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מָלַט

𐤌𐤋𐤈

mâlaṭ

H4422 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To slip away, escape, or slip out of danger; by extension, to be delivered or be saved from harm. The verb conveys both the physical act of escaping from danger and the figurative sense of being freed from distress, oppression, or peril. In causative stems, signifies causing deliverance, rescue, or release. Usage includes escaping from enemies, being saved from judgment, or helping others find safety. Additional derived meanings include causing birth (bringing forth young) and emitting (as in emitting sparks).

Semantic Range

to escape danger, to slip away, to save oneself, to be rescued, to cause to escape, to deliver, to release, to bring forth (young), to emit (sparks), to help flee, to preserve from harm

Root / Etymology

Root is מלט (m-l-ṭ). The core root meaning is 'to be smooth, slip.' The verb developed the extended sense of 'slipping away' or 'escaping,' which then gave rise to further meanings of being saved or causing deliverance. The causative (piel/hiphil) forms are especially common for 'to deliver, rescue, release.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מָלַט appears both in the qal stem (to escape, save oneself) and the piel/hiphil stems (to deliver, cause to escape). The most frequent context is physical or metaphorical rescue or deliverance, such as fleeing from enemies (Genesis 19:17–22, Lot escaping Sodom), from danger (1 Samuel 19:12), or being delivered from trouble (Psalms and prophetic texts). It is distinct from נצל (H5337), which focuses more on extricating or pulling out, whereas מלט often depicts slipping away or movement to safety, sometimes through one's own action, sometimes with divine or human help. Occasionally, the word can refer to the successful delivery of offspring (Isaiah 66:7) or to letting something escape (Job 41:11, emitting sparks). Some translations render the term as 'save' or 'deliver,' but these may lose the nuance of 'escape' or withdrawal implied in the verb. The sense of 'speedily' or 'surely' arises in idiomatic constructions (e.g., 'escape with haste'). Over time, the word's primary meaning remained consistent, though its use in later periods may reflect broader application in figurative or spiritual deliverance.

Translation Consistency

primary "escape" 42 occurrences

The primary and most natural sense of מָלַט in context is to slip away or get free from danger. 'Escape' matches the majority of attested renderings (escaped/escape), fits both physical and figurative uses, and can accommodate causative forms (e.g. 'cause to escape' or 'escape him') while still remaining natural English. 'Deliver' is a close secondary sense but is less typical for the basic, reflexive sense of the verb.

Alternatives (8 occurrences):
"slipped away" (1x) "deliverers" (1x) "saved" (1x) "rescue" (1x) "alone" (1x) "laid eggs" (1x) "deliver" (1x) "delivered" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparks; deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

מלט (Melateyah) — to be smooth, to slip, to escape, to deliver

Root מלט to be smooth, to slip, to escape, to deliver
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4423 מֶלֶט in the sealing-mortar
H4424 מְלַטְיָה Yah Has Delivered

Word Forms

48 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4422-46 יִמָּלֵ֥ט yimalet HVNj3ms will escape may he slip free may he escape 13
H4422-34 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֗ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped 8
H4422-44 יְמַלֵּ֥ט yemalet HVpi3ms deliver he will cause to escape he will cause to escape 8
H4422-18 נִמְלַ֤ט nimelat HVNp3ms escaped he slipped free he escaped 7
H4422-06 הִמָּלֵ֥ט himalet HVNc Escape Slip away! Escape! 4
H4422-24 תִמָּלֵט֙ timalet HVNi2ms shall escape you will slip free you will escape 4
H4422-31 וָֽ/אִמָּ֨לְטָ֧/ה vaimaletah HC/VNw1cs/Sh and I have escaped and I slipped away and I escaped 4
H4422-09 אִמָּ֥לְטָה imaletah HVNh1cs let me escape Let me slip away Let me escape 2
H4422-10 לְ/הִמָּלֵ֥ט lehimalet HR/VNc escape to slip away to escape 2
H4422-11 מַלֵּ֣ט malet HVpc deliver to cause to escape to cause to escape 2

