Lexical Summary melal: uttering, speak, speaking Original Word: מְלַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance say, speaking (Aramaic) corresponding to malal; to speak -- say, speak(-ing). see HEBREW malal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to malal Definition to speak, say NASB Translation speak (1), speaking (1), spoke (1), uttering (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְלַל] verb Pa`el speak, say (so ᵑ7 Syriac; compare Biblical Hebrew מלל Pi`el (rare)); — Perfect3masculine singular מַלֵּל Daniel 6:22 he spoke with (עִם person); accusative of words, Imperfect3masculine singular י֫מַלִּ֔ל Daniel 7:25 (with לְצַד of God); so Participle active מְמַלִּל Daniel 7:8 (van d. H. here מְמַלֵּל), Daniel 7:20; feminine מְמַלֱּלָא (K§ 15d)) Daniel 7:11. Topical Lexicon Overview of Usage The verb appears five times in the Aramaic portions of the Book of Daniel, describing verbal expression. In Daniel 6:21 it characterizes a faithful servant addressing a pagan monarch; in Daniel 7:8, 7:11, 7:20, and 7:25 it depicts the boastful declarations of the apocalyptic “little horn.” The term thus spans the spectrum from obedient testimony to blasphemous arrogance. Situational Contexts 1. Daniel 6:21 – The exiled prophet answers the king from the lions’ den: “Then Daniel spoke with the king, ‘O king, live forever!’”. Here speech is the vehicle of respect, loyalty, and implicit testimony to God’s deliverance. Contrast Between Righteous and Arrogant Speech The single occurrence in chapter 6 contrasts sharply with the four in chapter 7. Daniel’s words are a brief acknowledgement of royal authority and, by implication, of God’s greater authority; the horn’s words are prolonged, prideful challenges to God Himself. Scripture thus juxtaposes humble dependence with insolent defiance, illustrating Proverbs 18:21’s principle that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Prophetic and Eschatological Implications Daniel 7 anticipates a final world ruler whose rhetoric will mirror the horn’s boastfulness. Revelation 13:5–6 echoes the theme: the beast is “given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies.” The verbal aggression foretold in Daniel crystallizes in the New Testament vision of the Antichrist, affirming the unity of prophetic revelation. Intertextual Echoes in the New Testament Paul warns that the “man of lawlessness … exalts himself over everything that is called God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), reflecting the horn’s self-aggrandizing speech. Peter urges believers to “keep your conduct honorable” so that “they may see your good deeds” (1 Peter 2:12), implicitly contrasting godly testimony with blasphemous claims. James 3:5 reminds the church that “the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts,” reiterating Daniel’s cautionary portrait. Practical Ministry Applications • Guarded Speech: Leaders and congregants alike must cultivate words that honor God, avoiding the pride that characterizes the horn. Conclusion The verb’s limited but strategic appearances trace the moral trajectory of speech from faithful witness to ultimate rebellion. Daniel’s respectful words foreshadow the redeemed tongue of the saints, while the horn’s boasts warn of a climactic confrontation in which God will vindicate His name and people. The study of this term therefore encourages believers to align their speech with the character of the Most High, anticipating the day when “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11). Forms and Transliterations יְמַלִּ֔ל ימלל מְמַלֱּלָ֑ה מְמַלִּ֣ל מְמַלִּ֥ל מַלִּ֑ל מלל ממלל ממללה mal·lil mallil mə·mal·lĕ·lāh mə·mal·lil memalleLah məmallĕlāh memalLil məmallil yə·mal·lil yemalLil yəmallilLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:21 HEB: עִם־ מַלְכָּ֖א מַלִּ֑ל מַלְכָּ֖א לְעָלְמִ֥ין NAS: Daniel spoke to the king, KJV: Then said Daniel unto INT: unto to the king spoke king forever Daniel 7:8 Daniel 7:11 Daniel 7:20 Daniel 7:25 5 Occurrences |
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