Search / H0113
אָדוֹן H0113
N-mpc | 3ms  |  329× in 4 senses
Lord, master, sovereign — title of authority for human superiors, property owners, God as supreme ruler, or plural lords
A foundational Hebrew title of authority and respect, 'adon conveys the relationship between a subordinate and the one who holds power over them. In everyday social life it served as a deferential address to kings, husbands, and military commanders — much like Arabic sayyidi or the Korean honorific ju-in. When applied to God, it takes on a theological weight that the Masoretes marked through special vowel pointing (Adonai), distinguishing divine sovereignty from mere human rank. The plural form sometimes intensifies the singular to express supreme majesty, while at other times it simply denotes multiple rulers or masters sharing authority.
1. lord, human superior Respectful address or reference to a human authority figure — a king, husband, commander, or social superior. This is by far the most frequent use (249x), functioning like the Arabic sayyidi or Spanish mi señor. The term expresses subordination and deference in direct speech (Gen 23:6 'my lord, hear us') and narrative reference alike. Cross-linguistic evidence confirms the honorific register: Korean ju-in-iyeo, Swahili bwana, and Hindi prabhu all carry the same respectful social distance. 249×
AUTHORITY_RULE Status Lords and Masters
AR["سَيِّدي","سَيِّدِ-ي","سَيِّدِي","يَا-سَيِّدِي"]·ben["আমার-প্রভু","আমার-প্রভুর","প্রভু","প্রভু-আমার"]·DE["mein-Herr","mein-herr"]·EN["my-lord"]·FR["mon-seigneur"]·heb["אדון","אדוני","אדני-י"]·HI["प्रभु-मेरा","मेरे-प्रभु","मेरे-स्वामी","स्वामी","स्वामी-ने-मेरे","स्वामी-मेरा","स्वामी-मेरे","हमारे-स्वामी-को"]·ID["Tuanku","tuan-ku","tuanku"]·IT["mio-signore"]·jav["Bendara-kawula","Gusti-kula","bendara-kawula","bendara-kula","gusti-kula","gusti-kula;"]·KO["나의-주여","나의-주인","나의-주인이","나의-주인이여","주인-나의-를"]·PT["Meu-senhor","meu-senhor","senhor-meu"]·RU["господин-мой","господина-моего","господину-моему"]·ES["mi-señor","señor-mío"]·SW["Bwana","akasema","bwana-wangu","mkubwa","mtu"]·TR["Efendim","Efendimiz","efendim","efendimin","efendimize"]·urd["آقا","آقا-میرا","آقا-میرے","آقا-میرے-نے","خداوند-میرے","میرا-آقا","میرے-آقا","میرے-خداوند-کا","ہمارے-آقا"]
▼ 3 more senses below

Senses
2. master, owner of servants The owner or proprietor who holds authority over servants, slaves, or property, emphasizing possession and control rather than mere social courtesy. Eliezer calls Abraham 'his master' (Gen 24:9-10), and Potiphar is Joseph's 'adon (Gen 39:2-3). Arabic sayyiduhu ('his master') and German sein Herr capture this possessive nuance. The relationship is legally and economically defined, not merely ceremonial. 49×
AUTHORITY_RULE Status Lords and Masters
