Or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. Controller (human or divine) -- lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with "Adoni-".
H113. adon
אָדוֺן noun masculineMalachi 3:1 lord (Phoenician אדן) — ׳א Psalm 12:5 +?אֲדוֺן Joshua 3:11 +; plural אֲדֹנִים Isaiah 26:13 +; construct אֲדֹנֵי Deuteronomy 10:17 +; suffix אֲדֹנֵינוּ 1 Samuel 25:14 + etc.; (אֲדֹנָי אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנִי, are variations of Masoretic pointing to distinguish divine reference from human. Plural, with few except an intensive plural of rank; word takes suffix as plural in all other person; so doubtless here. Orig. reading probably in all cases אֲדֹנַי (see DalmDer Gottesname Adonaj; LagBN 188 makes אֲדֹנָי an Aramaic formative); אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.; in E Genesis 31:35; 32:19; 42:10; Exodus 21:5; in P Genesis 23:6, 11, 15; Numbers 36:2 (twice in verse); often Samuel & Kings; in Chronicles only in sources, 1 Chronicles 21:3 (3 t. in verse); 21:23 (= 2 Samuel 24:3, 22) 2 Chronicles 2:13; 2:14; Isaiah & Jeremiah only in historical parts Isaiah 36:8-9, 12; Jeremiah 37:20; 38:9; elsewhere Daniel 1:10; 10:16-17, 19; 12:8; Zechariah 1:9; 4:4-5, 13; 6:4; Psalm 110:1; Judges 4:18; 6:13; Ruth 2:13; אֲדנָי בִּי Exodus 4:10, 13; Joshua 7:8 (J) Judges 6:15; 13:8 is referred to God, but אֲדנִי בִּי Genesis 43:20; 44:18; Numbers 12:11 (J) 1 Samuel 1:26; 25:24; 1 Kings 3:17, 26 reference to human superiors. There is uncertainty as to אֲדֹנָ֯י Genesis 18:3; 19:18; אֲדֹ֯נַי 19:2) —
1 singular lord, master (1) reference to men: (a) superintendent of household, or of affairs Genesis 45:8-9, (E) = Psalm 105:21; (b) master 12:5; (c) king Jeremiah 22:18; 34:5; (2) reference to God, יהוה הָאָדוֺן the Lord Yahweh (see יהוה) Exodus 23:17; 34:23 (Cov't codes); כָּלהָֿאָרֶץ אֲרוֺן Lord of the whole earth Joshua 3:11, 13 (J) Psalm 97:5; Zechariah 4:14; 6:5; Micah 4:13; ׳הָא ׳י צֻבָאוֺת, earlier Isaiah 1:24; 3:1; 10:33; 19:4 (אֲדֹנָי 10:16 in common MT; not Massora, doubtless scribal error); ׳הָא Malachi 3:1; אָדוֺן Psalm 114:7.
2 plural lords, kings Deuteronomy 10:17 = Psalm 136:3; Isaiah 26:13; elsewhere intensive plural of rank, lord, master, (1) reference to men: (a) proprietor of hill Samaria 1 Kings 16:24; (b) master Genesis 40:7 (E) Exodus 21:4 (twice in verse); 21:6, 8, 32 (Cov't code) Genesis 24:9 + (J, 11 t.) Deuteronomy 23:16; Judges 19:11-12, 13t. Samuel & Kings; Job 3:19; Psalm 123:2; Proverbs 25:13; 27:18; 30:10; Isaiah 24:2; Amos 4:1; Zephaniah 1:9; Malachi 1:6 (twice in verse); (c) husband Judges 19:26-27, Psalm 45:12; (d) prophet 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 16; (e) governor Nehemiah 3:5; (f) prince Genesis 42:10, 30, 33 (E) 44:8 (J) 1 Samuel 29:10; (g) king Genesis 40:1 (E) Judges 3:25 40t. Samuel & Kings; Chronicles only in sources 1 Chronicles 12:19 compare 1 Samuel 29:4; 2 Chronicles 13:6; 18:16 = 1 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 19:4; 22:18; 36:12; 37:4, 6; Jeremiah 27:4; (2) reference to God Malachi 1:6; הָאֲדֹנִים אֲדֹנֵי Lord of lords Deuteronomy 10:17 = Psalm 136:3; אֲדֹנֵינוּ 135:5; 147:5; Nehemiah 8:10; ׳י אֲדֹנֵינוּ Psalm 8:2; Psalm 8:10; Nehemiah 10:30; י ׳אֲדֹנַיִח Isaiah 51:22 (probably = thy husband, Yahweh); אֲדֹנָיו Hosea 12:15 (possibly error for אֲדֹנָי).
