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מִלָּה

𐤌𐤋𐤄

millâh

H4405 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מלל to speak, to say, to utter

Definition

A word, utterance, or spoken statement; also, an entire discourse, speech, or message. Often denotes a single word or verbal element but can be used more broadly for something said, a matter under discussion, a theme, or issue. Contextually ranges from an uttered word to a sustained discourse or message, especially in poetic or wisdom literature.

Semantic Range

word, utterance, thing said, speech, discourse, matter (in context of speech), theme, topic, something to say

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root מלל (m-l-l), meaning 'to speak,' 'to utter,' or 'to say.' The noun מִלָּה (millâh) is a feminine form derived from this root, emphasizing the product of speech, i.e., the word or discourse itself. While related to the common Hebrew word דָּבָר (dābār, 'word,' 'thing,' 'matter'), millâh specifically emphasizes the element of speech or spoken articulation rather than substance or deed.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִלָּה appears predominantly in poetic and wisdom contexts (such as Job and Psalms), and less frequently in narrative prose. Compared to דָּבָר, which is used widely for both 'word' and 'matter' and can even refer to events or things, מִלָּה keeps a tighter semantic focus on the spoken aspect or the word itself. In poetry, it is often used for stylistic reasons or to emphasize speech rather than the object of speech. In later Hebrew (including post-biblical and modern usage), millâh becomes the standard term for 'word.' In ancient texts, its usage is more specialized and less frequent. English translations often render millâh as 'word,' 'speech,' 'thing to say,' or 'matter,' but these can obscure its poetic nuance. It does not bear the legal or official connotation that דָּבָר sometimes does; nor does it share דָּבָר’s broader semantic field covering 'deed' or 'event.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from מָלַל (plural masculine as if from מִלֶּה; a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic; [phrase] answer, by-word, matter, any thing (what) to say, to speak(-ing), speak, talking, word.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מלל (m-l-l) — to speak, to say, to utter

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4406 מִלָּה utterance
H4413 מַלּוֹתִי to My Utterance
H4425 מְלִילָה cropped grain-heads
H4448 מָלַל he solemnly uttered
H4449 מְלַל he declared

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4405-11 מִלִּ֣ין milin HNcfpa words spoken words 10
H4405-10 מִלִּ֣ים milim HNcfpa words spoken words 6
H4405-07 מִלָּ֑/י milay HNcfpc/Sp1cs my words my spoken words 5
H4405-06 מִלָּתִ֑/י milati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my speech my utterance 4
H4405-09 מִלֶּֽי/ךָ mileykha HNcfpc/Sp2ms your words your spoken words 2
H4405-14 בְ/מִלִּֽים vemilim HR/Ncfpa from words in utterances 2
H4405-05 מִ֭לָּה milah HNcfsa a word spoken word 1
H4405-04 לְ/מִלִּ֑ין lemilin HR/Ncfpa for-words for utterances 1
H4405-02 בְּ֝/מִלִּ֗ין bemilin HR/Ncfpa from words in utterances 1
H4405-15 בְ/מִלִּ֗ין vemilin HR/Ncfpa by words in utterances 1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4405-12 2 Samuel 23:2 וּ/מִלָּת֖/וֹ umilato HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms and-his-word his utterance
H4405-08 Psalms 19:5 מִלֵּי/הֶ֑ם mileyhem HNcfpc/Sp3mp their words their utterances
H4405-05 Psalms 139:4 מִ֭לָּה milah HNcfsa a word spoken word
H4405-09 Proverbs 23:9 מִלֶּֽי/ךָ mileykha HNcfpc/Sp2ms your words your spoken words
H4405-02 Job 4:2 בְּ֝/מִלִּ֗ין bemilin HR/Ncfpa from words in utterances
H4405-09 Job 4:4 מִלֶּ֑י/ךָ mileykha HNcfpc/Sp2ms your words your spoken words
H4405-10 Job 6:26 מִלִּ֣ים milim HNcfpa words spoken words
H4405-10 Job 8:10 מִלִּֽים milim HNcfpa words spoken words
H4405-11 Job 12:11 מִלִּ֣ין milin HNcfpa words spoken words
H4405-06 Job 13:17 מִלָּתִ֑/י milati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my speech my utterance
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