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מְלוּכָה

𐤌𐤋𐤅𐤊𐤄

mᵉlûwkâh

H4410 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מלכ to rule, reign, become king

Definition

Dominion, reign, or rule; the exercise of royal authority, or the area or period characterized by such rule. Also denotes the realm or territory over which kingship is exercised, the institution of monarchy, or the duration of a king's reign. Sometimes used for the state or office of being king (kingship), and by extension, the royal administration or governing apparatus.

Semantic Range

kingship, reign, rule, royal authority, the state or office of being king, period of a king's reign, kingdom or realm governed, dynasty, royal administration

Root / Etymology

From the root מ-ל-כ (מלך; 'to rule, reign, become king'). מְלוּכָה is a feminine abstract noun formed with the -וּת / -וּכָה suffix, denoting the state, institution, or function related to kingship or authority. Thus, the core root meaning emphasizes 'exercising rule' and is abstracted here to 'the state or domain of rule/reign.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical use, מְלוּכָה most commonly refers to the institution or period of kingship (the reign of an individual king or the duration of a particular dynasty), as well as the political realm or territory governed by a king. In narrative and legal passages, it contrasts with other forms of governance (e.g., tribal leadership or judgeship), often marking a transition to centralized monarchy in Israelite history (especially in Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles). The word can refer to the general concept of kingship or rulership, not necessarily specifying a particular monarch or territory without context. English translations often render it as 'kingdom,' 'royal authority,' 'reign,' or 'sovereignty,' each capturing part of the semantic field, but the Hebrew term can convey both the abstract sense ('kingship' or 'royal power') and the concrete sense ('realm, kingdom'). In later usage (post-exilic and early Hellenistic), distinctions between מַלְכוּת (another word for kingship/kingdom) and מְלוּכָה sometimes emerge, with מְלוּכָה more often emphasizing the institutional rule or the exercise of authority, while מַלְכוּת sometimes stresses the quality or dignity of kingship. The translation 'royal' (as in 'royal house') reflects usage as an attributive phrase, but is not the primary meaning. The modern translation tradition often uses 'kingdom,' but this can obscure the focus on function or authority embedded in the Hebrew term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine passive participle of מָלַךְ; something ruled, i.e. a realm; kingsom, king's, [idiom] royal.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מלכ (m-l-k) — to rule, reign, become king

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4410-01 הַ/מְּלוּכָה֙ hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship 20
H4410-03 מְלוּכָ֖ה melukhah HNcfsa kingdom kingship 3
H4410-02 לִ/מְלוּכָֽה limelukhah HR/Ncfsa to royalty to kingship 1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4410-01 1 Samuel 10:16 הַ/מְּלוּכָה֙ hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa of the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Samuel 10:25 הַ/מְּלֻכָ֔ה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa of the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Samuel 11:14 הַ/מְּלוּכָֽה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingship the kingship
H4410-01 1 Samuel 14:47 הַ/מְּלוּכָ֖ה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Samuel 18:8 הַ/מְּלוּכָֽה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 2 Samuel 12:26 הַ/מְּלוּכָֽה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the royal the kingship
H4410-01 2 Samuel 16:8 הַ/מְּלוּכָ֔ה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Kings 1:46 הַ/מְּלוּכָֽה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa of the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Kings 2:15 הַ/מְּלוּכָ֔ה hamelukhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship
H4410-01 1 Kings 2:15 הַ/מְּלוּכָה֙ hamelukhah-2 HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the kingship
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