מַחְלָה
𐤌𐤇𐤋𐤄
Machelah
H4244 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mahlah (Machlah): A personal name borne by two Israelite women in the Torah, most notably a daughter of Zelophehad and also one of Merari's descendants. The primary lexical meaning of the common noun from the same root is 'sickness' or 'disease,' but as a personal name, the noun is used as a proper noun without conveying its everyday negative connotation.
Semantic Range
illness, sickness (noun); as a proper noun, Mahlah/Machlah, the name of two Israelite women
Root / Etymology
From the verbal root חָלָה (chalah), meaning 'to be weak, to be sick, to become ill.' מַחְלָה (machlah) is a feminine noun form, generally meaning 'illness' or 'sickness.' In biblical usage as a personal name, it is probably derived from this root, though the intent or reasons for the name are unstated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
As a personal name, מַחְלָה is attested as the name of a daughter of Zelophehad, who, along with her sisters, petitioned for the inheritance of their father's portion in the land (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Joshua 17:3; 1 Chronicles 7:15). She represents an important narrative regarding inheritance rights for daughters in premonarchic Israel. Another Machlah appears as a descendant of Merari, a Levite (1 Chronicles 23:29). While both refer to Israelite women, there is no evidence that these figures are linked. The Hebrew noun מַחְלָה ('illness, disease') occurs independently in several passages, but as a personal name, its connotations are opaque; ancient names sometimes derive from negative-sounding nouns (cf. Mara, Ichabod) but can stem from familial, commemorative, or aspirational reasons. Later English translations render the name as 'Mahlah' or 'Machlah,' and some traditions have conflated or confused the personal name with the common noun 'sickness,' though the biblical usage as a proper name does not carry the everyday connotations of illness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָלָה; sickness; Machlah, the name apparently of two Israelitesses; Mahlah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חלה (ḥ-l-h) — weakness, sickness, becoming ill
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2342 | חוּל | sickness |
| H2470 | חָלָה | in their becoming weak |
| H2481 | חֲלִי | delicate ornaments |
| H2482 | חֲלִי | and Hali |
| H2483 | חֳלִי | in sicknesses |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4244-01 |
מַחְלָ֣ה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4244-01 |
Numbers 26:33 | מַחְלָ֣ה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah |
H4244-01 |
Numbers 27:1 | מַחְלָ֣ה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah |
H4244-01 |
Numbers 36:11 | מַחְלָ֣ה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah |
H4244-01 |
Joshua 17:3 | מַחְלָ֣ה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah |
H4244-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:18 | מַחְלָֽה | machelah | HNp |
Mahlah | Mahlah |