Metaphysical meaning of Adoniram (mbd)
Adoniram, ad-o-ni'-ram (Heb.)--m7⁄ lord is exalted; my lord is high; lord of height, i. e., high lord; lord of heights.
He was "over the men subject to task-work" ("over the tribute," A. V.), in Solomon's reign (I Kings 4: 6; 5:1 4) . He is the same person as Adoram of II Samuel 20:23 and I Kings 12:18, whom the people stoned to death when King Rehoboam sent him to carry out his work of receiving tribute after they had asked to have their yoke made lighter.
Meta. An exalted thought of service to the Lord (my Lord is exalted; Adoniram, or Adoram, served in the same office under both David and Solomon). This thought, while it concerns spiritual service, is more intellectual than spiritual in its nature and origin. It is high to begin with, but it makes a slave of the individual in the end. By our use of the intellect we put ourselves in bondage to set religious rules and tasks, which sometimes become so burdensome and so hard that we are glad to throw away apparently all religious observances for a time, until we find our balance again. The "yoke" of Christ is easy, and His "burden is light." True spiritual service and worship tend to give freedom to body and soul; they take away all sense of burden instead of adding to it.
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Preceding Entry: Adonikam
Following Entry: Adoni-zedek
