מְלָאכָה

𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤄

mᵉlâʼkâh

H4399 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מלא to fill, to accomplish, to complete

Definition

Work, task, activity involving effort or craftsmanship; refers to (1) work performed (physical, technical, or administrative), (2) an act, deed, or accomplishment, (3) business, assignment, or function. Distinguished from labor performed by servants/slaves (עֲבֹדָה) and more regularly associated with skilled or purposeful activity.

Semantic Range

work, task, business, occupation, deed, accomplishment, official duty, craft, skilled enterprise, act, piece of work

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root מ-ל-א (מלא), meaning 'to fill, accomplish, complete.' The noun is a feminine derivation indicating 'that which is done' or 'work completed.' Related to מַלְאָךְ (messenger, one who is sent to accomplish something), but מְלָאכָה is strictly non-personal, denoting the act or thing done, not the agent.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מְלָאכָה is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to refer to skilled, intentional, or formal work, including craftsmanship (construction of the Tabernacle, artisan labor), as well as sacrificial or priestly tasks. It frequently appears in contexts regulating Sabbath observance, as the category of activity prohibited ("no work shall be done on it"). Unlike עֲבֹדָה (labor, service, frequently menial or servile), מְלָאכָה is generally not used for forced labor or service, but rather highlights occupation, artistry, or official tasks. During exilic and post-exilic periods, it continued to refer to occupational activity and assignments, sometimes extending metaphorically to official state duties. Most traditional English translations render it "work," "business," "task," or "occupation," though the breadth of its usage (from creative to administrative) is often richer than these words suggest.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as מֲלְאָךְ; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor); business, [phrase] cattle, [phrase] industrious, occupation, ([phrase] -pied), [phrase] officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מלא (m-l-ʾ) — to fill, to accomplish, to complete

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3229 יִמְלָא He-will-be-full
H4390 מָלֵא I will fill up
H4391 מְלָא he filled himself
H4392 מָלֵא the fullness
H4393 מְלֹא fullness of

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4399-05 הַ/מְּלָאכָ֤ה hamelakhah HTd/Ncfsa the work the accomplished work 41
H4399-12 מְלָאכָה֙ melakhah HNcfsa work skilled work 41
H4399-15 מְלֶ֥אכֶת melekhet HNcfsc work skilled work of 37
H4399-14 מְלַאכְתּ֖/וֹ melakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his work his accomplished work 7
H4399-01 בַּ/מְּלָאכָֽה bamelakhah HRd/Ncfsa in the work in the accomplished task 6
H4399-06 לַ/מְּלָאכָ֔ה lamelakhah HRd/Ncfsa for the work for the accomplished task 5
H4399-07 לִ/מְלָאכָ֑ה limelakhah HR/Ncfsa for work for skilled work 5
H4399-04 בִּ/מְלֶ֥אכֶת bimelekhet HR/Ncfsc in the work in the accomplished-work of 4
H4399-13 מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ melakhetekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your work your accomplished work 4
H4399-03 בִּ/מְלַאכְתּ֗/וֹ bimelakheto HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms in his work in his accomplished-work 3

Occurrences in Scripture

167 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4399-14 Genesis 2:2 מְלַאכְתּ֖/וֹ melakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his work his accomplished work
H4399-14 Genesis 2:2 מְלַאכְתּ֖/וֹ melakheto-2 HNcfsc/Sp3ms his work his accomplished work
H4399-14 Genesis 2:3 מְלַאכְתּ֔/וֹ melakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms His work his accomplished work
H4399-05 Genesis 33:14 הַ/מְּלָאכָ֤ה hamelakhah HTd/Ncfsa the livestock/work the accomplished work
H4399-14 Genesis 39:11 מְלַאכְתּ֑/וֹ melakheto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his work his accomplished work
H4399-12 Exodus 12:16 מְלָאכָה֙ melakhah HNcfsa work skilled work
H4399-13 Exodus 20:9 מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ melakhetekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your-work your accomplished work
H4399-12 Exodus 20:10 מְלָאכָ֜ה melakhah HNcfsa work skilled work
H4399-04 Exodus 22:7 בִּ/מְלֶ֥אכֶת bimelekhet HR/Ncfsc in the property in the accomplished-work of
H4399-04 Exodus 22:10 בִּ/מְלֶ֣אכֶת bimelekhet HR/Ncfsc in the work in the accomplished-work of