AR["سَيِّدُهُ","سَيِّدِهِ"]·ben["তাঁর-প্রভুর","তাঁর-মালিক","তাঁর-মালিকের","তার-প্রভু","তার-প্রভুর","তার-মনিব"]·DE["sein-Herr","seines-Herrn"]·EN["his-lord","his-master"]·FR["son-maître","son-seigneur"]·heb["אדוני-ו","אדוניו","אדניו-ו"]·HI["अदोनाव","अपने-सवमि","अपने-स्वामी","अपने-स्वामी-की","अपने-स्वामी-के","अपने-स्वामी-के-पास","अपने-स्वामी-ने","मालिक-उसका","स्वामी-उसके"]·ID["-tuannya","tuan-nya","tuannya"]·IT["suo-padrone","suo-signore"]·jav["bendara-nipun","bendaranipun","gusti-nipun","gustinipun","tuanipun"]·KO["그의-주인","그의-주인-의","그의-주인에게","그의-주인을","그의-주인의","그의-주인이","주인-그의의"]·PT["senhor-dele","senhor-seu","seu-senhor"]·RU["-господином-своим","господин-его","господина-его","господина-своего","господином-своим","господину-его","господину-своему"]·ES["señor-de-él","su-amo","su-señor"]·SW["bwana-wake","vya-bwana-wake"]·TR["efendisi","efendisinden","efendisine","efendisinin","efendisiyle"]·urd["آقا-اپنے","آقا-اپنے-کی","آقا-اپنے-کے","اُس-کا-مالک","اُس-کے-آقا-کے","اُس-کے-مالک","اُس-کے-مالک-نے","اپنے-آقا-کے","اپنے-خداوند۔","اپنے-مالک"]
3. the Lord, divine sovereign A divine title referring to God as sovereign Lord, often marked by the article or appearing in elevated theological contexts. The Masoretes distinguished this use through special vowel pointing (Adonai), and translators universally capitalize: English 'the Lord,' French le Seigneur, Swahili Bwana (capitalized). Abraham's address in Gen 18:3 and the liturgical formula 'the Lord, the Lord of all the earth' (Josh 3:11) illustrate this theologically charged usage. 18×
AUTHORITY_RULE Status Lords and Masters
AR["الرَّبِّ","السَّيِّد","السَّيِّدُ","السَّيِّدِ","سَيِّدِ","لِ-سَيِّدي","لِسَيِّدِ","لِـ-رَبِّ","يَا-سَادَتِي","يَا-سَيِّدِي"]·ben["-প্রভু","-প্রভুর","আমার-প্রভুকে","প্রভু","প্রভুগণ","প্রভুর","প্রভুর-কাছে","প্রভুর-প্রতি-"]·DE["Herr","der-Herr","der-Herr-von","mein-Herr","meine-Herren","zu-Adonai-of","zu-mein-Herr"]·EN["Adonai","lord-of","my-Lord","my-lords","the-Lord","the-Lord-of","to-Adonai-of","to-Lord-of","to-my-Lord"]·FR["Seigneur","le-Seigneur","le-seigneur","mon-lords","seigneur","à-Seigneur"]·heb["אדון","אדני","אדני-י","ה-אדון","ל-אדון","ל-אדוני"]·HI["आदोनाई","आदोनाई-के-आदोनाई-को","प्रभु","प्रभु-","प्रभु-की","प्रभु-के","प्रभु-को","मेरे-प्रभु-से","मेरे-स्वामी"]·ID["-Tuhan","Tuhan","Tuhan-itu","kepada-Tuan-ku","kepada-Tuhan","tuan-tuanku","ya-Tuan"]·IT["Signore","a-Signore","il-Signore","mio-lords","signore"]·jav["Gusti","dhateng-Gusti","dhateng-Gusti-kula","dhuh-Gusti-kula","gusti","gusti-gusti-kula","kanggé-Gusti"]·KO["그-주인","나-의-주-에게","에게-주","주","주-여","주-의","주께서","주님의","주의","주인","주인들이시여","주인이라","주인이시여"]·PT["Senhor","Senhor-de","ao-Senhor-de","ao-meu-Senhor","meus-senhores","o-'Adon","o-Senhor"]·RU["Адонай","Владыки","Господа","Господа-","Господи","Господин","Господина","Господине","Господу","Господу-моему","Господь","господа-мои"]·ES["Adonai","Señor-de","a-mi-Señor","al-Señor-de","el-Señor","el-Señor-de","mi-Señor","mis-señores"]·SW["Bwana","Bwana-wa","Bwana-wangu","Bwana-yangu","kwa-Bwana-wa","kwa-Bwana-wangu","wa-Bwana"]·TR["-Efendi","Adonay","Adonay'ın","Adonayin","Efendi'nin","Efendilerim","Efendime","Efendinin","Efendisi'ne-o","Efendisinin-","Rab","Rab'bin","Rabbi","Rabbi'ne-","Rabbim"]·urd["آقا","آقا-کے","خداوند","خداوند-کے","خداوند-کے-لیے","خداوندو","خداوندوں-کے-خداوند-کا","مالک","میرے-خداوند-کے-لِیے"]
