מְלַטְיָה
𐤌𐤋𐤈𐤉𐤄
Melateyah
H4424 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Melatyah or Melatiah, meaning 'Yahweh has delivered' or 'Yahweh is deliverance.' Used as the name of a Gibeonite individual who played a role after the return from exile (notably in Nehemiah's account). The name bears theological significance, reflecting faith in Yahweh's power to rescue or save.
Semantic Range
proper name (personal male), Yahweh is deliverance, Yahweh has delivered, used as the name of a Gibeonite in post-exilic Jerusalem
Root / Etymology
From the root מלט (mlṭ, 'to escape, deliver, save') and the theophoric element יה (Yah, short for Yahweh). The form מְלַטְיָה is a theophoric compound, with מְלַט (piel form, 'to deliver') and יָה ('Yah').
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name מְלַטְיָה appears only in post-exilic contexts, notably during the period of Nehemiah's reforms in Jerusalem, and is associated with a Gibeonite. The use of theophoric names containing 'Yah' became particularly prominent during and after the exile, reflecting developing Israelite and Judean religious identity. The tradition of rendering the name as 'Melatiah' in English translations obscures the original meaning; it is not a title or a term for a group, but a personal name expressing a belief in Yahweh's deliverance. Unlike earlier Israelite naming conventions, post-exilic names frequently emphasize relationship to Yahweh ('Yah'), in contrast to pre-exilic names with 'El' ('God') as the theophoric element.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מֶלֶט and יָהּ; (whom) Jah has delivered; Melatjah, a Gibeonite; Melatiah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מלט (m-l-ṭ) — to escape, to deliver, to save
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4424-01 |
מְלַטְיָ֣ה | melateyah | HNp |
Melatiah | Yah Has Delivered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4424-01 |
Nehemiah 3:7 | מְלַטְיָ֣ה | melateyah | HNp |
Melatiah | Yah Has Delivered |