This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Adoni, one of the appellations of the Supreme Being in the Hebrew Scriptures, signifying Lord, or my Lord. The Jews, who refrain from uttering the name of Jehovah, pronounce Adonai in its place where it occurs in the Hebrew text, in which they have also substituted the vowels of Adonai for those of the name, thus rendering the right pronunciation of the latter doubtful.
 
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