# H0136 - adonai **Strong's:** [H0136](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h136/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** ad-o-noy' **Part of speech:** masculine plural noun (intensive / majestic plural with first-person-singular suffix; used as singular) **OT occurrences:** ~439 (as the divine title); the cognate *adon* (H113, "lord / master") is broader **Greek equivalent (LXX):** *kyrios* (G2962), overwhelmingly ## Semantic range 1. **Lord, Master**, the divine title proper (when capitalized) 2. **My Lord**, the suffix-form rendered as a divine address 3. **Owner / sovereign**, the master-servant relational sense ## Theological force, divine title *Adonai* is one of the **principal OT names of God**, alongside *YHWH* / *Elohim* / *El*: - **YHWH** ([H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/)), the covenant-personal name (the Tetragrammaton) - **Elohim** ([H0430 - elohim](/codex/h0430-elohim/)), God / gods (intensive plural; creator) - **El** ([H0410 - el](/codex/h0410-el/)), God / Mighty One - **Adonai**, Lord / Master (sovereign-relational) ### *Adonai* as a substitution for YHWH In post-exilic Jewish piety, the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) was considered too holy to pronounce. When reading aloud, the reader would substitute *Adonai* (Lord). The Masoretic vowel-pointing of the Tetragrammaton uses the vowels of *Adonai* (eventually producing the artificial English form "Jehovah" by combining YHWH consonants with *Adonai* vowels). This pious substitution preserves divine reverence while ensuring liturgical readability. The LXX universally renders both YHWH and *Adonai* as *kyrios*, collapsing the distinction in Greek. ### *Adonai* in compound use - ***Adonai YHWH*** ("Lord GOD"), frequent in Ezekiel's prophetic formula - *YHWH Adonai*, divine sovereignty + covenant name conjoined ### *Adonai* and Christological transfer The LXX *kyrios* (rendering both YHWH and *Adonai*) is the bridge for the NT's most decisive Christological transfer. NT applications of OT *Adonai* / YHWH titles to Christ (esp. via *kyrios*): - **[Romans 10:13](/codex/romans-10-13/)**, [Joel 2:32](/codex/joel-2-32/) (*kalesetai en tō onomati Kyriou*) applied to Christ, see [Romans 10.13](/codex/romans-10-13/) - **[Philippians 2:11](/codex/philippians-2-11/)**, *Iēsous Christos Kyrios*, Jesus is Lord; echoing [Isaiah 45:23](/codex/isaiah-45-23/), see [Isaiah 45.22-23](/codex/isaiah-45-22-23/) - **[Acts 2:36](/codex/acts-2-36/)**, God has made Jesus *both Lord (kyrion) and Christ* - **[1 Corinthians 8:6](/codex/1-corinthians-8-6/)**, "one Lord, Jesus Christ" - **[Psalms 110.1](/codex/psalms-110-1/)**, *YHWH said to my Adoni*: cited in [Mt 22:43-45](/codex/matthew-22-43-45/) / [Mk 12:36](/codex/mark-12-36/) / [Lk 20:42](/codex/luke-20-42/) / [Acts 2:34-35](/codex/acts-2-34-35/) / [Heb 1:13](/codex/hebrews-1-13/), Christ as the *Adoni* of David ## *Adoni* (with first-person-suffix) in [Psalm 110:1](/codex/psalms-110-1/) The Hebrew *l'adoni* in [Psalm 110:1](/codex/psalms-110-1/), "my Lord", is technically the suffix-form of the broader *adon* family (not specifically *Adonai*-the-divine-title). However, the application of an honorific *adoni* to David's "Lord" who is enthroned at YHWH's right hand carries divine-title weight (Christ is positionally + relationally at the throne of YHWH). The Christological force: David, the highest political authority in Israel, calls another figure "*adoni*", "my Lord." This figure is enthroned at YHWH's right hand. Jesus's argument in [Mt 22:41-46](/codex/matthew-22-41-46/) turns on this: David's "Lord" must be more than David's son. See [Liar Lunatic or Lord](/codex/liar-lunatic-or-lord/) / [Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment](/codex/argument-from-prophecy-fulfillment/). ## *Adon* (H113), the cognate / non-divine use The base *adon* (without suffix or specific divine pointing) is used: - Of human masters / lords ([Genesis 18:12](/codex/genesis-18-12/), Sarah of Abraham) - Of YHWH as Lord (frequent) - Of angels in some contexts Distinguishing *Adonai*-the-divine-title from *adon*-the-general-noun depends on context, vowel-pointing in the Masoretic text, and accompanying terms. ## Notable verses - **[Genesis 18:3](/codex/genesis-18-3/)**, Abraham addresses the divine visitor: *Adonai* - **[Exodus 4:10](/codex/exodus-4-10/), [13](/codex/exodus-4-13/)**, Moses: *Adonai* - **[Exodus 23:17](/codex/exodus-23-17/); 34:23**, *Ha-Adon YHWH*, "the Lord, the LORD" - **[Joshua 3:11](/codex/joshua-3-11/), [13](/codex/joshua-3-13/)**, *Adon kol-ha-aretz*, "Lord of all the earth" - **[Psalm 110:1](/codex/psalms-110-1/)**, *YHWH said to my Adoni* - **[Isaiah 6:1](/codex/isaiah-6-1/), [8](/codex/isaiah-6-8/), [11](/codex/isaiah-6-11/)**, *Adonai* in Isaiah's temple-vision - **[Daniel 9:3](/codex/daniel-9-3/), [4](/codex/daniel-9-4/), [7](/codex/daniel-9-7/), [8](/codex/daniel-9-8/), [9](/codex/daniel-9-9/), [15-19](/codex/daniel-9-15-19/)**, repeated *Adonai* in penitential prayer - **Ezekiel**, extensive *Adonai YHWH* formulae - **[Malachi 3:1](/codex/malachi-3-1/)**, *ha-Adon* (with article), "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple", see [Malachi 3.1](/codex/malachi-3-1/); Christological application ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement primarily through the LXX *kyrios*. Modern: Walter Eichrodt; Bruce Waltke; the *Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament* (TDOT) has extensive treatment. ## See also - [H113 - adon](/codex/h0113-adon/), base form - [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), covenant-personal name - [H0430 - elohim](/codex/h0430-elohim/), God (plural form) - [H0410 - el](/codex/h0410-el/), God (singular base) - [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), Greek Lord (LXX-equivalent) - [Psalms 110](/codex/psalms-110/), *Adoni* Christological argument - [Malachi 3.1](/codex/malachi-3-1/), *ha-Adon* Christological argument - [Isaiah 45.22-23](/codex/isaiah-45-22-23/), universal worship → Christ - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), divine identity Christology ## Notes _Lexical workspace for Adonai._