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מַמְלָכָה

𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄

mamlâkâh

H4467 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A realm, domain, or territory governed by a king; specifically, a kingdom or monarchy. Also denotes the institution or system of rule by a king, i.e., kingship or royal authority. Used both for the physical territory governed and the abstract concept of royal rule. In some contexts, refers to a specific kingdom (e.g., Israelite, Judahite, or foreign), and in others to general sovereignty exercised by a monarch.

Semantic Range

kingdom, monarchy, royal dominion, realm, royal institution, territorial kingdom, nation under a king, kingship, royal authority

Root / Etymology

From the root מ-ל-ך (מלך), meaning 'to reign,' 'to be king,' or 'to rule as monarch.' The noun מַמְלָכָה is a feminine noun derived with the abstract/formative "ma-...-âh" pattern, yielding the sense of 'kingship' or 'kingdom.' While the root denotes the act or power of ruling as a king, the derived noun points to the structure, domain, or manifestation of such rule.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַמְלָכָה is widely used throughout the Hebrew Bible to denote both Israelite and non-Israelite kingdoms; it can refer to political entities (e.g., the kingdom of Aram, Egypt, or Babylon), as well as to the Israelite or Judahite monarchies. In narrative and prophetic literature, the word can indicate a concrete geopolitical entity, or more abstractly, the concept of national sovereignty, royal power, or the existence of a monarchy. During the monarchic period, the term typically specifies the political and territorial structure led by a king; after the exile, it is used when describing recollections or ideals of national restoration, often with theological significance but always rooted in the historical-political meaning. Standard English translations generally render the term as 'kingdom,' though this does not always capture its range, especially where it may refer more abstractly to royal power or kingship. מַמְלָכָה is distinguished from מלוכה (melukhah, 'kingship, reign'), which more narrowly refers to the act or condition of ruling, or the office itself, not to the territory or body politic.

Translation Consistency

primary "kingdom" 117 occurrences

mamlâkâh most commonly denotes a kingdom or royal domain—both the physical territory and the institution of kingship. "Kingdom" is the natural, idiomatic English rendering that covers the full SILEX range (territory, monarchy, royal authority) and matches the dominant usages in the corpus. It is readily inflectable for number/possessives while remaining clear and consistent.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from מָלַךְ; dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm); kingdom, king's, reign, royal.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

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

Root מלך to reign, to rule as king, to become king
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3230 יַמְלֵךְ He-Will-Reign
H4409 מַלּוּךְ to Reigning-One
H4427 מָלַךְ in his reigning
H4428 מֶלֶךְ among the kings
H4429 מֶלֶךְ the sovereign

Word Forms

23 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4467-15 מַמְלְכ֥וֹת mamelekhot HNcfpc kingdoms kingly realms of kingdoms of 24
H4467-03 הַ/מַּמְלָכָ֑ה hamamelakhah HTd/Ncfsa the kingdom the royal dominion the kingdom 23
H4467-12 מַמְלָכֽוֹת mamelakhot HNcfpa kingdoms kingdoms kingdoms 13
H4467-14 מַמְלֶ֥כֶת mamelekhet HNcfsc kingdom kingdom of kingdom of 11
H4467-08 מַמְלָכָ֖ה mamelakhah HNcfsa kingdom royal realm kingdom 9
H4467-11 מַמְלַכְתּ/וֹ֙ mamelakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his kingdom his kingdom his kingdom 7
H4467-04 הַ/מַּמְלָכ֔וֹת hamamelakhot HTd/Ncfpa the kingdoms the kingdoms the kingdoms 7
H4467-23 וְ/הַ/מַּמְלָכָ֥ה vehamamelakhah HC/Td/Ncfsa and the kingdom and the kingdom and the kingdom 3
H4467-09 מַֽמְלַכְתְּ/ךָ֛ mamelakhetekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your kingdom your royal dominion your kingdom 3
H4467-18 וּ/מַמְלָכָה֙ umamelakhah HC/Ncfsa and kingdom and kingdom and kingdom 3

Occurrences in Scripture

117 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4467-11 Genesis 10:10 מַמְלַכְתּ/וֹ֙ mamelakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms was his kingdom his kingdom
H4467-10 Genesis 20:9 מַמְלַכְתִּ֖/י mamelakheti HNcfsc/Sp1cs my kingdom my kingdom my kingdom
H4467-14 Exodus 19:6 מַמְלֶ֥כֶת mamelekhet HNcfsc kingdom kingdom of a kingdom of
H4467-14 Numbers 32:33 מַמְלֶ֨כֶת֙ mamelekhet HNcfsc kingdom of kingdom of kingdom of
H4467-14 Numbers 32:33 מַמְלֶ֔כֶת mamelekhet-2 HNcfsc kingdom of kingdom of kingdom of
H4467-14 Deuteronomy 3:4 מַמְלֶ֥כֶת mamelekhet HNcfsc kingdom kingdom of kingdom of
H4467-14 Deuteronomy 3:10 מַמְלֶ֥כֶת mamelekhet HNcfsc of the kingdom kingdom of kingdom of
H4467-14 Deuteronomy 3:13 מַמְלֶ֣כֶת mamelekhet HNcfsc kingdom kingdom of kingdom of
H4467-04 Deuteronomy 3:21 הַ/מַּמְלָכ֔וֹת hamamelakhot HTd/Ncfpa the-kingdoms the kingdoms the kingdoms
H4467-11 Deuteronomy 17:18 מַמְלַכְתּ֑/וֹ mamelakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms of his kingdom his kingdom his kingdom
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