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Adonai
[ Sephardic Hebrew ah-daw-nahy; Ashkenazic Hebrew ah-doh-noi ]
noun
- Hebrew. a title of reverence for God, serving also as a substitute pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton.
Adonai
/ ˌædɒˈnaɪ; -ˈneɪaɪ /
noun
- Judaism a name for God
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of Adonai1
Example Sentences
Traded back and got talented WR Adonai Mitchell, a first-round talent, with the 52nd pick.
When Elijah Jackson swatted a potential game-winning touchdown pass out of the hands of Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell with no time left on the clock in Monday’s Sugar Bowl, the Washington junior cornerback made a play that will be talked about fondly by Seattle sports fans for decades to come.
In the second half against Texas, sophomore cornerback Elijah Jackson surrendered a 1-yard touchdown to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and a 38-yard reception down the sideline to Xavier Worthy.
Then came three straight attempts to the end zone - two intended for Adonai Mitchell, who was playing in his fifth CFP and had touchdown catches in all five.
They even overcame a late Longhorn rally, as Ewers found wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for a leaping 1-yard score to narrow the deficit to 34-28 with 7:23 left.
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More About Adonai
What does Adonai mean?
Adonai is one of the Hebrew names used for Judeo-Christian God.
In Judaism and the other religions descending from Abraham, the universe was created by a single being commonly known in English as God. In the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, God’s name is written as an unpronounceable series of consonants known as the Tetragrammaton that read as YHWH or JHVH. Because they can’t or won’t say the Tetragrammaton, speakers and writers use different names for God. Adonai is one of these names that appears frequently in the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible.
Adonai appears repeatedly as a name for God in the Tanach, which is written in Hebrew. Many English translations of the Christian Bible use the word Lord instead.
Why is Adonai important?
Adonai is the plural of the Hebrew word Adon, which means “lord” or “master.” It was first used as God’s title before it was used as God’s name. The plural and capitalized Adonai is used because, according to beliefs, God is the lord of all humanity and thus is the “lord of all lords.”
The reason Adonai and similar names, such as Elohim, are used instead of attempting to say the Tetragrammaton is the belief that people are unworthy of saying or are forbidden from saying God’s actual name. So believers use other names or titles instead.
Adonai is still used in modern Hebrew reprintings of the Tanach. Because of this, Adonai is a common name for God among Jews, particularly when speaking Hebrew or quoting the Tanach. Christians will sometimes also use Adonai in reference to God, especially when quoting the Old Testament, which contains many of the same books as the Tanach.
Did you know … ?
Other common names for God include Jehovah and Yahweh, which are used in popular English translations of the Bible. Jehovah and Yahweh are thought to come from combining the consonants in JHVH or YHWH and the vowels in Adonai and Elohim.
What are real-life examples of Adonai?
In this version of Psalm 104, sung in Hebrew, Adonai is used as the name for God twice in the first four verses:
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Adonai is one of the names used for God, especially used by followers of Judaism:
The first night . . . Barukh atah Adonai. Happy Hanukkah. pic.twitter.com/cQaDIwQW5N
— Mitchell S. McKinney 🏳️🌈 (@MSMcKinney) December 23, 2019
“Trust in Adonai with all your heart; do not rely on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
Shavua tov pic.twitter.com/Md43enEug3
— Benjamin #Rapture Ready (@TheBelieverJC) September 25, 2021
Quiz yourself!
True or False?
Adonai is used in Judaism to refer to God to avoid using God’s true name.
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