What Does Adonai Mean in the Bible — In Biblical Context
Adonai is a Hebrew title for God meaning 'Lord' or 'Master' — emphasizing His sovereign authority over creation.
Adonai is a Hebrew title for God meaning 'Lord' or 'Master' — emphasizing His sovereign authority over creation.
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens." — Psalm 8:1 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) is the plural form of Adon, meaning 'lord' or 'master.' When used of God, the plural is a plural of majesty, denoting His supreme authority. Jewish readers traditionally substitute Adonai when reading aloud the divine name YHWH out of reverence. The title appears more than 400 times in the Old Testament and is often paired with other names: Adonai Yahweh, Adonai Elohim. To confess God as Adonai is to acknowledge His right to command and our duty to obey. In the New Testament, the title 'Lord' (Kyrios) is applied to Jesus — affirming His full deity and sovereign rule.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Psalm 8:1, sits inside Psalms 8. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens."
Supporting Passages
"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
"And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
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