H136 ʾādôn Lord, Master

A masculine noun meaning lord or master. The most frequent usage is of a human lord, but it is also used of divinity. Generally, it carries the nuances of authority rather than ownership. When used of humans, it refers to authority over slaves (Gen. 24:9; Judg. 19:11); people (1 Kgs. 22:17); a wife (Gen. 18:12; Amos 4:1); or a household (Gen. 45:8; Ps. 105:21). When used of divinity, it frequently occurs with yehōwāh (3068), signifying His sovereignty (Ex. 34:23; Josh. 3:13; Isa. 1:24). See the Hebrew noun ʾaḏōnāy (136).

Warren Baker and Eugene E. Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 15.

774× lord, master, supervisor, one who has authority over another; husband; owner; the Lord, (with Yahweh [3378]) Sovereign. “Lord of lords” means the highest power or authority

William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 888.

(ʾādôn). Lord, Lord, LORD, master, owner. No doubt exists about the meaning of this word. The Ugaritic ʾadn means “lord” or “father” and the Akkadian adannu carries a similar meaning, “mighty.”

In the simple unsuffixed form or when pointed ʾădōnî or ʾădōna(y), for the first common singular suffix or with other pronominal suffixes. ʾādôn usually refers to men. Sarah used it in reference to her husband (Gen 18:12), Lot used it in addressing the angelic visitors (Gen 19:2).

Abraham’s servant repeatedly called his master by it in Gen 24. The pharaoh of Egypt was called by this title (Gen 40:1), as well as Joseph his “vizier” (Gen 42:10). Ruth used it of Boaz before they were married (2:13). Hannah addressed Eli the priest by this term (I Sam 1:15). Saul’s servants called him by the title as well (I Sam 16:16). Likewise, officers less than the king, such as Joab, had this appellation (II Sam 11:9). In I Kgs 16:24 there is the unique reading “Shemer, ‘owner’ of the hill, Samaria.” The prophet Elijah bore the title “lord” (I Kgs 18:7). However, there are numerous passages, particularly in Psalms, where these forms, which are the only ones to apply to men, refer to God. Exodus 34:23 combines “the Lord, YHWH. the God of Israel” (hāʾādōn yhwhʾĕlōhê yisrāʾēl). Deuteronomy 10:17 uses both the singular and plural in the construction “Lord of lords” (ʾădōnê hāʾădōnîm; cf. Ps 136:3). In Ps 8:1 [H 2] God has the title “YHWH our Lord” (yhwh ʾădōnênû). The Messiah bears this title in Ps 110:1.

Several personal names include the element ʾădōnî: Adoni-bezek (Jud 1:5); Adonizedek (Josh 10:1); Adonijah (three men, I Kgs 1:8; II Chr 17:8; Neh 10:17); Adonikam (Ezr 2:13); and Adoniram (I Kgs 4:6).

When ʾādôn appears in the special plural form, with a first common singular pronominal suffix ( o;ădōnā[y]), it always refers to God. It appears in this form more than three hundred times, mostly in Psalms, Lamentations, and the latter prophets. Just as ʾĕlōhîm (God) is plural in Hebrew, so this word might also be called an intensive plural or plural of majesty. Only rarely is the suffix translated (cf. Gen 18:3; Isa 21:8; Ps 16:2).

To avoid the risk of taking God’s name (YHWH) in vain, devout Jews began to substitute the word ʾădōnā(y) for the proper name itself. Although the Masoretes left the four original consonants in the text, they added the vowels ĕ (in place of ă for other reasons) and ā to remind the reader to pronounce ʾădōnā(y) regardless of the consonants. This feature occurs more than six thousand times in the Hebrew Bible. Most translations use all capital letters to make the title “LORD.” Exceptions are the ASV and New World Translation which use “Jehovah,” Amplified which uses “Lord,” and JB which uses “Yahweh.” What those cautious Jews did was similar to our custom of saying “that is” when we see the abbreviation “i.e.” in the text. Later the Jews substituted other words such as “the name,” “the blessed,” or “heaven” (cf. Mk 14:61–62).

In those places where ʾădōnāy yhwh occurs the latter word is pointed with the vowels from ʾĕlōhîm, and the English renderings such as “Lord GOD” arose (e.g. Amos 7:1).

Bibliography: Zimmerman, Frank, “’El and Adonai,” VT 12:190–95. Richardson, TWB, p. 130. TDNT, III, pp. 1058–86. TDOT, I, pp. 59–72. THAT, I, pp. 31–37.

Robert Alden, “27 אדן,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 12–13.