Zechariah 1:8-9
Notes on the Godhead
8: I saw by night and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom. And behind him there were red horses, speckled, and white 9: And I am saying, what are these Adonai? And the angel, the one speaking with me, He is saying to me I, I will show thee what these be
Comments: Zechariah 1:8-9 ADONAI is a Hebrew word that with few exceptions is used in relation to YHWH (Yahweh/Jehovah) in the Hebrew scriptures. The word ADONAI is a plural possessive and translates literally as "my Lords," almost always referencing the Godhead, as are two other titles for the Godhead—YHWH and ELOHIM.
The word ADONAI is derived from the singular word "Adon," which means "lord." Adding the Hebrew letter yod, which is a singular suffix, the word Adon is transformed into the plural and possessive Adonai—my LORDS—signifying the plural Godhead.
The following is a widely accepted false assumption taught in most seminaries (comments in parenthesis belong to this writer): “The plural form Adonai, like the plural form Elohim, is regularly used with singular verbs and modifiers, so it is best to (someone’s opinion) construe the Name as an "emphatic plural" or "plural of majesty" (a ridiculous assumption, as nothing in scripture even hints at this “man-made” concept).
All translation is interpretation, and Bible scholars should be challenged when assumptions become the basis for interpretation.
In the Hebrew Bible, when the plural of Adon is formed using the singular possessive, yod, as a suffix, it becomes Adonai, which literally translates as "my LORDS," which is a reference to the triune Godhead. In the Hebrew Bible, Adonai almost always refers to the Almighty.
Jocelyn Andersen is the author of several non-fiction books, including, Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified, a Study of HOPE.
She will be releasing e-book and print [comprehensive] commentaries on every book of the Bible she features in this column. Click HERE to subscribe to book release announcements via her newsletter and for links to all her Substack columns. Connect with Jocelyn on Goodreads and LinkedIn.
Note from the editor: I read my Bible every day, always picking up today where I left off yesterday. I have been doing that for over 44 years. The posts on this column will usually come one-three times per week (and will usually be short) with notes on whatever passage I happen be reading on that particular day. Read more about this commentary HERE.