Occurrences in Scripture

95 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4422-06 Genesis 19:17 הִמָּלֵ֣ט himalet HVNv2ms Escape Slip away! Escape!
H4422-06 Genesis 19:17 הִמָּלֵ֖ט himalet-2 HVNv2ms Escape Slip away! Escape!
H4422-10 Genesis 19:19 לְ/הִמָּלֵ֣ט lehimalet HR/VNc escape to slip away to escape
H4422-09 Genesis 19:20 אִמָּלְטָ֨ה imaletah HVNh1cs let me escape Let me slip away Let me escape
H4422-06 Genesis 19:22 הִמָּלֵ֣ט himalet HVNv2ms escape Slip away! Escape!
H4422-18 Judges 3:26 נִמְלַ֖ט nimelat HVNp3ms had escaped he slipped free he escaped
H4422-34 Judges 3:26 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֖ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-18 Judges 3:29 נִמְלַ֖ט nimelat HVNp3ms escaped he slipped free escaped
H4422-34 1 Samuel 19:10 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֖ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-14 1 Samuel 19:11 מְמַלֵּ֤ט memalet HVprmsa saving deliverer escaping
H4422-34 1 Samuel 19:12 וַ/יִּמָּלֵֽט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and he escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-34 1 Samuel 19:17 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֑ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms that he escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-34 1 Samuel 19:18 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֗ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-09 1 Samuel 20:29 אִמָּ֥לְטָה imaletah HVNh1cs let me get away Let me slip away Let me escape
H4422-34 1 Samuel 22:1 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֖ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-34 1 Samuel 22:20 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֣ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-18 1 Samuel 23:13 נִמְלַ֤ט nimelat HVNp3ms had escaped he slipped free he escaped
H4422-06 1 Samuel 27:1 הִמָּלֵ֥ט himalet HVNc I should escape Slip away! to escape
H4422-08 1 Samuel 27:1 אִמָּלֵ֣ט imalet HVNi1cs I escape I will slip away I will escape
H4422-41 1 Samuel 27:1 וְ/נִמְלַטְתִּ֖י venimelateti HC/VNq1cs and I shall escape and I slipped away and I will escape
H4422-18 1 Samuel 30:17 נִמְלַ֤ט nimelat HVNp3ms escaped he slipped free escaped
H4422-20 2 Samuel 1:3 נִמְלָֽטְתִּי nimelateti HVNp1cs I have escaped I slipped away I have escaped
H4422-21 2 Samuel 4:6 נִמְלָֽטוּ nimelatu HVNp3cp escaped they slipped away they slipped away
H4422-03 2 Samuel 19:6 הַֽ/מְמַלְּטִ֤ים hamemaletim HTd/Vprmpa who saved/delivered the deliverers the deliverers
H4422-16 2 Samuel 19:10 מִלְּטָ֨/נוּ֙ miletanu HVpp3ms/Sp1cp saved-us he delivered us saved us
H4422-25 1 Kings 1:12 וּ/מַלְּטִי֙ umaleti HC/Vpv2fs that you may save Rescue! Rescue
H4422-46 1 Kings 18:40 יִמָּלֵ֥ט yimalet HVNj3ms let escape may he slip free may he escape
H4422-04 1 Kings 19:17 הַ/נִּמְלָ֛ט hanimelat HTd/VNrmsa the one who escapes the one slipping free the one who escapes
H4422-36 1 Kings 19:17 וְ/הַ/נִּמְלָ֛ט vehanimelat HC/Td/VNrmsa and the one who escapes the escaped one and the one who escapes
H4422-34 1 Kings 20:20 וַ/יִּמָּלֵ֗ט vayimalet HC/VNw3ms and escaped and he slipped away and he escaped
H4422-46 2 Kings 10:24 יִמָּלֵט֙ yimalet HVNi3ms escapes may he slip free may he escape
H4422-23 2 Kings 19:37 נִמְלְט֖וּ nimeletu HVNp3cp escaped they slipped away escaped
H4422-33 2 Kings 23:18 וַֽ/יְמַלְּטוּ֙ vayemaletu HC/Vpw3mp And they let alone and they delivered and they let alone
H4422-17 Isaiah 20:6 נִמָּלֵ֥ט nimalet HVNi1cp shall we escape we will slip away shall we escape
H4422-37 Isaiah 31:5 וְ/הִמְלִֽיט vehimelit HC/Vhq3ms and-rescue and he caused to escape and causing to escape
H4422-32 Isaiah 34:15 וַ/תְּמַלֵּ֔ט vatemalet HC/Vpw3fs and she lays and she caused to escape and she laid eggs
H4422-23 Isaiah 37:38 נִמְלְט֖וּ nimeletu HVNp3cp escaped they slipped away escaped
H4422-11 Isaiah 46:2 מַלֵּ֣ט malet HVpc deliver to cause to escape to cause to escape
H4422-29 Isaiah 46:4 וַ/אֲמַלֵּֽט vaamalet HC/Vpi1cs and will deliver I will deliver and I will deliver
H4422-46 Isaiah 49:24 יִמָּלֵֽט yimalet HVNi3ms be delivered may he slip free may he escape
H4422-46 Isaiah 49:25 יִמָּלֵ֑ט yimalet HVNi3ms shall be delivered may he slip free shall escape
H4422-38 Isaiah 66:7 וְ/הִמְלִ֥יטָה vehimelitah HC/Vhq3fs she was delivered she caused to escape she was delivered
H4422-46 Jeremiah 32:4 יִמָּלֵ֖ט yimalet HVNi3ms shall escape may he slip free may he escape
H4422-24 Jeremiah 34:3 תִמָּלֵט֙ timalet HVNi2ms shall escape you will slip free you will escape
H4422-24 Jeremiah 38:18 תִמָּלֵ֥ט timalet HVNi2ms will escape you will slip free you will escape
H4422-24 Jeremiah 38:23 תִמָּלֵ֣ט timalet HVNi2ms you-will-escape you will slip free you will escape
H4422-11 Jeremiah 39:18 מַלֵּט֙ malet HVpa deliver to cause to escape to cause to escape
H4422-02 Jeremiah 39:18 אֲמַלֶּטְ/ךָ֔ amaletekha HVpi1cs/Sp2ms I-will-deliver-you I will rescue you I will cause you to escape
H4422-18 Jeremiah 41:15 נִמְלַט֙ nimelat HVNp3ms escaped he slipped free he escaped
H4422-46 Jeremiah 46:6 יִמָּלֵ֖ט yimalet HVNj3ms escape may he slip free will escape
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