אֲדֹנָי
the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
Definition
אֲדֹנָי is a Hebrew title for God, meaning 'my Lord' or 'the Lord.' It is the emphatic, plural form of 'adon' (lord or master), used exclusively as a proper name for the God of Israel. When reading the Hebrew text, it is often substituted for the divine name YHWH (Yahweh) out of reverence, a practice known as the 'Tetragrammaton substitution.' This title emphasizes God's sovereignty, authority, and personal relationship with His people, as seen in Abraham's direct address, 'O Lord GOD (Adonai YHWH), what will you give me?' (Genesis 15:2, 8). It conveys both majestic dominion and intimate covenant lordship.
Biblical Usage
This word is used over 400 times, primarily in direct address to God in prayer, petition, or worshipful dialogue. It appears frequently in the Psalms and Prophets, especially in contexts of supplication or awe. A key pattern is its use by the patriarchs and prophets when humbly approaching God, as in Abraham's intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18:27, 30-32) or Moses' encounters. It is rarely used in narrative description, being almost exclusively a vocative term that expresses the speaker's submission and reverence before the divine.
Etymology
Derived from the root אָדוֹן (adon, H113), meaning 'lord,' 'master,' or 'owner.' אֲדֹנָי is the first-person singular possessive form ('my Lord'), with the ending '-ai' indicating the plural of majesty or intensity. This 'plural of excellence' does not imply multiple gods but magnifies God's supreme authority. It is linguistically distinct from the generic 'adonai' (my lords) used for human masters, as the divine title is pointed with a different vowel (qamets under the aleph) in the Masoretic Text to mark its sacredness.
Semantic Range
This name is central to understanding God's covenant lordship. It highlights that Yahweh is not a distant deity but the personal Lord who enters into relationship with His people. The reverential substitution for YHWH underscores God's holiness and the human response of awe. Using אֲדֹנָי enriches Bible reading by revealing how biblical figures approached God with both intimacy and profound respect, modeling a posture of surrendered authority. It connects directly to the New Testament confession 'Jesus is Lord' (Kyrios), affirming Christ's divine sovereignty.
In ancient Israelite culture, addressing someone as 'my lord' acknowledged their superior social position. Applying this to God culturally communicated total submission and allegiance. The avoidance of pronouncing YHWH, replacing it with Adonai in reading, reflects a deep cultural reverence for the divine name that developed during the Second Temple period. This practice distinguishes the God of Israel from pagan deities, who were often invoked casually; here, the very name is treated with utmost sanctity, shaping Jewish and later Christian liturgical traditions.
YHWH (Yahweh, H3068) — the personal, covenant name of God, often pronounced as Adonai. אָדוֹן (adon, H113) — a generic term for human or divine master, less emphatic. אֱלֹהִים (Elohim, H430) — a general term for God, emphasizing power and divinity. אֵל (El, H410) — a common Semitic term for God, highlighting might.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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