מַלְכִּישׁוּעַ
𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤏
Malekishua
H4444 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'My king is deliverance' or 'My king saves.' Used as the name of one of King Saul's sons in the Hebrew Bible. The lexical sense is a theophoric or honorific name formed by combining 'king' (melek) and a term related to 'deliverance' or 'help' (shua).
Semantic Range
Israelite personal name; 'my king is deliverance'; 'my king saves'; son of Saul
Root / Etymology
Compound of מֶלֶךְ (melek, 'king') and שׁוּעַ (shua, related to 'deliverance' or 'salvation'). The root of שׁוּעַ is debated, but is commonly connected with יָשַׁע (yasha‘, 'to save, deliver'). Thus, the name connotes 'my king is deliverance' or 'the king saves.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מַלְכִּישׁוּעַ refers specifically to one of the sons of King Saul, slain at the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 14:49; 31:2; 1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39). The form is typical of Israelite personal names, which often combine an element denoting deity or authority ('king') and a verb or noun indicating protection, salvation, or strength. The translation 'king of wealth' (as per Strong's) is based on an uncertain association with שׁוּעַ meaning 'wealth'; this connection is not supported by modern lexicography. English tradition renders the name as 'Malchishua,' but this is a transliteration rather than a translation. There is no evidence the name was used with a specific religious meaning in the time of Saul; rather, it reflects the broader cultural use of the root elements in personal names during the monarchic period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מֶלֶךְ and שׁוּעַ; king of wealth; Malkishua, an Israelite; Malchishua.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
מלך, שוע (Malekishua) — rule, reign, be king, deliver, help, save
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4444-02 |
שׁ֔וּעַ | shua | HNp |
shua | My King Saves | Malekishua | 5 |
H4444-01 |
מַלְכִּי | maleki | HNp |
Malchi | My King Saves | Malekishua | 4 |
H4444-03 |
וּ/מַלְכִּי | umaleki | HC/Np |
and Malchi | and My-King-Saves | and Malekishua | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4444-03 |
1 Samuel 14:49 | וּ/מַלְכִּי | umaleki | HC/Np |
and Malchi | and My-King-Saves | and Malekishua |
H4444-02 |
1 Samuel 14:49 | שׁ֑וּעַ | shua | HNp |
shua | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-01 |
1 Samuel 31:2 | מַלְכִּי | maleki | HNp |
Malchi | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-02 |
1 Samuel 31:2 | שׁ֖וּעַ | shua | HNp |
Shua | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:33 | מַלְכִּי | maleki | HNp |
Malchi | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-02 |
1 Chronicles 8:33 | שׁ֔וּעַ | shua | HNp |
shua | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-01 |
1 Chronicles 9:39 | מַלְכִּי | maleki | HNp |
Malchi | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-02 |
1 Chronicles 9:39 | שׁ֔וּעַ | shua | HNp |
shua | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-01 |
1 Chronicles 10:2 | מַלְכִּי | maleki | HNp |
Malchi | My King Saves | Malekishua |
H4444-02 |
1 Chronicles 10:2 | שׁ֖וּעַ | shua | HNp |
shua | My King Saves | Malekishua |