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translations

On Wednesday nights our church has been doing a study on the names of God and their meanings in the original Hebrew writings. I've missed a few weeks, but last night was very interesting (not to mention timely!)

Adonai - Lord and Master, plural form. Translated as Lord in English. In the Hebrew, this is the word used when referring to deity.
Adon - Lord and Master, singular form. Also translated as Lord in English. In the Hebrew, this is the word used when referring to humans.

Servanthood and slavery as so taboo and villified in our culture that I don't think we fully grasp the implications of this term people used in prayer to God. It certainly made the texts of Abram, Daniel, and others as they spoke to God take on a slightly different meaning. They had a recognition of their place in God's order that I think we Americans sometimes miss.

Last year for Christmas I gave Bobby a PBS DVD series called "Manor House".  Characters in Britain applied for the opportunity to train and live for 6 weeks in a historical British setting. In one of the episodes, the servant girls are struggling with their "station".  When any of the "masters" walked through, say the stairwell or hallway where they were working, they were to immediately stop, stand, turn their back and lower their head. In other words, attempt to become invisible. No one recognized their presence, commended them on their work, or acknowledged their existence in any way. The modern British girls struggled with such attitudes and pious authority. The theory of the time was that they had a job to do, no one should be praised for just doing their job, and the master was above his servants and therefore didn't have to talk to them. I know I would have struggled with that.

I couldn't help but think back to that scene during our lesson last night. I'm thankful that even though God is our Master, he both wants and encourages us to talk to him. But it also made me realize just how disrespectful our prayers can be when we only ply God with out childish requests and demands. We don't give him half the respect he truly deserves.

And my second favorite thing from last night? Adonai is plural. Their prayer (or the name called out to God) recognized all three parts of the Godhead. I'd be very curious to know whether or not this same word was also used to refer to other deities such as Baal or Dagan, or if its use was limited to Jehovah.

Creator, Almighty, Master. I'm looking forward to see what word we learn next!

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