אֲדֹנִי־צֶ֫דֶק
a.do.ni-tse.deq
Adoni-zedek
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Adoni-zedek: A Biblical Proper Name Based on the lexical data provided, Adoni-zedek (אֲדֹנִי־צֶדֶק) is a proper noun—specifically a personal name—appearing four times in the Hebrew Bible. The name itself is a compound form combining two semantic elements: "adoni" (lord/master) and "zedek" (righteousness/justice). As a name rather than a common noun, it functioned as a title or identifier for a specific individual in biblical narrative. The limited frequency of occurrence (only four instances) suggests that this figure appeared in a concentrated narrative section rather than being referenced throughout biblical literature. The nature of proper nouns means the name retained its fixed referential function across all occurrences, consistently designating the same person or entity rather than varying in meaning or application. Without additional lexical data on the specific contexts of these four occurrences, the analysis must remain limited to what the dictionary entry itself provides: we can identify this as a compound personal name combining concepts of authority and righteousness, but fuller understanding of its narrative significance and historical role would require examination of the biblical passages in which it appears.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences across the text
Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them,
Joshua 10:1Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them,
Joshua 10:3Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,
Joshua 10:3Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,