adon (aw-done) [113]

Meaning
a.  From an unused root meaning to rule; sovereign, that is, controller (human or divine).

1.  Adon (113) or Adonay (136), "lord; master; Lord." The form adon appears 335 times while the form adonay (used exclusively as a divine name) appears 439 times.

2.  Basically, adon means "lord" or "master".  It is distinguished from the Hebrew word ba'al, which signifies "possessor" or "owner".  Adon basically describes the one who occupies the position of a "master" or "lord" over a slave or servant; Genesis 24:9, "And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter."  It is used of kings and their most powerful aides.  Joseph told his brothers: "So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and He hath made me a father [i.e an advisor] to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt" [Genesis 45:8; cf Genesis 42:30].

Genesis 45:8, "So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."

Genesis 42:30, "The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country."

Only once is this word used in the sense of "owner" or "possessor"; 1 Kings 16:24, "And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria."

1 Kings 16:21-28

21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him.

26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

3.  Adon is often used as a term of polite address.  In some cases, the one so named really occupies a position of authority. In Genesis 18:12 (first occurrence), Sarah called Abraham her "lord".

Genesis 18:12, "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

On the other hand, this may be a purely honorary title by which the speaker intends to indicate his submission to the one so addressed.  Jacob instructed his slaves to speak to "my lord Esau", Genesis 32:18.  In other words, Jacob called his brother Esau "lord".

Genesis 32:18
Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

In places where the speaker is addressing someone calling him "lord", the word virtually means "you".

4.  When applied to God, adon is used in several senses:

It signifies His position as the One Who has authority (like a master) over His people to reward the obedient and punish the disobedient; Hosea 12:14, "Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him." In such contexts God is conceived as a Being Who is sovereign ruler and almighty master.
The word is often a title of respect, a term of direct address usually assuming a specific concrete lord-vassal or master-servant relationship; Psalm 8:1, "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens."
In some cases the word appears to be a title suggesting God's relationship to and position over Israel; Exodus 23:17, "Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God."  In such contexts adon is a formal divine name and should probably be transliterated if the proper emphasis is to be retained.

Syn: YHWH (3068) sets forth His essential and unswerving principles of mercy and judgment, and presents Him as Father, a Friend and a Moral Governor. Yahh (3050), the shortened form of YHWH, is usually used when Yah is stressed as the One accomplishing a deed in contrast to no other.