Some critics, probably from regarding the terms Adonai and Adon as of inferior significance to Jehovah and Elohim, when employed as Divine designations, imagine that the Jewish copyists substituted the former in place of the latter, or in place of Jehovah, to avoid the enunciation of that sacred name. No supposition could well be more improbable than this, whether considered in relation to the subject-matter, or to the reason assigned for it. In relation to the subject, it would imply a general consent among copyists, Jewish readers, priests and rabbies, and Gentile proselytes, as to the instances in which such a surreptitious change should be made, received, and sanctioned. And as to the alleged reason, if it was a real and sufficient reason in a single instance, or in many instances, why not in all? Why suppress the fearful name, and substitute a term of inferior or doubtful import in some cases, and allow it to retain its place in a far greater number of cases? But the groundlessness of the supposition referred to is sufficiently shown by the fact that, in the passages above cited, and in many others, the several designations, Adonai, Adon, Jehovah, and Elohim, are employed conjointly in the same sentences, with reference to the same Person, and as of equivalent import as Divine designations.
The same Divine Person, the Messiah, the Administrator and Revealer, manifested himself to the inspired writers in various ways, and in different aspects of his person and relations: to their faith as the self-existent, omnipresent Jehovah; to their senses in his complex, official person, and delegated, covenant relations, the Messenger, visible in the likeness of man, Adonai, the Adon.
Thus Daniel, chap. x. 16, 17: “One like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O Adonai! … how can the servant of this Adonai talk with this Adonai?” And Amos, chap. vii., relates that he saw the Adonai standing on a wall, with a plumb-line in his hand, and that the Adonai spoke to and was answered by him. The context shows that, though appearing visibly as a man, he exercised Divine prerogatives. Again, chap. ix. 1: “I saw the Adonai standing upon the altar.” Afterwards he speaks as Jehovah, and, verse 16, utters the prediction, quoted Acts xv. 16, that, after the Gentile dispensation, “I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, … and I will set it up.”
In the first chapter of Zechariah the following Divine designations occur: Jehovah, Jehovah Zebaoth, Adonai, the Melach, and Melach Jehovah. The Person locally present and visible, who in the 9th verse is called Adonai and the Melach, in the 11th and 12th verses Melach Jehovah, and in the 13th, 14th, and 19th verses the Melach, is in the 8th and 10th verses called a man. I saw by night and behold, a man … among the myrtle trees, v. 8. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered, v. 9. And they answered the Melach Jehovah that stood among the myrtle trees, v. 11.
But the prophet on seeing the man, v. 8, addresses him as Adonai. “Then said I, O Adonai! what are these?” And the Melach answered, &c. v. 9. In the progress of the ensuing colloquy, the visible Person, in the form of man, the Melach, the Melach who is Jehovah, speaks to and of Jehovah and Jehovah Zebaoth, as the Messiah did when visibly present incarnate in man’s nature on earth; and an audible response was in like manner given. See v. 10, 12, 13.
Illustrations of the same usage might be adduced from almost every part of the Old Testament, where the Messiah, as announced by designations peculiar to his complex official Person and character, and as visibly present, speaks to and of himself and also to and of the Father, under designations which refer only to the Divine Nature. The same is customary likewise with the prophets. Thus David, Ps. cx.: “Jehovah (the Father) saith to Adonai, (the Messiah, as is declared in the New Testament,) Sit thou at my right hand,” &c. And Ps. ii.: Why do the heathen rage? … and the rulers take counsel against Jehovah and against the Anointed, or Messiah, v. 1, 2. The Adonai shall have them in derision, v. 4. I (the Messiah) will declare the decree: Jehovah hath said onto me, Thou art my Son, &c., v. 7.
The exceeding confusion which obscures our common version of Zechariah, and especially of the first chapter, implies that the translators did not understand the designations above quoted, a man, the Melach, Melach Jehovah, and Adonai, as referring to one and the same person, nor all or any of them as referring to the official Person, Messiah.
In chapter ii., the Melach is the Divine speaker throughout: “And behold the Melach that talked with me (see i. 9) went forth, and another angel (a messenger) went out to meet him; and He (the Melach) said unto him, (i.e., to the messenger,) Run,” &c. v. 3, 4. Here, according to our version, the other angel is made to direct the Melach who is Jehovah (see i. 9, 11, 12) to run, &c., by the omission of the relative He, as printed in capitals above; which, it is obvious from the original, and also from the ensuing context, ought to be retained. For after directing the approaching messenger to run, &c., he proceeds: “For I, saith Jehovah, will be unto her, Jerusalem, a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her:” the reference of which is further evidence that the speaker is the Messiah, here designated the Melach and Jehovah. The same speaker, continuing to the end of the chapter, treats of the dispersion, preservation, and subsequent restoration of the Israelites, and reëstablishment of Jerusalem as his dwelling-place.
Throughout the remainder of the book, the Divine Person speaking to the prophet is the same as the man, the Melach, the Adonai, the Melach Jehovah, of the first chapter. He announces what is said by Jehovah, and Jehovah Zebaoth; his rebuke of Satan, iii. 2; his promise of The Branch, referring to the Messiah as he was to be manifested incarnate, iii. 8, and vi. 12. In various places the prophet designates the Melach, and Jehovah as his Adonai, and as the Adon of the whole earth, iv. 4, 5, 13, 14; vi. 4, 5; ix. 4. Adonai Jehovah, ix. 14, and Jehovah their Elohe, ix. 16, x. 6, declares that the man whose name is The Branch shall build the temple of Jehovah, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and shall be a Priest upon his throne, &c., vi. 12, 13. That it was Jehovah who was prized at thirty pieces of silver, i.e., Jehovah says of himself, as Messiah, that he was so prized, xi. 13. Represents Elohim and Melach Jehovah as equivalent, identifies Jehovah Zebaoth with the Shepherd, the man that is his fellow, xiii. 7. Jehovah whose feet shall stand upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem, xiv. 4. Jehovah who shall be King over all the earth, xiv. 9. The King Jehovah Zebaoth, whom all nations shall worship.
The term Zebaoth, Hosts, coupled with the Divine designations, points to the official Person, the Messiah, evidently in many, and probably in all instances. Thus He who, in Isaiah vi., is called Adonai, the King, Jehovah Zebaoth, is by the apostle John referred to as the Messiah. He who wrestled with Jacob as a man, Gen. xxxii., is called by Hosea (chap. xii.) the Messenger, and Jehovah Elohe Zebaoth. It was the Messiah who, with Moses, was with the church in the wilderness. (Acts vii. 38.) The Melach, or Messenger, who dwelt in the cloud and between the cherubim, (Exod. xiv. 19,) over the ark of Adonai (who is) Jehovah. (Isa. iii. 15.) The ark of the Elohim (who is) Jehovah that dwelleth between the cherubim. (1 Chron. xiii. 6.) The ark of the Elohim, whose name is Jehovah Zebaoth. (2 Samuel vi. 2.) The Adon (who is) Jehovah Zebaoth. (Isa. iii. 1.) The Adon (who is) Adonai Zebaoth. (Isa. x. 16.) The Adonai (who is) Jehovah Zebaoth. (Isa. x. 23, 24.)
This term is coupled with these designations more than three hundred times, chiefly in the prophets after the defection of the tribes to the worship of Baal as the Lord of the hosts of heaven, in opposition to Jehovah Zebaoth.
A personal reference to the Messiah is evidently intended in numerous instances by the term rendered in our version Holy One; as is often manifest from its connection with other designations, and from the personal acts or relations mentioned. Thus Isaiah xliii.: “I am Jehovah, thy Elohe, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt