מִכְלָאָה
𐤌𐤊𐤋𐤀𐤄
miklâʼâh
H4356 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A pen or enclosure for livestock, primarily used to house herds or flocks such as sheep or goats; more generally, an enclosed space or fold designed to secure animals. The term specifically denotes a physical structure or bounded area set aside for keeping animals safely contained.
Semantic Range
animal pen, enclosure for livestock, sheepfold, paddock, place of confinement for animals
Root / Etymology
From the root כלא (k-l-ʼ), meaning 'to shut in, restrain, confine'. מִכְלָאָה is a feminine noun formation, likely utilizing the nominal pattern miqtālâh, which often denotes an instrument or place associated with the root action. Thus, מִכְלָאָה denotes a 'place of confinement'—here, specifically for livestock.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical Hebrew, מִכְלָאָה occurs as a technical term for an animal enclosure used in agrarian and pastoral contexts, notably in 2 Chronicles 32:28 in the context of royal storehouses and animal management under Hezekiah. The term is closely related to מִכְלָה (miklāh), which appears with similar meaning. Both derive from the root כלא ('to confine'), but the form מִכְלָאָה is slightly more specialized in its reference to an animal pen. While English translations sometimes use 'fold', 'pen', or 'enclosure', such renderings may obscure the term’s connotation of controlled, purpose-built containment. In contrast with צֹאן (flock) or דיר (sheepfold), מִכְלָאָה emphasizes the constructed or institutional aspect of animal husbandry. This term reflects the organization of agricultural society during the monarchic periods, when animal pens signified economic wealth and careful management. Its use in late monarchic and post-exilic periods suggests increasing attention to efficiency and storage infrastructure, especially for royal or wealthy estates.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מִכְלָה; from כָּלָא; a pen (for flocks); (sheep-)fold. Compare מִכְלָה.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כלא (k-l-ʾ) — to confine, restrain, shut in
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3607 | כָּלָא | I restrain |
| H3608 | כֶּלֶא | the confinement-place |
| H3610 | כִּלְאַיִם | two-kind mixture |
| H3628 | כְּלִיא | the confinement-place |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4356-03 |
מִ֝/מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗י/ךָ | mimikheleoteykha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2ms |
from your folds | your enclosures | 1 |
H4356-02 |
מִֽ/מִּכְלְאֹ֥ת | mimikheleot | HR/Ncbpc |
from the sheepfolds | livestock enclosures of | 1 |
H4356-01 |
מִ/מִּכְלָה֙ | mimikhelah | HR/Ncbsa |
from the fold | livestock enclosure | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4356-01 |
Habakkuk 3:17 | מִ/מִּכְלָה֙ | mimikhelah | HR/Ncbsa |
from the fold | livestock enclosure |
H4356-03 |
Psalms 50:9 | מִ֝/מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗י/ךָ | mimikheleoteykha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2ms |
from your folds | your enclosures |
H4356-02 |
Psalms 78:70 | מִֽ/מִּכְלְאֹ֥ת | mimikheleot | HR/Ncbpc |
from the sheepfolds | livestock enclosures of |