מְלִילָה
𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄
mᵉlîylâh
H4425 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An individual head or spike of grain, especially the portion containing kernels that can be detached and eaten or processed. The term denotes an ear of grain, typically after it has matured and can be plucked or rubbed by hand. It refers primarily to the fruiting portion of cereal crops such as wheat or barley.
Semantic Range
ear (head) of grain, separated grain heads, portion of grain ready for eating by rubbing, edible kernels detached from the stalk
Root / Etymology
From the root מָלַל (malal), meaning 'to cut off, crop, or prune.' The form מְלִילָה is a noun derived from this root, specifically referring to something that has been separated or cropped off, namely, the ear or head of grain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְלִילָה is most notably used in Deuteronomy 23:25[24] and 2 Kings 4:42, referring to the actions of picking or rubbing heads of grain. The practice involved detaching the grain heads (מְלִילוֹת) by hand, then rubbing them to remove the husks and access the edible kernels—commonly done as a simple means of sustenance by travelers or laborers. Unlike terms such as שִׁבֹּלֶת (shibboleth), which can refer to the ear or stalk as a whole, מְלִילָה emphasizes the part fit to be consumed after minimal processing. The word appears in contexts where manual gathering of ready-to-eat grain occurs, rather than in more technical, agricultural usage. English translations as 'ear of grain' or 'head of grain' capture the basic sense but sometimes miss the nuance of the ready-to-eat, hand-rubbed aspect suggested by the Hebrew context. This term remains attested in post-biblical Hebrew, retaining a focus on separated or threshed grain heads. It does not denote a sheaf or bundled stalks but rather the individual, consumable part.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מְלַל (in the sense of cropping (compare מוּל)); a head of grain (as cut off); ear.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מלל (m-l-l) — to cut off, crop, prune
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4405 | מִלָּה | in uttered words |
| H4406 | מִלָּה | utterance |
| H4413 | מַלּוֹתִי | to My Utterance |
| H4448 | מָלַל | he solemnly uttered |
| H4449 | מְלַל | he declared |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4425-01 |
מְלִילֹ֖ת | melilot | HNcfpa |
ears of grain | cropped grain-heads | ears of grain | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4425-01 |
Deuteronomy 23:26 | מְלִילֹ֖ת | melilot | HNcfpa |
ears of grain | cropped grain-heads | ears of grain |