4414. malach

Lexicon

malach: To salt, to season with salt

Original Word: מָלַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: malach
Pronunciation: mah-lakh'
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-lakh')
Definition: To salt, to season with salt
Meaning: to rub to pieces, pulverize, to disappear as dust, to salt

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

salt, season, temper together, vanish away

A primitive root; properly, to rub to pieces or pulverize; intransitively, to disappear as dust; also (as denominative from melach) to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt) -- X at all, salt, season, temper together, vanish away.

see HEBREW melach

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [מָלַח] verb tear away, figurative dissipate (compare Arabic pull out eye, tooth, &c.; especially Dozy tear off branch to plant it, &c. so Ethiopic evellere); —

Niph`al figurative be dispersed in fragments, dissipated, Perfect שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָ֑חוּ Isaiah 51:6.

III. [מָלַח] verb denominative salt, season;

Qal Imperfect2masculine singular תִּמְלָ֑ךְ followed by accusative Leviticus 2:13 (object offering).

Pu`al Participle מְמֻלָּח Exodus 30:35 salted, i.e. the incense (see Di.)

Hoph`al Perfect2feminine singular + Infinitive absolute הָמְלֵחַ לֹא הֻמְלַ֫חַתּ Ezekiel 16:4, i.e. rubbed or washed with salt (of infant, in personification).

[מְלַח] verb denominative with accusative of congnate meaning with verb, eat salt; —

Pe`al Perfect1plural מְלַחְנָא Ezra 4:14 we have eaten the salt of the palace (so most), i.e. have assumed obligations of loyalty, compare M^69* K^{§ 71, 2} (and Syriac be intimate with PS²¹³⁴); Str (after Nes^{MM 30 f.}) thinks noun with suffix: our salt is the salt of the palace.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G217 (ἁλίζω, halizō): To salt, to season with salt
• G233 (ἅλας, halas): Salt
• G3396 (μυριάς, myrias): Ten thousand, a myriad (though not directly related to salting, it reflects the idea of abundance, which can metaphorically connect to the abundant use of salt in various contexts)

This entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the Hebrew term מָלַח, highlighting its cultural, religious, and metaphorical significance within the biblical narrative.

Usage: • The verb מָלַח is used in the context of salting, which can imply preservation, purification, or seasoning. It is also used metaphorically to describe the act of destruction or disappearance, akin to pulverizing or reducing to dust.

Context: • The Hebrew verb מָלַח appears in various contexts within the Old Testament, primarily associated with the act of salting. This action is significant in ancient Hebrew culture, where salt was a valuable commodity used for preserving food, purifying offerings, and symbolizing covenantal relationships.
• In Leviticus 2:13, the command is given: "You must season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not let the salt of the covenant of your God be missing from your grain offering; add salt to all your offerings." (BSB) Here, salt represents the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people.
• The metaphorical use of מָלַח can be seen in Judges 9:45, where Abimelech destroys the city of Shechem and salts it, symbolizing its complete desolation and the obliteration of its memory.
• The act of salting is also linked to purification, as seen in Ezekiel 16:4, where newborns are salted as part of a cleansing ritual.
• The concept of salting extends beyond the physical act to embody spiritual and moral dimensions, reflecting themes of preservation, purification, and judgment.

Forms and Transliterations

הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּ המלחת וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙ והמלח מְמֻלָּ֖ח ממלח נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙ נמלחו תִּמְלָח֒ תמלח hum·la·ḥat humLachat humlaḥat mə·mul·lāḥ memulLach məmullāḥ nim·lā·ḥū nimLachu nimlāḥū tim·lāḥ timLach timlāḥ vehameLeach wə·hā·mə·lê·aḥ wəhāməlêaḥ

Englishman's Concordance

Exodus 30:35
HEB: מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה רוֹקֵ֑חַ מְמֻלָּ֖ח טָה֥וֹר קֹֽדֶשׁ׃
NAS: of a perfumer, salted, pure,
KJV: of the apothecary, tempered together, pure
INT: the art of a perfumer salted pure holy

Leviticus 2:13
HEB: מִנְחָתְךָ֮ בַּמֶּ֣לַח תִּמְלָח֒ וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁבִּ֗ית
NAS: grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt,
KJV: of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt;
INT: offering salt shall season not shall not be lacking

Isaiah 51:6
HEB: שָׁמַ֜יִם כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד
NAS: For the sky will vanish like smoke,
KJV: beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,
INT: the sky smoke will vanish and the earth A garment

Ezekiel 16:4
HEB: רֻחַ֖צְתְּ לְמִשְׁעִ֑י וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙ לֹ֣א הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּ
NAS: for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt
KJV: to supple [thee]; thou wast not salted at all,
INT: were you washed cleansing rubbed nor salt

Ezekiel 16:4
HEB: וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙ לֹ֣א הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּ וְהָחְתֵּ֖ל לֹ֥א
NAS: you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped
KJV: [thee]; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled
INT: rubbed nor salt wrapped nor

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4414
5 Occurrences

hum·la·ḥat — 1 Occ.
mə·mul·lāḥ — 1 Occ.
nim·lā·ḥū — 1 Occ.
tim·lāḥ — 1 Occ.
wə·hā·mə·lê·aḥ — 1 Occ.