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מֶלֶךְ

𐤌𐤋𐤊

melek

H4428 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A male sovereign or ruler; an individual possessing authority over a territory, people, city, or tribe—typically hereditary, but also at times chosen or appointed. The word encompasses both native and foreign rulers, as well as those exercising authority in Israelite, Judahite, and non-Israelite contexts. In some contexts, 'melek' may also refer to a feudal or vassal lord, or to a local chieftain.

Semantic Range

king, ruler, hereditary monarch, chief, sovereign, overlord, vassal lord, foreign king, local chieftain

Root / Etymology

The word מֶלֶךְ derives from the triliteral root מ-ל-ך (מלך), which carries the core meaning of 'to reign' or 'to exercise authority/rule.' 'Melek' is the noun formation indicating the person who so rules. The root itself is attested in various Semitic languages (Akkadian, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic) with similar meanings involving kingship and rulership.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, 'melek' is the standard term for a monarch, whether in reference to the Israelite/monarchic system (e.g., Saul, David, Solomon), the rulers of neighboring polities (Egyptian Pharaoh, Philistine, Edomite, Aramean kings, etc.), or broader regional hegemons (Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian rulers). The institution of kingship (mamlakah) is closely linked but distinct. Israelite kingship is presented with ambivalence in many biblical passages, especially in the narratives of Samuel and Kings. Postexilic and later Second Temple use often includes references to foreign monarchs granted considerable influence over Judea. The term does not by itself imply divinity or sacral kingship, but in some Northwest Semitic cultures (notably Ugaritic and Phoenician), the title could have sacral associations. The English term 'king' generally corresponds well, but narrow translations may fail to capture the inclusion of non-Israelite rulers and the full social range (from tribal chiefs to emperors). The word's meaning is primarily political and institutional rather than religious, except where politics and cult are integrally connected (as in certain Psalms or royal rituals). The term is neutral regarding the righteousness, legitimacy, or ethnicity of the ruler.

Translation Consistency

primary "king" 50 occurrences

'Melek' overwhelmingly appears as 'king' in English translations and in the SILEX frequency data; it naturally covers the primary sense (sovereign, monarch) while remaining idiomatic for foreign rulers, overlords, and local chiefs. 'King' is the most common and natural single-word rendering for consistent use across all forms; less frequent senses (e.g., 'vassal lord' or 'chief') can be handled by context or modifiers.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

מלך (Yamelekhe) — to reign, to be king, to rule

Root מלך to rule, to reign, to be king
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3230 יַמְלֵךְ He-Will-Reign
H4409 מַלּוּךְ to Reigning-One
H4427 מָלַךְ in his reigning
H4429 מֶלֶךְ the sovereign
H4430 מֶלֶךְ to the king

Word Forms

54 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4428-08 הַ/מֶּ֥לֶךְ hamelekhe HTd/Ncmsa the king the king the king 1045
H4428-36 מֶ֖לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsa king king of king of 894
H4428-25 מַלְכֵ֣י malekhey HNcmpc kings of kings of kings of 110
H4428-12 לַ/מֶּ֥לֶךְ lamelekhe HRd/Ncmsa to the king to the king to the king 90
H4428-17 לְ/מֶ֨לֶךְ֙ lemelekhe HR/Ncmsa king to a king to a king 61
H4428-15 לְ/מַלְכֵ֥י lemalekhey HR/Ncmpc of the kings to kings of to kings of 39
H4428-33 מְלָכִֽים melakhim HNcmpa kings kings kings 39
H4428-06 הַ/מְּלָכִ֗ים hamelakhim HTd/Ncmpa the kings the kings the kings 37
H4428-52 וְ/הַ/מֶּ֤לֶךְ vehamelekhe HC/Td/Ncmsa and the king and the king and the king 35
H4428-48 וּ/מֶ֣לֶךְ umelekhe HC/Ncmsc and the king and king of and king of 26

Occurrences in Scripture

2526 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4428-36 Genesis 14:1 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:1 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-2 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:1 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-3 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:1 מֶ֥לֶךְ melekhe-4 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-2 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-3 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-4 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-48 Genesis 14:2 וּ/מֶ֥לֶךְ umelekhe HC/Ncmsc and king and king of and king of
H4428-51 Genesis 14:5 וְ/הַ/מְּלָכִים֙ vehamelakhim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the kings and the kings and the kings
H4428-36 Genesis 14:8 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-48 Genesis 14:8 וּ/מֶ֣לֶךְ umelekhe HC/Ncmsc and the king and king of and king of
H4428-48 Genesis 14:8 וּ/מֶ֤לֶךְ umelekhe-2 HC/Ncmsc and the king and king of and king of
H4428-48 Genesis 14:8 וּ/מֶ֣לֶךְ umelekhe-3 HC/Ncmsc and the king and king of and king of
H4428-48 Genesis 14:8 וּ/מֶ֥לֶךְ umelekhe-4 HC/Ncmsc and the king and king of and king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-2 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-3 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe-4 HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-33 Genesis 14:9 מְלָכִ֖ים melakhim HNcmpa kings kings kings
H4428-36 Genesis 14:10 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc kings king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:17 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-06 Genesis 14:17 הַ/מְּלָכִ֖ים hamelakhim HTd/Ncmpa the kings the kings the kings
H4428-08 Genesis 14:17 הַ/מֶּֽלֶךְ hamelekhe HTd/Ncmsa of the King the king the king
H4428-36 Genesis 14:18 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:21 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 14:22 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king king of king of
H4428-46 Genesis 17:6 וּ/מְלָכִ֖ים umelakhim HC/Ncmpa and kings and kings and kings
H4428-25 Genesis 17:16 מַלְכֵ֥י malekhey HNcmpc kings [of] kings of kings of
H4428-36 Genesis 20:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 26:1 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 26:8 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-46 Genesis 35:11 וּ/מְלָכִ֖ים umelakhim HC/Ncmpa and kings and kings and kings
H4428-06 Genesis 36:31 הַ/מְּלָכִ֔ים hamelakhim HTd/Ncmpa the kings the kings the kings
H4428-36 Genesis 36:31 מֶ֖לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsa king king of king of
H4428-08 Genesis 39:20 הַ/מֶּ֖לֶךְ hamelekhe HTd/Ncmsa the king's the king the king
H4428-36 Genesis 40:1 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc of the king king of king of
H4428-17 Genesis 40:1 לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ lemelekhe HR/Ncmsc the king to a king to the king
H4428-17 Genesis 40:5 לְ/מֶ֣לֶךְ lemelekhe HR/Ncmsc of the king to a king of the king
H4428-36 Genesis 41:46 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king king of king of
H4428-36 Genesis 49:20 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsa of a king king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 1:8 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsa a king king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 1:15 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 1:17 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 1:18 מֶֽלֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 2:23 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 3:18 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 3:19 מֶ֥לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 5:4 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc the king of king of king of
H4428-36 Exodus 6:11 מֶ֣לֶךְ melekhe HNcmsc king of king of king of
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