God's Name is Adonai (ePub)

THE NAMES OF GOD we've looked at so far are Elohim, which in our Bibles is translated as "God," Jehovah, which is translated as "LORD," and "El-Shaddai," which is translated as "God Almighty" or "Almighty God." These names have been associated with God's Person-the power and glory of His Being, as in Elohim; His expression as a God of righteousness, holiness, love, and redemption, as in Jehovah; and as a beneficent and bountiful Bestower of powers, gifts, blessings, and fruitfulness for service, as in El-Shaddai. While these names do imply or demand that man conform to the Being in whose image he is created, the name under discussion in this chapter makes a clear demand for man's obedience and service.

In our Bibles, the name Adonai is translated as Lord, which is written in small letters with only the first letter capitalized. Adonai is a name for God that appears around 300 times in the Old Testament. It's noteworthy that it's almost always in the plural and possessive, implying "my Lords." It supports the concept of a trinity, which is also reflected in the name Elohim. This is further supported by the fact that the same word is used of men 215 times and is translated as "master," "sir," and "lord," but mostly "master," as in Genesis 24, 41 42, where Eliezer, Abraham's servant, speaks of "my master Abraham" and repeatedly says, "Blessed be Jehovah God of my master Abraham." It's also worth noting that the word "owner" is used to translate the same phrase Adonai several times. However, when it is applied to men, it is always in the singular form, adon. It is only in the plural because of God. "The Lord spoke unto my Lord," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adonai," or "Jehovah said unto my Adon "Sit on my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool," says the narrator. This stunning chapter is referred to by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:41-45 (as well as Peter in Acts 2:34, 35; and Hebrews 1:13; 10:12, 13). How noteworthy, then, that David, speaking of only one part of the Trinity, uses the single word Adoni instead of the plural Adonai: "Jehovah said unto mine Adoni," that is, Christ, the second Person of the Trinity!