מָלַךְ
mâlak · H4427 · Hebrew · 348 occurrences
Meanings
-
to reign, to be king, to be queen, to become king, to become queen
State in which humans or deities are in a position of royal authority over a group of people
ExamplesGenesis 36:31 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel.
Genesis 36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
Genesis 36:33 Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place.
-
to rise to power
Process by which a nation grows in power and begins to assert its authority over other nations
Examples2 Chronicles 36:20 He took into exile those who had escaped from the sword to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,
-
to make king, to make queen
Causative action by which humans or deities place (other) humans in a position of royal authority over a group of people
ExamplesJudges 9:6 All the leaders of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the memorial stone which was in Shechem.
Judges 9:16 “Now then, if you have acted with honesty and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved—
Judges 9:18 but in fact you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—
-
to ponder, to consider
Literally: (one's) heart is consulted; hence: action by which humans reflect on a matter for a certain time before making a decision
ExamplesNehemiah 5:7 So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “You are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.
How it’s used In 8 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
346 occurrences in 76 groups
- Not stated: he, she or it 83
- נּוּhe 41
- Not stated: they 16
- Not stated (infinitive) 14
- וֹhim 12
- Not stated: you (one person) 12
- Other words · 49 groups that occur once or twice (72) 72
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
45 occurrences in 19 groups
- וֹhim 14
- מֶלֶךְking 4
- דָּוִדDavid 3
- אֲבִימֶלֶךְAbimelech 3
- שָׁאוּלSaul 3
- Other words · 14 groups that occur once or twice (18) 18
Second objectAs in “call him Lord”
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- מֶלֶךְking 1
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
243 occurrences in 52 groups
- תַּחַתunder, below, instead of+ וֹhim 70
- בin/on/with+ יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםJerusalem 48
- עַלon, upon, over, against+ יִשְׂרָאֵלIsrael 38
- בin/on/with+ שָׁנֶהyear 29
- בin/on/with+ שֹׁמְרוֹןSamaria 12
- עַלon, upon, over, against+ יְהוּדָהJudah 9
- Other words · 37 groups that occur once or twice (46) 46
With adverbsAdverbs
7 occurrences in 5 groups
- לֹאnot 2
- שָׁםthere 2
- מַדּוּעַwhy? 1
- אֲבָלbut 1
- עַתָּהnow 1
Named alongside itApposition
2 occurrences in 2 groups
- אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁAhasuerus 1
- שַׁלּוּםShallum 1
What is done to itIt is the object
12 occurrences in 5 groups
- אָמַרto say 7
- נָחַםto comfort, to relent, to be sorry 2
- יָדַעto know 1
- שָׁבַעto swear, to take an oath 1
- שָׁמַעto hear, to listen, to obey 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
21 occurrences in 5 groups
- לto/for 9
- בin/on/with 7
- מִןfrom 3
- עַדto, as far as, until 1
- כlike/as 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 1 word
- βασιλεύω basileúō · G936 · to rule, to be a king, to reign
- Greek βασιλεύω (basileúō, G936) ('to rule') directly translates Hebrew מָלַךְ across the semantic range of royal rule and reign, reflecting systematic Septuagint translation equivalence for Hebrew kingship vocabulary.
Semantic domains 3 entries
- Control002003002007
- מָלַךְ denotes exercising royal rule or dominion, as throughout the repeated formula "X reigned in his place" marking Israel's and Judah's succession of kings.
- Happen002002003003
- The verb marks the event of a king's reign beginning, the moment kingship comes to pass, as in the repeated notice of when a king "began to reign."
- Think002004002013
- The fact-packet data also assigns the Think domain, likely reflecting the verb's related sense "consult" or "take counsel," a deliberative act distinct from the exercise of rule itself.
Word family 12 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H4427. malak II. מָלַךְ346 verb denominative be, or become king, or queen, reign; —…
