has commonly been identified with the Babylonian Tammuz, and it is believed that the worship of Adonis was adopted by the Greeks from the Semites of Syria and Babylonia as early as the seventh century B.C.E.

Various mythological accounts tell of the violent death of Adonis and his return to life. These myths are generally interpreted as representing the death of vegetation in winter and its return to life in the spring.

In Syria, Phoenicia, Greece and other places, chiefly the women annually bewailed the death of Adonis and carried images of his body as in funeral procession, later tossing them into the sea or springs. In the territory of Byblos in Phoenicia, women even shaved their heads, and those refusing to have their heads shaved were forced to prostitute themselves to strangers, the money acquired thereby being dedicated to Astarte (Ashtoreth).

The ancients evidently believed that their engaging in these rituals promoted the growth of vegetation and that throwing the images of Adonis into the water ensured a good supply of rain for their crops. Even some of the Israelites may have become ensnared by these practices of neighboring peoples. This seems to be indicated by a possible alternate rendering of Isaiah 17:10 (NW, 1958 ed., ftn. b). Israel had forgotten Jehovah and was planting “pleasant plantations” or “plantations to Adonis,” containers filled with earth in which were planted various kinds of seeds that quickly sprouted and then rapidly withered, symbolic of the life and death of Adonis.—See TAMMUZ.

ADONI-ZEDEK

(A·doʹni-zeʹdek) [lord of righteousness].

A king of Jerusalem at the time of the Israelite conquest of the Promised Land, who joined with other petty kingdoms W of the Jordan in a consolidated effort to halt Joshua’s conquering forces. (Josh. 9:1-3) However, the Hivite inhabitants of Gibeon made peace with Joshua. In a retaliatory measure designed to stop further desertion to the enemy, Adoni-zedek united his army with those of four additional kings of the Amorites, and laid siege against Gibeon and warred against it. Joshua’s spectacular rescue of the Gibeonites and the shattering defeat of these combined forces caused the five kings to flee to Makkedah, where they were trapped in a cave. Joshua himself slew Adoni-zedek and the other four kings before his troops, and hanged them upon stakes, stating that “it is like this that Jehovah will do to all your enemies against whom you are warring.” Their corpses were finally thrown back into the cave, which came to be their tomb.—Josh. 10:1-27.

ADOPTION

The placing as a son or daughter one who is not such by natural relationship.

In the Hebrew Scriptures adoption is not dealt with from the viewpoint of legal procedure, but the basic idea is set forth in several cases. It appears that Abraham, prior to the birth of Ishmael and Isaac, considered his slave Eliezer as at least in line for a position similar to that of an adopted son and as the likely inheritor of Abraham’s house. (Gen. 15:2-4) The practice of adopting slaves as sons has long been a common Oriental practice, and as such they had inheritance rights though not above those of children descended naturally from the father.

Rachel and Leah both considered the children born to Jacob by their handmaids as their own sons, ‘born upon their knees.’ (Gen. 30:3-8, 12, 13, 24) These children inherited along with those born directly of Jacob’s legal wives. They were natural sons of the father and, since the slave girls were property of the wives, Rachel and Leah had property rights in these children.

The child Moses was later adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. (Ex. 2:5-10) Whether or not this practice was common in Egypt is not certain, but men and women are said to have had equal rights under Egyptian law, hence Pharaoh’s daughter was in position to exercise such right.

Within the nation of Israel adoption does not appear to have been widely practiced. The law of levirate marriage doubtless eliminated to a great extent a basic reason for adoption of children: the continuance of the parental name.—Deut. 25:5, 6.

CHRISTIAN SIGNIFICANCE

In the Greek Scriptures the figure of adoption is employed several times by the apostle Paul with regard to the new status of those called and chosen by God. Such ones, born as descendants of the imperfect Adam, were in slavery to sin and did not possess inherent sonship of God. Through purchase by means of Christ Jesus they receive the adoption as sons and also become heirs with Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. (Gal. 4:1-7; Rom. 8:14-17) They do not come by such sonship naturally but by God’s choice and according to his will. (Eph. 1:5) While acknowledged as God’s children or sons from the time of God’s begetting them by his spirit (1 John 3:1; John 1:12, 13), their full realization of this privilege as spirit sons of God is shown to be dependent on their ultimate faithfulness. (Rom. 8:17; Rev. 21:7) Thus, Paul speaks of them as “earnestly waiting for adoption as sons, the release from our bodies by ransom.”—Rom. 8:23.

Such adopted state brings benefits of freedom from “a spirit of slavery causing fear,” replacing it with the confidence of sons; of hope of a heavenly inheritance assured by the witness of God’s spirit. At the same time such spiritual sons are reminded by their adoption that such position is by God’s undeserved kindness and selection rather than by their inherent right.—Rom. 8:15, 16; Gal. 4:5-7.

At Romans 9:4 Paul speaks of the fleshly Israelites as those “to whom belong the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law,” and this evidently refers to the unique position granted Israel while they were God’s covenant people. Thus, God, on occasion, spoke of Israel as “my son.” (Ex. 4:22, 23; Deut. 14:1, 2; Isa. 43:6; Jer. 31:9; Hos. 1:10; 11:1; compare John 8:41.) Actual sonship, however, awaited the ransom provision made through Christ Jesus and was dependent on acceptance of that divine arrangement and faith in it.—John 1:12, 13; Gal. 4:4, 5; 2 Cor. 6:16-18.

ADORAIM

(Ad·o·raʹim) [perhaps, two mounds].

One of the cities of Judah rebuilt and fortified by King Rehoboam in the tenth century B.C.E. (2 Chron. 11:9) It is identified with the modern village of Dura, located on a hillside about five miles (8 kilometers) W-SW of Hebron.

ADORAM

See ADONIRAM.

ADORNMENT

That which is put on to decorate, beautify, embellish, add luster to and make the person himself or that which he represents pleasing or attractive. It may be for a good or for a deceptive purpose.

The Scriptures do not condemn physical adornment if it is properly done, and they highly recommend spiritual adornment. Jehovah himself is described as clothed in light and surrounded by beauty. (Ps. 104:1, 2; Ezek. 1:1, 4-28; Rev. 4:2, 3) He has richly ornamented his creation with color, variety and majestic magnificence.—Luke 12:27, 28; Ps. 139:14; 1 Cor. 15:41.

In Bible times the bridegroom and bride adorned themselves for the marriage feast. In preparation the bride decked herself with the finest clothing and the best of the ornamental things that she possessed to present herself before the bridegroom. (Ps. 45:13, 14; Isa. 61:10) Jehovah speaks to Jerusalem, figuratively describing her as a girl whom he decked with fine, costly clothing and jewelry but who used her beauty and adornment unfaithfully as a prostitute. (Ezek. 16:10-19) Jehovah’s prophet Hosea condemned Israel