It can be very confusing to understand how the different titles used for God are used in the Bible. Part of the problem is that different Bible translations use the terms somewhat differently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, in the in the King James Version (other versions will use these words similarly), you may have frequently come across the word \u201clord<\/strong>,\u201d but you may not have noticed that this word is written three different ways: all lower-case letters (lord<\/strong>), all upper-case letters (LORD<\/strong>) and only the first letter in upper-case (Lord<\/strong>). Each of these styles of writing the word \u201clord\u201d identifies different Hebrew words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my\u00a0lord<\/u>\u00a0being old also?<\/em>\u00a0(Genesis 18:12, KJV) After the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE), and especially from the 3rd century BCE on, Hebrews (Jews) ceased to use the name Yahweh for two reasons. As Judaism became a universal rather than merely a local religion, the more common Hebrew noun Elohim (plural in form but understood in the singular), meaning \u201cGod,\u201d tended to replace the name Yahweh to demonstrate the universal sovereignty of Israel\u2019s God over all others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, the divine name was increasingly regarded as too sacred to be uttered; it was thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word Adonai (\u201cMy Lord\u201d), which was translated as Kyrios (\u201cLord\u201d) in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you see the word \u201clord,\u201d written in all lower-case letters, it is the Hebrew word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05df (adon<\/em>, Strong\u2019s #113<\/a><\/strong>) and means \u201clord\u201d or \u201cmaster,\u201d one who has authority over another. In the example above (Genesis 18:12) this word is a description of Abraham, Sarah\u2019s \u201clord.\u201d Besides the few times the Hebrew word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05df (adon<\/em>) is written as \u201cLord,\u201d the word \u201cLord\u201d (first letter in upper-case) is used for the Hebrew word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9 (Adonai, Strong\u2019s #136<\/strong><\/a>). While this word is translated as \u201cLord,\u201d it doesn\u2019t exactly mean \u201cLord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As previously mentioned, the Hebrew word for \u201clord\u201d is \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05df (adon<\/em>). When this word is written in the first person, possessive (my lord), it is written as \u05d0\u05d3\u05b9\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 (adoniy<\/em>, see Genesis 18:12). The plural form of the word \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05df (adon<\/em>) is \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b9\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd (adonim<\/em>, see Exodus 26:19). The first person, possessive, plural form (my lords) is written as \u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9 (adonai<\/em>, see 1 Kings 22:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And said, My\u00a0Lord<\/u>, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:<\/em>\u00a0(Genesis 18:3, KJV)
And the\u00a0LORD<\/u>\u00a0appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;<\/em>\u00a0(Genesis 18:1, KJV).<\/p>\n\n\n\nlord<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Whenever this word is written as \u201clord\u201d (all lower-case), this word is referring to men, but when this word is referring to God, then the first letter is written in upper-case (see Exodus 23:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\nLord<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n