 cf. 49:16), and even receive worship (Joshua 5:14; Judges 6:11-12 cf. 6:19-20). However, he also seems to be distinct from the LORD (Exodus 23:20-ff; Judges 6:21-23). [For more information see the following articles by B.H. – (1) Angels (Part 3); (2) Who Did It?].
4. “I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me, says the LORD” (Amos 4:11).
Why the shift from “I” (1st person) to “God” (3rd person) back to “Me” (1st person)? The NIV struggled with this, rendering it “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah…” However, it provides this footnote “Hebrew God.” James Burton Coffman provided this possible explanation, “Some critics make a big thing out of God being referred to in this verse (Amos 4:11) in the third person, whereas the first person is otherwise prominent throughout; but this is not due to any interpolation, and only signifies that Amos… reverted to quotations from the Pentateuch in mentioning Sodom and Gomorrah” (studylight.org). The Pulpit Commentaries says “The substitution of the name of God for the personal pronoun, when the Lord himself is speaking, is not uncommon in Hebrew. Here it rather takes the form of a quotation (or reference B.H.) from Genesis” (studylight.org). This seems to be the answer in this verse (Genesis 19:25 cf. Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 49:17-18; 50:40)
5. “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the LORD said to Satan, the LORD rebuke you Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!” (Zechariah 3:1-2).
This is odd. Why did the LORD not simply say, “I rebuke you”? The Angel seems to be identified with the LORD and yet distinguished from the LORD. Coffman thought this was a witness to God’s “compound unity” which is more explicitly stated in the New Testament (studylight.org).
6. “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one who mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
The LORD is clearly the speaker in the first part of this verse, when it says, “I will pour out… the Spirit… then they will look upon Me whom they pierced” (Zechariah 12:10). This says that the one pierced is the LORD. When did anyone pierce the LORD? John references this passage after Jesus was pierced with a spear (John 19:34, 36-37). The implication is Jesus is the LORD, that is Jehovah.
In the latter part of the verse there is a shift in the language. “They will mourn for Him… and grieve for Him” (Zechariah 12:10). Why the shift? Keil and Delitzsch suggested that “The transition from the first person to the third points to the fact that the person slain, although essentially one with Jehovah, is personally distinct from the Supreme God. The lamentation for the only son (cf. Amos 8:10) and for the firstborn is the deepest and bitterest death-wail” (studylight.org). The third person refers to the Messiah.
Conclusion
What is the point? When you read and come across a shift in language, it is not a mistake or an accident (unless a copyist erred in transmission). It is there for a reason. It says slow down. Think about the passage. This shift might be important. There may be something of value to learn.
I am convinced that some of these shifts only make sense in light of the complex nature of the Godhead. There is the unseen God. Then, there is God interacting with man (e.g., The Angel of the LORD, Jesus, the Spirit).
Bryan Hodge 
Strange Shifts in Language
There are some strange and unexpected shifts in language found in the Hebrew Bible (i.e., our Old Testament). These shifts occur not just in one or two places. They occur throughout the Hebrew Bible. Let’s consider a few…
1. “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the LORD out of the heavens?” (Genesis 19:24).
The wording is odd. Why does it read, “from the LORD”? Is this simply emphasizing that the LORD is doing this? Or is something else being said? Adam Clarke points out in his commentary that some believe two persons of the Godhead are being mentioned. He admits that this is possible, but “does not appear to me to be plainly indicated here (Adam Clarke, Vol. 1, p. 125).
2. “God tested Abraham … then He said, ‘ Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love …and offer him as a burnt offering …’ … The Angel of the LORD… He said, ‘…now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son… from Me’” (Genesis 22:1-2, 11-12).
Why the shift from “God” (3rd person) to “Me” (1st person)? Is this simply language of agency? Or is more intended? One source has remarked, “In every passage where the angel of the Lord appears, there is also an odd shift in pronouns.” Then the source adds that this occurs “since the angel of the Lord is mysteriously identified separately from God and also as God Himself (Genesis 22:15-16; Exodus 3:2, 4, 6, 7, 11; Judges 6:11-16)” (One for Israel, The Pierced God, oneforisrael.org).
3. “(Israel) blessed Joseph and said, ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has feed me all my long life to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads…’” (Genesis 48:15-16).
The one petitioned or invoked is called two things. He is twice called “God.” He is also called “The Angel” (The Messenger).
The Angel of the LORD is a puzzling character to many Bible students. He at times seems to be called God (Genesis 31:11 cf. 31:13; 49:15 cf. 49:16), and even receive worship (Joshua 5:14; Judges 6:11-12 cf. 6:19-20). However, he also seems to be distinct from the LORD (Exodus 23:20-ff; Judges 6:21-23). [For more information see the following articles by B.H. – (1) Angels (Part 3); (2) Who Did It?].
4. “I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me, says the LORD” (Amos 4:11).
Why the shift from “I” (1st person) to “God” (3rd person) back to “Me” (1st person)? The NIV struggled with this, rendering it “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah…” However, it provides this footnote “Hebrew God.” James Burton Coffman provided this possible explanation, “Some critics make a big thing out of God being referred to in this verse (Amos 4:11) in the third person, whereas the first person is otherwise prominent throughout; but this is not due to any interpolation, and only signifies that Amos… reverted to quotations from the Pentateuch in mentioning Sodom and Gomorrah” (studylight.org). The Pulpit Commentaries says “The substitution of the name of God for the personal pronoun, when the Lord himself is speaking, is not uncommon in Hebrew. Here it rather takes the form of a quotation (or reference B.H.) from Genesis” (studylight.org). This seems to be the answer in this verse (Genesis 19:25 cf. Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 49:17-18; 50:40)
5. “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the LORD said to Satan, the LORD rebuke you Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!” (Zechariah 3:1-2).
This is odd. Why did the LORD not simply say, “I rebuke you”? The Angel seems to be identified with the LORD and yet distinguished from the LORD. Coffman thought this was a witness to God’s “compound unity” which is more explicitly stated in the New Testament (studylight.org).
6. “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one who mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
The LORD is clearly the speaker in the first part of this verse, when it says, “I will pour out… the Spirit… then they will look upon Me whom they pierced” (Zechariah 12:10). This says that the one pierced is the LORD. When did anyone pierce the LORD? John references this passage after Jesus was pierced with a spear (John 19:34, 36-37). The implication is Jesus is the LORD, that is Jehovah.
In the latter part of the verse there is a shift in the language. “They will mourn for Him… and grieve for Him” (Zechariah 12:10). Why the shift? Keil and Delitzsch suggested that “The transition from the first person to the third points to the fact that the person slain, although essentially one with Jehovah, is personally distinct from the Supreme God. The lamentation for the only son (cf. Amos 8:10) and for the firstborn is the deepest and bitterest death-wail” (studylight.org). The third person refers to the Messiah.
Conclusion
What is the point? When you read and come across a shift in language, it is not a mistake or an accident (unless a copyist erred in transmission). It is there for a reason. It says slow down. Think about the passage. This shift might be important. There may be something of value to learn.
I am convinced that some of these shifts only make sense in light of the complex nature of the Godhead. There is the unseen God. Then, there is God interacting with man (e.g., The Angel of the LORD, Jesus, the Spirit).
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About Bryan Hodge
I am a minister and missionary to numerous countries around the world.