4. lords, masters plural The plural form denoting multiple human lords, masters, or rulers exercising collective authority. Deuteronomy 10:17 uses the superlative 'Lord of lords' (adonei ha-adonim), while Isaiah 26:13 laments 'other lords besides you have ruled over us.' Arabic broken plurals (sadah, asyad) and Swahili mabwana reflect the same morphological pattern for expressing plurality of authority. In Psalm 123:2 the plural captures the generic concept of masters whom servants watch for direction. 13×
AUTHORITY_RULE Status Lords and Masters
AR["أَسيادٌ","أَسيادِهِم","أَسْيَادٌ","الأَرْبَابِ","الْأَرْبَابِ","سَادَةٌ","سَادَةٍ","سَادَتِكُمْ","سَادَتِهِمْ","لِ-أَسْيادِهِنَّ"]·ben["তাদের-প্রভুদের","তাদের-প্রভুদের-কাছে","প্রভু","প্রভুদের-একের","প্রভুদের-তাদের","প্রভুদের;","প্রভুরা","মনিব","মনিবদের-তাদের,","মনিবরা","মালিকদের-তাদের","মালিকদের-তোমাদের"]·DE["Herr","der-adonim","der-lords","ihr-masters","masters"]·EN["lords","lords-their","masters","the-adonim","the-lords","their-lords","their-masters","to-their-lords","your-masters"]·FR["le-adonim","le-seigneur","masters","seigneur"]·heb["אדון","אדון-ם","אדוניהם","אדוניכם","אדונים","ה-אדונים","ל-אדוֹניהם"]·HI["अपने-प्रभु-के","अपने-मालिकों-के","अपने-स्वामियों-के","आदोनाई","को-स्वामियों-अपने","प्रभुओं-का","प्रभुओं-ने","स्वामियों","स्वामी"]·ID["dari-segala-tuan","kepada-tuan-tuan-mereka","segala-tuan","tuan","tuan-mereka","tuan-tuan","tuan-tuan-mereka","tuan-tuanmu"]·IT["il-adonim","masters","signore"]·jav["bendara","bendara-bendaranipun","bendara-ipun","bendara-panjenengan-sedaya","bendaraning","bendaranipun","dhumateng-bendaranipun","gusti","gusti-nipun","para-gusti","para-panguwasa"]·KO["그-주들이라","그들-의-주인들-의","그들의-주님-의","그들의-주인들","그들의-주인들에게","너희의-주인들","주들-에게","주인들","주인들-그들의","주인들의","주인들이","주인이"]·PT["a-seus-senhores","dos-seus-senhores","os-senhores","senhores","senhores-deles","seus-senhores","vossos-senhores"]·RU["-господ","господ","господ-их","господ-своих","господа","господам-вашим","господам-их","господам-своим","господин","господина"]·ES["a-sus-señores","los-señores","señores","señores-de-ellos","sus-señores","vuestros-señores"]·SW["bwana","bwana-wao","bwana-zao","kwa-bwana-zenu","mabwana","mabwana-zao","mabwana-zenu","wa-bwana-zao"]·TR["efendiler","efendileri","efendilerine","efendilerinin","efendilerinize","efendinin","rablerin"]·urd["آقا","آقاؤں","آقاؤں-ان-کے","آقاؤں-تمہارے","اپنے-آقاؤں-سے","اپنے-آقاؤں-کے","اپنے-مالکوں-کا","خداوندوں","خداوندوں-اپنے","خداوندوں-کا","مالک"]

Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)G1658 1. free (23×)G5293 1. submit oneself, be subject to (23×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
אָדוֹן n.m. Mal 3:1 lord (Ph. אדן)—א׳ ψ 12:5 + cstr. אֲדוֹן Jos 3:11 +; pl. אֲדֹנִים Is 26:13 +; cstr. אֲדֹנֵי Dt 10:17 +; sf. אֲדֹנֵינוּ 1 S 25:14 + etc.; (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few except an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases