Then GOD SAID, “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness"

[TonyChanYT]

Genesis 1:

26a Then God [pl] said [sg], “Let us make [pl] man in our image [pl], after our likeness [pl].

Then God
אֱלֹהִ֔ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let Us make
נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה (na·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

man
אָדָ֛ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

in Our image,
בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ (bə·ṣal·mê·nū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6754: A phantom, illusion, resemblance, a representative figure, an idol

after Our likeness,
כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ (kiḏ·mū·ṯê·nū)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1823: Resemblance, model, shape, like

"God" is a plural noun, followed by the unusual singular verb "said". This special construction indicates that the singular Creator God includes a plurality of entities. This is confirmed in the next verse:

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

See also My take on Trinity.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Genesis 1:


Then God
אֱלֹהִ֔ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let Us make
נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה (na·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

man
אָדָ֛ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

in Our image,
בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ (bə·ṣal·mê·nū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6754: A phantom, illusion, resemblance, a representative figure, an idol

after Our likeness,
כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ (kiḏ·mū·ṯê·nū)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1823: Resemblance, model, shape, like

"God" is a plural noun, followed by the unusual singular verb "said". This special construction indicates that the singular Creator God includes a plurality of entities. This is confirmed in the next verse:


See also My take on Trinity.

There are those who say this presents a Trinitarian God, as you do. And I would suggest this is possible, though I personally think God can be expressed as persons in an infinite number, rather than just as 3. For example, He could present Himself in an infinite number of theophanies, or angelic/human figures. However, we know of only one Christ.

And there are those who indicate that the word "God" is taken from the language of the pagan world, which had expressed God as a multiplicity of gods. The "Elohim," plural, would indicate the essence, singular, of the many deities. As such, God is being expressed as a single divine substance despite the common claim that there are many gods.

So I view it more as a preeminent singular Deity among the many false idols. Some would also view the plurality as a kind of royal "us" as if there were more than one that represents all senses of Deity. "I'll tell you what we're going to do," referring to only one person "leading the charge" over many.

 

[TonyChanYT]

There are those who say this presents a Trinitarian God, as you do.

See
https://www.reddit.com/r/BibleVerseCommentary/comments/tcvci6