What does the name Adonai mean when used of God?
Adonai is the Hebrew word for 'God Almighty,' a name of deity tied to fruitfulness and sustenance. It is also the source of the word 'Don,' meaning a school headmaster. In this context, Adonai emphasizes God's sustaining and fruitful provision.
Les teaches that the name Adonai is the Hebrew word behind 'God Almighty.' He notes that from Adonai we get the word 'Don,' a school headmaster, and that Adonai is always the term of God used with fruitfulness and sustenance. This occurs in chapter 28, verse 3, where Isaac charges Jacob not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan but to go to Padan and Ram, to the house of Bethuel, and take a wife from the daughters of Laban. Les points out that the families married closely, keeping the race relatively pure, with a gene pool that could take these things without repercussions. In this context, Adonai highlights God's sustaining and fruitful provision as Isaac blesses Jacob.