II. מָלַךְ346 verb denominative be, or become king, or queen, reign; —
Qal296 Perfect ׳מ Jos 13:10 + etc.; Imperfect יִמְלֹךְ (לוֺךְ-) Exo 15:18 +; וַיִּמְלֹךְ Gen 36:32 +; 2 masculine singular תִּמְלֹךְ Gen 37:8 +, (הֲִתִמֲלֹךְ Jer 22:15 Baer); Imperative מְלָךְֿ Jdg 9:14; מָלְכָה Jdg 9:8; מָלְכִי Jdg 9:10, Jdg 9:12; Infinitive absolute מָלֹךְ Gen 37:8; 1Sa 24:21; construct. מְלֹךְ 1Ki 2:15 +; suffix מָלְכוֺ 1Sa 13:1 +; Participle מֹלֵךְ Jer 22:11 Jer 22:2t.; מֹלֶכֶת 2Ki 11:3 2Ch 22:12; — be (become) king, reign, mostly of Hebrew kings, 2Sa 2:10; 1Ki 16:22; 2Ki 3:1; 2Ki 9:13, but also Generally Pro 8:15; Pro 30:22; of Canaanite, Edomite, Aramaic, Assyrian, Persian kings, etc.: Jdg 4:2; Gen 36:31; 1Ki 11:25; 2Ki 8:15; 2Ki 19:37; Est 1:1 +; followed by בְּ local (usually city) Jos 13:10, Jos 13:12; Jdg 4:2; 2Sa 5:5; 1Ki 11:24; 1Ki 14:21 + often; but also Gen 36:31-32, 1Ch 1:43 בְּארץ, and even נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ בְּכֹלאֲשֶׁרתְּֿאַוֶּה 2Sa 3:21; followed by עַל with people or land 1Sa 8:9, 1Sa 8:11; 1Sa 12:14; 1Sa 13:1; 1Ki 15:1, 1Ki 15:9; 1Ki 16:23 + often; followed by בְּ local + עַל territory (or population) 2Sa 5:5; 1Ki 11:42; followed by תַּחַת (חַחְתָּיו) 2Sa 16:8; Gen 36:33f. = 1Ch 1:44f., 1Ki 14:20, 1Ki 14:31; 2Ki 8:15; 2Ki 13:24; Jer 22:11 + often; subject God, followed by על Psa 47:9; Mic 4:7; Eze 20:33; 1Sa 8:7; followed by בְּ Isa 24:23; absolute Exo 15:18; Isa 52:7; Psa 93:1; Psa 96:10 = 1Ch 16:31; Psa 97:1; Psa 99:1; Psa 146:10 +; subject future (Messianic) king Isa 32:1; Jer 23:5; subject a woman (= be queen) 2Ki 11:3 2Ch 22:12 (both followed by עַל), Est 2:4 followed by תַּחַת ; Imperative only in fable, king of trees, Jdg 9:8, Jdg 9:10, Jdg 9:12, Jdg 9:14 all followed by על; בְּמָלְכוֺ especially = when he began to reign, became king 1Sa 13:1; 2Sa 2:10; 1Ki 14:21 + often; Infinitive also = reign: לְמָלְכוֺ שְׁמֹנֶה בְּשְׁנַת 2Ki 24:12; 2Ki 25:1, compare 2Ki 25:27; 1Ki 6:1; 2Ch 16:13; 2Ch 17:7; 2Ch 29:3; 2Ch 34:3, 2Ch 34:8, compare דָּוִד מְלֹךְ עַד 1Ch 4:31; מָּרָס מַלְכוּת מְלֹךְ עַד2Ch 36:20; began to reign and reigned וַיִּמְלֹךְ מָלַךְ 1Ki 15:25; 1Ki 16:29; 2Ki 3:1 +; often מָלַךְ alone with same meaning 1Ki 16:23; 2Ki 13:1, 2Ki 13:10; 2Ki 14:23 +.
Hiph`il Perfect הִמְלִיךְ 1Sa 15:35 1Sa 15:2t.; הִמְלַ֫כְתָּ 1Ki 3:7, etc.; Imperfect וַיַּמְלֵךְ 2Ki 33:34 4t.; וַיַּמְלִיכוּ Jdg 9:6 + etc.; Infinitive construct הַמְלִיךְ 1Ki 12:1 + etc.; Participle מַמְלִךְֻ Eze 17:16; — make king, or queen, cause to reign, followed by accusative of person Jdg 9:16; 1Sa 11:15; 1Ki 1:43; 1Ki 12:1; 1Ki 16:21; 2Ki 10:5; 2Ki 11:12 (anointing and coronation) = 2Ch 23:11; 2Ki 17:21; 1Ch 11:10; 1Ch 12:32; 1Ch 12:39; 2Ch 10:1; 2Ch 11:22; Eze 17:16; followed by לִשׁלמֹה (לְ of direct object, as Aramaic) 1Ch 29:22; followed by accusative of congnate meaning with verb 1Sa 8:22 (+ לָהֶם), 1Sa 12:1 (+ על), Isa 7:6 (+ בְּתוֺךְ); followed by לְמֶלֶךְ Jdg 9:6; 1Sa 15:11; followed by accusative of person + בְּ local Jer 37:1; + עַל Jdg 9:18; 1Sa 15:35; 1Ki 12:20; 1Ki 16:16; 2Ki 8:20; 1Ch 12:38; 1Ch 28:4 (accusative omitted), 1Ch 23:1; 2Ch 1:9, 2Ch 1:11; 2Ch 21:8; 2Ch 36:4, 2Ch 36:10, compare 2Sa 2:9 (3 t. עֲלֿ, 3 t. אֶלֿ); + תַּחַת 1Ki 3:7; 2Ki 14:21; 2Ki 21:24; 2Ki 23:30 (anointing), 2Ki 23:34; 2Ki 24:17; 2Ch 1:8; 2Ch 22:1; 2Ch 26:1; 2Ch 33:25; 2Ch 36:1; Est 2:17 (= make queen at coronation); absolute Hos 8:4.
Hoph`al Perfect כַּשְׂדִּים מַלְכוּת עַל הָמְלַךְ Dan 9:1.
II. [מָלַךְ] verb counsel, advise (loan-word from Aram . , מְלַח; compare Assyrian malâku, DlHWB 412); — only
Niph`al (so Late Hebrew) Imperfect וַיִּמָּלֵךָ עָלַי לִבִּי i. e. I considered carefully, Neh 5:7.
[מַלְכֹּ֫דֶת] see לכד.
מַלְכֵּן see מַלְבֵּן below לבן.
I. מלך (√ of following, see Biblical Hebrew).
II. מלך (√ of following; Assyrian malâku, counsel, advise; מְלֵח ᵑ7, Syriac , Christian-Palestinian Aramaic Schulth112; Biblical Hebrew II. [מָלַח] Neh 5:7 as loan-word).
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 3 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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