Lexical Summary mela: Fullness, abundance, that which fills Original Word: מְלָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fill, be full (Aramaic) corresponding to male'; to fill -- fill, be full. see HEBREW male' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to male Definition to fill NASB Translation filled (2). Topical Lexicon Definition and Usage מְלָא (mĕlāʾ) is an Aramaic noun expressing the idea of something being full, complete, or at capacity. Though related to several Hebrew cognates, its usage is confined in Scripture to the Aramaic portions of Daniel, where it functions as a vivid thematic pivot. Occurrences in Daniel • Daniel 2:35 — the stone that struck the statue “became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” In both verses the term marks a decisive transition: divine dominion expanding without limit, and human wrath overflowing its bounds. The Kingdom Filling the Earth (Daniel 2:35) The vision reveals a stone “cut without hands” that obliterates successive earthly kingdoms. Its growth into a “great mountain” that “filled the whole earth” signifies an all-encompassing reign of God that no human empire can resist. The verb form underscores completeness—nothing remains untouched by the kingdom’s advance. This anticipates later prophetic pictures of universal knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14) and finds fulfillment in the Messiah whose rule extends “to the ends of the earth” (Zechariah 9:10). A King Filled with Fury (Daniel 3:19) Nebuchadnezzar, confronted by faithful witnesses, becomes “filled with fury.” The same root that depicts God’s kingdom filling the cosmos is used for sinful emotion filling a man’s heart, illustrating a stark moral polarity. Divine fullness brings life and order; human fullness of rage breeds oppression, evidenced in the superheating of the furnace and the intended destruction of the faithful. The juxtaposition invites reflection on what—or Who—fills one’s life. Theology of Fullness in Scripture 1. Divine Sovereignty: Psalm 24:1 proclaims, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof,” echoing Daniel’s vision of total divine occupation. Historical Context Daniel’s Aramaic chapters were composed during exile, addressing both Jewish and Gentile audiences under Babylonian rule. The term מְלָא would resonate with an imperial culture obsessed with total control. Daniel redirects the concept of “fullness” away from Babylonian self-glory to God’s eventual universal kingdom. Literary Observations • Deliberate Contrast: The only two uses form an inclusio around narratives involving Nebuchadnezzar, highlighting the contest between divine and human filling. Ministry Implications • Worship: Confidence that God’s reign will fill the earth encourages steadfast praise amid opposition. Christological and Eschatological Outlook Jesus embodies the stone cut without hands, inaugurating a kingdom that already fills hearts and communities and will one day visibly fill the renewed creation. The church, as His body, is called “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23), living proof that the prophecy of מְלָא is both present reality and future hope. See Also Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; John 1:14-16; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:18; Revelation 11:15 Forms and Transliterations הִתְמְלִ֣י התמלי וּמְלָ֥ת ומלת hiṯ·mə·lî hitmeLi hiṯməlî ū·mə·lāṯ umeLat ūməlāṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:35 HEB: לְט֥וּר רַ֖ב וּמְלָ֥ת כָּל־ אַרְעָֽא׃ NAS: mountain and filled the whole KJV: mountain, and filled the whole INT: mountain A great and filled the whole earth Daniel 3:19 2 Occurrences |
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