Lexical Summary mamlakuth: Kingdom, reign, sovereignty, dominion Original Word: מַמְלָכוּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance kingdom, reign A form of mamlakah and equiv. To it -- kingdom, reign. see HEBREW mamlakah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as melek Definition kingdom, dominion, reign NASB Translation kingdom (8), reign (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מַמְלָכוּת] noun feminine kingdom, dominion, reign (on form compare We1Samuel 15:28 Dron the passage id.); — construct מַמְלְכוּת Joshua 13:12 + 8t.; 1 kingdom of Og Joshua 13:12,30,31; of Sihon Joshua 13:21; Joshua 13:27. 2 dominion, royal power with קָרַע מֵעַל (subject ׳י) 1 Samuel 15:28; with הֵשִׁיב לְ (hum. subject) 2 Samuel 16:3; with הִשְׁבִּית Hosea 1:4. 3 reign ׳בְּרֵאשִׁית מַמ Jeremiah 26:1 (compare מַמְלָכָה 3, מַלְכוּת 2). Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Theological Emphasis מַמְלָכוּת identifies an organized realm under royal authority, whether occupied by pagan rulers or by the covenant people. Scripture presents every earthly מַמְלָכוּת as ultimately subject to the sovereign rule of the LORD, who both grants and removes dominion according to His covenant purposes (Psalm 22:28). Occurrences in Joshua: Testimony of Conquest and Covenant Fulfillment Five of the nine appearances cluster in Joshua 13, where the book catalogues subdued kingdoms east of the Jordan. “Moses defeated them and dispossessed the Amorites of their kingdoms” (Joshua 13:12). Here מַמְלָכוּת underscores the completeness of Israel’s inheritance: no territory remained under autonomous royal control once Yahweh delivered it into Israel’s hand. The repeated term supports the Abrahamic promise that the land would become Israel’s possession, demonstrating divine faithfulness despite Israel’s earlier wilderness unbelief. Monarchy Themes in Samuel: Divine Grant and Withdrawal 1 Samuel 15:28 records Samuel’s verdict on Saul: “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.” The term heightens the seriousness of covenant disobedience; Saul’s military success could not secure his מַמְלָכוּת when he disregarded the word of the LORD. Conversely, 2 Samuel 16:3 portrays contested claims during Absalom’s revolt: “Today the house of Israel will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.” The narrative contrasts human ambition with God’s sovereign choice of David, anticipating Messiah’s everlasting reign (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Prophetic Usage: Announcing Judgment and Hope Jeremiah opens the reign of Jehoiakim: “At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD” (Jeremiah 26:1). The prophet’s ministry unfolds amid international turmoil, showing how Judah’s מַמְלָכוּת totters when the covenant is spurned. Hosea’s warning is more abrupt: “I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel… I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel” (Hosea 1:4). The northern monarchy, birthed through rebellion, would dissolve because of persistent idolatry—yet Hosea continues to promise ultimate restoration (Hosea 3:5), keeping hope tethered to God’s unchanging covenant love. Historical Significance Across these texts מַמְלָכוּת is not a static political construct; it is a narrative marker tracking Israel’s spiritual condition. In Joshua it signals victory; in Samuel it becomes a barometer of obedience; in the Prophets it becomes a term of indictment and, implicitly, of messianic expectation. Each shift exposes the conditional nature of human reign versus the unconditional sovereignty of God. Christological Trajectory and New Testament Continuity Old-Testament מַמְלָכוּת anticipates the New-Testament proclamation, “The kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). David’s forfeitable earthly throne prepares hearts for the everlasting dominion of the Son of David (Luke 1:32-33). The fall of Israel’s northern kingdom and the exile of Judah both accentuate the need for a kingdom “that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). Ministry Application 1. God alone establishes and removes rulers; therefore believers trust His providence in civic affairs (Romans 13:1). Forms and Transliterations מַמְלְכ֖וּת מַמְלְכ֗וּת מַמְלְכ֛וּת מַמְלְכ֣וּת ׀ מַמְלְכ֥וּת מַמְלְכ֧וּת ממלכות mam·lə·ḵūṯ mamleChut mamləḵūṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 13:12 HEB: כָּל־ מַמְלְכ֥וּת עוֹג֙ בַּבָּשָׁ֔ן NAS: all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, KJV: All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, INT: all the kingdom of Og Bashan Joshua 13:21 Joshua 13:27 Joshua 13:30 Joshua 13:31 1 Samuel 15:28 2 Samuel 16:3 Jeremiah 26:1 Hosea 1:4 9 Occurrences |
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