Μελχί
Melchí
G3197 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name; Melchi. A personal name used to designate individuals, derived from a Hebrew name meaning 'my king.' In Hellenistic Greek contexts, Μελχί is a transliteration of the Hebrew name מַלְכִּי (Malki), expressing possession or relationship ('my king'), often used as a component within longer names. In the New Testament, Μελχί refers specifically to two individuals in Lukan genealogies.
Semantic Range
personal name; transliterated Semitic proper name; in context, refers to two individuals in Judean genealogies
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew מַלְכִּי (Malki), combining the noun מֶלֶךְ (melek, 'king') with the first-person singular pronominal suffix י- ('my'). Μελχί is a direct transliteration into Greek script; suffix indicates possession in Hebrew. Not native to Greek; a Hebraism.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Μελχί appears solely as a proper name in the Lukan genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:24, 28), identifying two otherwise unknown individuals. The name preserves Semitic naming conventions among Judeans in the late Second Temple period, reflecting ancestral continuity. In the Septuagint and wider Greek literature, this form does not function as a common noun or title, but strictly as a personal name. The rendering as 'Melchi' in English Bibles is a phonetic transcription following the Greek, rather than a translation of meaning. Standard translations do not convey the underlying sense ('my king') inherent in the original Hebrew name. The Greek use reflects Hellenistic Jewish practice of transliterating Hebrew personal names with minimal adaptation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (מֶלֶךְ with pronominal suffix, my king); Melchi (i.e. Malki), the name of two Israelites:--Melchi.
Root Family
Μελχί (Melchi) — my king, one belonging to the king, personal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3197-01 |
Μελχεὶ | melchei | N GEN M SG |
Melchi | of My-King | Melchi | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences