LORD, a Saxon word signifying ruler or gov ernor.
In the A. V. the word Lord is used without much discrimination for all the names applied to God; which cannot be helped, as our language does not afford the same number of distinguishing titles as the Hebrew. When, however, the word repre sents the dread name of Jehovah, it is printed in small capitals, LORD, and is by this contrivance made a distinguishing term. As the Hebrew name Jehovah is one never used with reference to any but the Almighty, it is to be regretted that the Septuagint, imitated by our own and other ver sions, has represented it by a word which is also used for the Hebrew 'Adonai,' which is applied not only to God, but, like our 'Lord,' to creatures also, as to angels (Gen. xix :3; Dan. x :16, 17), to men in authority (Gen. xlii :3o, 33), and to proprietors, owners, masters (Gen. xlv :8). The leading idea of the Hebrew, the Greek, and the English words is that of an owner or proprietor, whether God or man ; and it occurs in the in ferior application with great frequency in theNew Testament. This application is either literal or complimentary : literal, when the party is really an owner or master, as in Matt. x :24; xx :8; xxi :4o; Acts xvi :16, ; Gal. iv it, etc.; or when he is so as having absolute authority over an other (Matt. ix :38; Luke x :2), or as being a supreme lord or sovereign (Acts xxv :26) ; and complimentary, when used as a title of address, especially to superiors, like the English Master, Sir; the French Sieur, Monsieur; the German Herr, etc., as in Matt. xiii :27; xxi :2o; Mark vii :8; Luke ix :54.
It cannot but be deemed desirable that, in stead of the extensive use of the word Lord which we have described, discriminating terms should be adopted in translation. Apart from the Jewish superstitions which influenced the Seventy in their translation, there can be no good reason why the name Jehovah should not be re tained wherever it occurs in the Hebrew. Then 'Lord' might represent Adonai; or perhaps 'Sir,' or 'Master,' might be used when that word is ap plied to creatures; and God would very properly represent'Elohinz.
The different Hebrew words rendered for "Lord," are given, as adapted from Mc. & Str. Bib. Cyc., and Barnes' Bib. Cyc.
1. Yeh-ho-vaw' (Heb. '11;7, self-existent), Jehovah, the proper name of the God of the He brews, and should have been retained in that form by the translators instead of ' Lord.' (See JEuovAx.) 2. Aw-done' (Heb. 1111$), an early word denoting absolute control. It is not properly a divine title, being employed of the master of slaves (Gen. xxiv :14, 27; xxxix :2, 7; A. V. "master") ; of kings as the lords of their subjects (Is. xxvi :13) ; of a husband as lord of the wife (Gen. xviii :12). It is applied to God as the owner and governor of the whole earth (Exod. xxiii:17; Ps. cxiv :7). It is sometimes used as a term of respect, like our sir; but with a pro noun attached ("my lord"), and often occurs in the plural.
3. Ad-o-naf (Heb. the lord; the nzas ter), regarded by some as plural of the foregoing. It is chiefly used in the Pentateuch (Exod. :io, 13; Josh. vii :8) ; also when God is spoken of (1 Kings xiii :9 ; xxii :6, etc.). The Jews, out of a superstitious reverence for the name Jehovah, al ways, in reading, pronounce Adonai where Jeho vah is written. The similar form, with the suffix, is also used of men, as of Potiphar, (Gen. xxxix 2, sq.; A. V. "master"), and of Joseph (xlii 30, 33) 4. Koo'ree-os (Gr. Kiiptos, supreme), the one who is supreme master whether royal or private subject ; "Lord of the vineyard" (Matt. xx :8; xxi :4o; Mark xii :9; Luke xx :15) ; the "Lord of the harvest" (Matt. ix :38; Luke x :2) ; the "mas ter of the house" (Mark xiii :35) ; "Lord of the Sab. bath" (Matt. xii :8; Mark ii :28; Luke vi :5). This title is given to God, the ruler of the universe, both with the article d K6plos (Matt. I :22 ; V :33 ; Mark v :19; Luke i :6, sq.; Acts vii :33 ; 2 Tim. i 18) and without the article (Matt. xxi :9 ; xxvii :to; Mark xiii :2o; Luke ii :9; xiii 25; Heb. vii :2I ). is also a title of respect (Matt.