4772. margeloth

Lexical Summary

margeloth: Feet, places of the feet

Original Word: מַרְגְלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: marglah
Pronunciation: mar-guh-LOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-ghel-aw')
KJV: feet
NASB: feet
Word Origin: [denominative from H7272 (רֶגֶל - feet)]

1. (plural for collective) a footpiece, i.e. (adverbially) at the foot, or (direct.) the foot itself

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

feet

Denominative from regel; (plural for collective) a footpiece, i.e. (adverbially) at the foot, or (direct.) The foot itself -- feet. Compare mra'ashah.

see HEBREW regel

see HEBREW mra'ashah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as regel
Definition
place of the feet, feet
NASB Translation
feet (5).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[מַרְגְּלוֺת] noun [feminine]

plural denominative place of the feet, feet (compare [מְרַאֲשׁוֺת] below I. ראשׁ); &; suffix מַרְגְּםתָיו place of his feet Ruth 3:4,7; adverb = at his feet Ruth 3:8 + Ruth 3:14 Qr (Kt מרגלתו); = his feet Daniel 10:6 (opposed to זְרֹעֹתָיו).

Topical Lexicon

Scriptural usage

מַרְגְלָה appears five times: four in the narrative of Ruth 3 and once in Daniel 10:6. In every occurrence it denotes the foot-place or the extremity of one’s body or bedding. The term therefore gathers its meaning from posture—where one places oneself in relation to another’s feet—and from appearance, as in Daniel’s vision.

Covenant gesture in Ruth (Ruth 3:4, 7, 8, 14)

At the threshing floor Ruth positions herself “at his feet” (Ruth 3:7), a culturally loaded act of humility and petition. By uncovering Boaz’s feet and lying there, she signifies:

1. Submission and dependence. Sitting or lying at someone’s feet invokes the recognized place of a servant (cf. Deuteronomy 33:3; Luke 10:39).
2. Request for covering. Immediately afterward she appeals, “Spread your cloak over your servant, for you are a kinsman-redeemer” (Ruth 3:9). The uncovered feet create both a need and an opportunity for Boaz to cover—an enacted prayer for redemption and marriage.
3. Covenant hope. The threshing floor scene foreshadows the Messiah’s redemptive work: a marginalized foreigner brought under covenant care through the gracious initiative of a redeemer (Ruth 4:13–17; Matthew 1:5).

Revelatory imagery in Daniel (Daniel 10:6)

Daniel sees a glorious figure “whose arms and legs were like the gleam of polished bronze.” The shining margelot (legs/feet) stress:

1. Majestic holiness. Burnished bronze evokes purity refined by fire (cf. Revelation 1:15).
2. Stability and power. Feet fashioned of metal communicate immovability, contrasting the fragile mixed feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue (Daniel 2:33).
3. Eschatological assurance. The radiant figure announces history under divine control (Daniel 10:14); His luminous feet stand as a pledge that no earthly kingdom will overthrow God’s purposes.

Theological significance

1. Posture before the Redeemer. Ruth 3 teaches that blessing is received when one submits at the Redeemer’s feet. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
2. Revelation proceeds from a place of lowliness. Daniel collapses before the vision (Daniel 10:9). True insight arises when humans acknowledge their position beneath the glorious feet of the Lord.
3. From humility to honor. Ruth rises from Boaz’s feet to become ancestress of David; Daniel, though trembling at the feet of the heavenly messenger, is strengthened to receive prophecy. Both narratives trace the biblical movement from lowliness to exaltation (Philippians 2:5–11).

Practical ministry insights

• Personal devotion: Take time figuratively to sit at Christ’s feet in Scripture meditation (Luke 10:39).
• Intercession: Approach God’s throne with Ruth-like bold humility—confident in redemption yet aware of unworthiness (Hebrews 4:16).
• Leadership: Like Boaz, recognize and respond to those who come in need; the threshing floor becomes a ministry floor when grace covers the vulnerable.
• Hope amid turmoil: Daniel’s vision reminds the church that the One with bronze-gleaming feet stands unshakable over the nations.

Related concepts

Feet as locus of worship and authority: Exodus 24:10; Psalm 110:1; Mark 5:22.

Covering as covenant motif: Ezekiel 16:8; Isaiah 61:10.

Forms and Transliterations

וּמַרְגְּלֹתָ֔יו ומרגלתיו מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו מַרְגְּלֹתָֽיו׃ מַרְגְּלֹותָיו֙ מרגלותיו מרגלתיו מרגלתיו׃ mar·gə·lō·ṯāw mar·gə·lō·w·ṯāw margeloTav margəlōṯāw margəlōwṯāw ū·mar·gə·lō·ṯāw umargeloTav ūmargəlōṯāw

Englishman's Concordance

Ruth 3:4
HEB: וּבָ֛את וְגִלִּ֥ית מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו [וְשָׁכָבְתִּי כ]
NAS: and uncover his feet and lie down;
KJV: and uncover his feet, and lay thee down;
INT: shall go and uncover his feet down he

Ruth 3:7
HEB: בַלָּ֔ט וַתְּגַ֥ל מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו וַתִּשְׁכָּֽב׃
NAS: and uncovered his feet and lay down.
KJV: and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
INT: secretly and uncovered his feet down

Ruth 3:8
HEB: אִשָּׁ֔ה שֹׁכֶ֖בֶת מַרְגְּלֹתָֽיו׃
NAS: a woman was lying at his feet.
KJV: lay at his feet.
INT: A woman was lying his feet

Ruth 3:14
HEB: [מַרְגְּלָתַו כ] (מַרְגְּלֹותָיו֙ ק) עַד־
NAS: So she lay at his feet until morning
KJV: And she lay at his feet until the morning:
INT: lay feet until morning

Daniel 10:6
HEB: אֵ֔שׁ וּזְרֹֽעֹתָיו֙ וּמַרְגְּלֹתָ֔יו כְּעֵ֖ין נְחֹ֣שֶׁת
NAS: his arms and feet like the gleam
KJV: and his arms and his feet like in colour
INT: flaming his arms and feet the gleam bronze

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4772
5 Occurrences

mar·gə·lō·ṯāw — 4 Occ.
ū·mar·gə·lō·ṯāw — 1 Occ.