Lexical Summary melek: king, king's, kings Original Word: מְלַךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance king, royal (Aramaic) corresponding to melek; a king -- king, royal. see HEBREW melek NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to melek Definition king NASB Translation King (20), king (127), king's (16), kings (14), royal (3). Topical Lexicon Overview and Semantic Range The Aramaic verb מְלַךְ appears chiefly in the exilic and post-exilic writings where Aramaic is employed (Daniel 2–7; Ezra 4–7; one occurrence in Jeremiah 10:7). It denotes the act of reigning, becoming king, or exercising royal authority. While applied to human monarchs, the verb also frames explicit declarations of God’s unrivaled kingship, weaving together the temporal rule of men with the eternal reign of the Most High. Distribution of Occurrences • Daniel: 137 times Total: approximately 179–180 occurrences, depending on textual tradition. The density in Daniel underscores a sustained theological dialogue on sovereignty amid exile, whereas Ezra’s occurrences focus on Persian imperial administration. Kingship in the Court Narratives of Daniel 1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Rise and Humbled Reign – Daniel 2–4 repeatedly employs מְלַךְ to highlight the transitory nature of Babylonian power. Daniel 2:37 addresses him: “You, O king, are a king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion, power, strength, and glory.” Nebuchadnezzar’s boasting (4:30) and subsequent humbling (4:31–34) serve as a paradigm warning against pride. Kingship and Divine Sovereignty in Daniel’s Visions Daniel 7 employs the verb both for the successive beastly empires and the final, everlasting dominion of the “One like a Son of Man.” Daniel 7:27 culminates: “His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” The contrast between transient earthly reigns and the eternal kingdom is the theological linchpin of the book. Usage in Ezra’s Imperial Correspondence Letters to and from Artaxerxes, Darius, and Cyrus are preserved in Aramaic (Ezra 4:7–6:18; 7:12-26). Here מְלַךְ structures bureaucratic formulas: “King Artaxerxes” (Ezra 7:12), “Let it be known to the king” (4:14). The verb underlines the foreign throne’s legal power, yet Ezra 6:14 attributes the project’s success to “the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia,” recognizing divine agency above imperial sponsorship. The Reign of God over Earthly Kingdoms Daniel 4:17: “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.” The passive or impersonal use of מְלַךְ in relation to God’s allocation of rule makes His kingship the interpretive key to history. Daniel 2:44 further states, “In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.” Eschatological Significance The verb anticipates New Testament revelation of Christ’s kingly office. Daniel 7’s Aramaic proclamation of an everlasting kingdom prefigures Luke 1:33, “His kingdom will never end.” Revelation echoes Danielic motifs, affirming that the kingdoms of this world become “the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). Ministry and Discipleship Applications 1. Assurance in Political Upheaval – Believers can rest in the truth that God “removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21). Related Hebrew and Greek Concepts • Hebrew מֶלֶךְ (H4428) – noun “king,” furnishing the root concept across Testaments. Summary The Aramaic verb מְלַךְ frames the canonical discussion of kingship during Israel’s exile, juxtaposing fragile human monarchies with God’s immutable dominion. It calls the faithful to recognize divine sovereignty, live humbly under earthly authorities, and hope confidently in the coming, righteous reign of Messiah. Forms and Transliterations וּמֶ֤לֶךְ וּמַלְכִ֣ין וּמַלְכָּ֖א וּמַלְכָּ֣א וּמַלְכָּ֤א ומלך ומלכא ומלכין לְמֶ֣לֶךְ לְמַלְכָּ֑א לְמַלְכָּ֔א לְמַלְכָּ֗א לְמַלְכָּ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֥א לְמַלְכָּֽא׃ לְמַלְכָּא֙ למלך למלכא למלכא׃ מֶ֖לֶךְ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־ מַלְכִ֑ין מַלְכִ֖ים מַלְכִ֖ין מַלְכִֽין׃ מַלְכִין֙ מַלְכַיָּ֑א מַלְכַיָּ֣א מַלְכָּ֑א מַלְכָּ֔א מַלְכָּ֕א מַלְכָּ֖א מַלְכָּ֗א מַלְכָּ֛א מַלְכָּ֜א מַלְכָּ֡א מַלְכָּ֣א מַלְכָּ֤א מַלְכָּ֤ה מַלְכָּ֥א מַלְכָּ֨א מַלְכָּֽא׃ מַלְכָּא֒ מַלְכָּא֙ מַלְכָּא֮ מלך מלך־ מלכא מלכא׃ מלכה מלכיא מלכים מלכין מלכין׃ lə·mal·kā lə·me·leḵ lemalKa ləmalkā leMelech ləmeleḵ mal·kā mal·kāh mal·ḵay·yā mal·ḵîm mal·ḵîn malchaiYa malChim malChin malKa malkā malKah malkāh malḵayyā malḵîm malḵîn me·leḵ me·leḵ- Melech meleḵ meleḵ- ū·mal·kā ū·mal·ḵîn ū·me·leḵ umalChin umalKa ūmalkā ūmalḵîn uMelech ūmeleḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:8 HEB: יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥שְׂתְּא מַלְכָּ֖א כְּנֵֽמָא׃ NAS: Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, KJV: to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: INT: Jerusalem Artaxerxes to King follows Ezra 4:11 Ezra 4:12 Ezra 4:13 Ezra 4:13 Ezra 4:14 Ezra 4:14 Ezra 4:15 Ezra 4:16 Ezra 4:17 Ezra 4:19 Ezra 4:20 Ezra 4:22 Ezra 4:23 Ezra 4:24 Ezra 5:6 Ezra 5:7 Ezra 5:8 Ezra 5:11 Ezra 5:12 Ezra 5:13 Ezra 5:13 Ezra 5:14 Ezra 5:17 Ezra 5:17 180 Occurrences |
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