מֶלְתָּחָה
𐤌𐤋𐤕𐤇𐤄
meltâchâh
H4458 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A room or compartment used for storing clothing, garments, or vestments; a wardrobe or dressing chamber. The term specifically refers to a space allocated for depositing apparel, typically in the context of royal, priestly, or temple settings.
Semantic Range
wardrobe room, storeroom for garments, dressing chamber, vestry (in ritual contexts)
Root / Etymology
The word appears to derive from a root meaning 'to spread out' (possibly related to לָתַח or an unused root with similar sense), indicating a place where items (specifically garments) are laid out or stored. However, no directly attested root with this meaning exists in Biblical Hebrew, so the etymology remains uncertain and is reconstructed based on the form and usage of the noun. The core idea is spatial extension associated with storage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מֶלְתָּחָה appears only in 2 Kings 10:22, where it denotes a place within the temple of Baal where vestments were kept. The term is rare and its meaning is derived primarily from context and comparison with related Semitic languages. Unlike more common terms for storage rooms or treasuries (such as אוֹצָר), מֶלְתָּחָה is specialized for garments, likely due to its root association with 'spreading out.' In later Hebrew, the term is not attested, and standard English translations often render it as 'wardrobe,' 'vestry,' or 'dressing room,' but these can obscure the specific connection to ritual or ceremonial apparel in the ancient setting. Use was limited to descriptions of elite or cultic spaces, and the term does not apply to ordinary domestic wardrobes. Subsequent tradition (in some English translations) adopts later ecclesiastical terms ('vestry'), but such terms are anachronistic if applied to the Israelite or ancient Near Eastern context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to spread out; a wardrobe (i.e. room where clothing is spread); vestry.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לתח (l-t-ḥ) — to spread out, lay flat, extend
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4458-01 |
הַ/מֶּלְתָּחָ֔ה | hameletachah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the wardrobe | the garment-wardrobe | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4458-01 |
2 Kings 10:22 | הַ/מֶּלְתָּחָ֔ה | hameletachah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the wardrobe | the garment-wardrobe |