4457. melqach or malqach
Strong's Lexicon
melqach or malqach: Tongs

Original Word: מֶלְקָח
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: melqach
Pronunciation: mal-KAHKH or mel-KAHKH
Phonetic Spelling: (mel-kawkh')
Definition: Tongs
Meaning: tweezers

Word Origin: Derived from the root לָקַח (laqach), meaning "to take" or "to grasp."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for "melqach" or "malqach" in the Strong's Greek Dictionary, as the concept of tongs is more specific to the Hebrew context of temple service.

Usage: The term "melqach" or "malqach" refers to a tool used for grasping or handling, specifically tongs. In the context of the Bible, it is often associated with the handling of hot coals or incense in the tabernacle or temple service. The use of tongs was essential for maintaining the sacred fire on the altar and for the burning of incense, which was a significant aspect of worship and sacrifice in ancient Israelite religious practices.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the tabernacle and later the temple were central places of worship where sacrifices and offerings were made to God. The priests, who were responsible for these rituals, used various tools to perform their duties. Tongs were among these tools, used to handle hot coals from the altar of burnt offering or to manage the incense on the altar of incense. The use of tongs ensured that the priests could safely and reverently perform their tasks without defiling the sacred elements or injuring themselves.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from laqach
Definition
tongs, snuffers
NASB Translation
snuffers (3), tongs (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מֶלְקָחַ֫יִם, [מַלְקָחַיִם] noun [masculine] dual tongs, snuffers; —

1 tongs used at altar of temple, for lifting coal, in Isaiah's vision, Isaiah 6:6.

2 lamp snuffers, in temple 1 Kings 7:49 2Chronicles 4:21; in tabernacle suffix ( reference to lamp-stand, מְנוֺרָה) מַלְקָחֶיהָ Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23; Numbers 4:9 (all P).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
snuffers, tongs

Or malqach {mal-kawkh'}; from laqach; (only in dual) tweezers -- snuffers, tongs.

see HEBREW laqach

Forms and Transliterations
בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם במלקחים וְהַמֶּלְקַחַ֖יִם וּמַלְקָחֶ֥יהָ והמלקחים ומלקחיה מַלְקָחֶ֖יהָ מלקחיה bə·mel·qa·ḥa·yim beMelkaChayim bəmelqaḥayim mal·qā·ḥe·hā malkaCheiha malqāḥehā ū·mal·qā·ḥe·hā umalkaCheiha ūmalqāḥehā vehammelkaChayim wə·ham·mel·qa·ḥa·yim wəhammelqaḥayim
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 25:38
HEB: וּמַלְקָחֶ֥יהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ זָהָ֥ב
NAS: Its snuffers and their trays
KJV: And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes
INT: snuffers and their trays gold

Exodus 37:23
HEB: נֵרֹתֶ֖יהָ שִׁבְעָ֑ה וּמַלְקָחֶ֥יהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ זָהָ֥ב
NAS: lamps with its snuffers and its trays
KJV: lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes,
INT: lamps seven snuffers trays gold

Numbers 4:9
HEB: נֵ֣רֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־ מַלְקָחֶ֖יהָ וְאֶת־ מַחְתֹּתֶ֑יהָ
NAS: along with its lamps and its snuffers, and its trays
KJV: and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes,
INT: the light lamps snuffers trays and all

1 Kings 7:49
HEB: וְהַפֶּ֧רַח וְהַנֵּרֹ֛ת וְהַמֶּלְקַחַ֖יִם זָהָֽב׃
NAS: and the lamps and the tongs, of gold;
KJV: and the lamps, and the tongs [of] gold,
INT: and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs of gold

2 Chronicles 4:21
HEB: וְהַפֶּ֧רַח וְהַנֵּר֛וֹת וְהַמֶּלְקַחַ֖יִם זָהָ֑ב ה֖וּא
NAS: the lamps, and the tongs of gold,
KJV: and the lamps, and the tongs, [made he of] gold,
INT: the flowers the lamps and the tongs of gold he

Isaiah 6:6
HEB: וּבְיָד֖וֹ רִצְפָּ֑ה בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם לָקַ֖ח מֵעַ֥ל
NAS: from the altar with tongs.
KJV: [which] he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
INT: his hand A burning tongs had taken from

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4457
6 Occurrences


bə·mel·qa·ḥa·yim — 1 Occ.
mal·qā·ḥe·hā — 1 Occ.
ū·mal·qā·ḥe·hā — 2 Occ.
wə·ham·mel·qa·ḥa·yim — 2 Occ.















4456
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