3 suffix 1 singular אֲדֹנִי (אֲדֹנַי) (1) reference to men: my lord, my master, (a) master Exodus 21:5 (Cov't code) Genesis 24:12 +, 44:5 (J, 20 t.) 1 Samuel 30:13, 15; 2 Kings 5:3, 20, 22; 6:15; (b) husband Genesis 18:12 (J); (c) prophet 1 Kings 18:7, 13; 2 Kings 2:19; 4:16, 28; 6:5; 8:5; (d) prince Genesis 42:10 (E), 23:6, 11, 15 (P), 43:20; 44:18 +, 47:18, + (J, 12 t.); Judges 4:18; (e) king 1 Samuel 22:12 + (Samuel & Kings 75 t.); (f) father Genesis 31:35 (E); (g) Moses Exodus 32:22; Numbers 11:28; 12:11; 32:26-27, (J); 36:2 (twice in verse) (P); (h) priest 1 Samuel 1:15, 26 (twice in verse); (i) theophanic angel Joshua 5:14; Judges 6:13; (j) captain 2 Samuel 11:11; (k) General recognition of superiority Genesis 24:18; 32:5 + 33:8 +; 44:7 + (J, 13 t.), Ruth 2:13; 1 Samuel 25:24 + (15 t.); (2) reference to God: אֲדֹנָי
a. my Lord Genesis 20:4 (? E) Exodus 15:17 (Samaritan יהוה) elsewhere in Hexateuch, J; Genesis 18:3(?); 18:27, 30, 31, 32; 19:2, 18(?) Exodus 4:10; 4:13; 5:22; 34:9; Numbers 14:17; Joshua 7:8; also Judges 6:15; 13:8; not Samuel; 1 Kings 22:6; 2 Kings 19:23; not Chron. except memorials Ezra 10:3 (reference to Ezra) Nehemiah 1:11; 4:8; Wisdom Literature only Job 28:28 (doubtless scribal error for יהוֺה of many MSS.); not Hosea; Isaiah 37:24; 38:14, 16 (historical part); exile 49:14 (compare 51:22); Micah 1:2; Psalm 16:2 + (47 t., chiefly this sense, except below b.; compare וַאדֹנָי אֱלֹהַי my Lord and my God 35:23; (writers that use אֱלֹהִים seldom use אֲדֹנָי);
b. Adonay proper name of God, parallel with Yahweh, substitution for it often by scribal error, & eventually supplanting it. In earlier Isaiah 3:17 + (19 t. seeming to belong here), Amos 7:7-8, 9:1; Ezekiel 18:25, 29; 33:17, 20; 21:14 (probably י ׳אֲדֹנָי as in usual phrase); Zechariah 9:4; Malachi 1:12, 14; Lamentations 1:14 + (14 t.) Psalm 2:4; 37:13; 78:65; 90:17 (? יהוה) 110:5 (Dalman puts most of these below (a); — many cases are doubtful); 1 Kings 3:10, 15 (Masoretic אדני for יהוה compare Dalm 2 Kings 7:6; Dalm rightly questions; he reads יהוה). The phrases אֱלֹהַי אֲדֹנָי Psalm 38:16; 86:12, Adonay my God; הָאֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי Daniel 9:3, ׳א אֱלֹהֵינוּ 9:9, 15, ׳א הָאֵל 9:4 favour taking ׳א 1:2; 9:7-8, (יהוה ?) 9:16; 9:17; 9:19; 9:19; 9:19 as the divine name.
4 יהוה אֲדֹנָי (a) my Lord Yahweh (see יהוה) Genesis 15:2, 8 (JE) Joshua 7:7 (J, ᵐ5 omit ׳י) Deuteronomy 3:24; 9:26; Judges 6:22; 16:28; 2 Samuel 7:1 (6 t.) 1 Kings 2:26; 8:53; probably Amos 3:7-8, 7:2, 4, 5; 9:8; Jeremiah 1:6; 4:10; 14:13; 32:17, 25; Ezekiel 4:14; 8:1; 9:6; 11:13; 20:49; 37:3 (׳י א אֲני כִּי ׳יָדַע) 13:9; 23:49; 24:24; 28:24; 29:16 inappropriate in mouth of God; strike out אֲדֹנָי (Co) or read ׳י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (Dalm); Micah 1:2; Zephaniah 1:7; Obadiah 1; Zechariah 9:14; Psalm 71:5; 71:16; 73:28; (b) apparently proper name Adonay Yahweh Isaiah 25:8; Jeremiah 44:26; exile Isaiah 40:10 + (10 t., but 61:1, 11 read ᵐ5 יהוה,); (c) uncertain whether (a) or (b) in prophetic formula ׳א ׳י אָמַר 7:7; 28:16; 30:15; 49:22; 51:4; 65:13; Jeremiah 7:20; Amos 1:8; 3:11; 5:3; 7:6; Obadiah 1; Ezekiel (131 t.); א ׳נְאֻם ׳י Isaiah 56:8; Jeremiah 2:22; Amos 3:13; 4:5; 8:3, 9, 11; Ezekiel (80 t.); ׳דְּבַראֿ ׳י Ezekiel 6:3; 25:3; 36:4; א ׳נִשְׁבַּע ׳י Amos 4:2; 6:8; א הִרְאַנִי ׳כֹּה ׳י 7:1, 4; 8:1.
5 אֲדֹנָי יהוה Yahweh my Lord Psalm 68:21; 109:21; 140:8; 141:8; Habakkuk 3:9.
6 צְבָאוֺת יהוה אֲדֹנָי (a) my Lord Yahweh ‚. (see צבאות) Psalm 69:7; Amos 9:5; Isaiah 10:23; 22:5, 12; 28:22 compare ׳י א הַצְבָאוֺת ׳אֱלֹהֵי, Yahweh, the God of Hosts my Lord Amos 5:16; (b) a divine name, Adonay, Yahweh ‚. Jeremiah 46:10 (twice in verse); 50:25; (c) uncertain are א אָמַר ׳כֹּה ׳י ׳צ Isaiah 10:24; 22:14-15, ׳י ׳צ א ׳נְאֻם 3:15; Jeremiah 2:19; 49:5; 50:31.