מְלָאכָה
𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤄
mᵉlâʼkâh
H4399 noun
SILEX Entry
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
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot 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 |