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מַלְכָּם

𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤌

Malekam

H4445 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מלך to reign, to be king, to rule

Definition

Proper noun; a deity associated with the Ammonites, traditionally identified as the chief god or dynastic god of the Ammonite people, commonly rendered as 'Milkom' or 'Malcam.' In several biblical passages, may also serve as a personified representation of kingship or a dynastic protector. The name is a theophoric form indicating possession or association with 'king.'

Semantic Range

Ammonite deity (protector or dynastic god), personified representation of kingship, 'their king' (in some contexts), royal title used for the chief god of Ammonites; personal name in theophoric usage

Root / Etymology

From the root מ־ל־ך (מלך), meaning 'to reign, be king,' with the suffix -ָם (-am), denoting either possession ('their king') or a theophoric or proper name form. The formation parallels other Semitic divine names constructed from titles or roles.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, Malcam or Milcom appears as the principal deity venerated by the Ammonites (notably in 1 Kings 11:5, 33; 2 Kings 23:13; Jeremiah 49:1, 3; Zephaniah 1:5). The textual form alternates between מַלְכָּם (Malkam), מִלְכּוֹם (Milkôm), and sometimes overlaps with the general Hebrew word for 'their king.' Scholars have debated whether some references are to a deity or human rulers due to the shared root and contextual ambiguity (e.g., Jeremiah 49:1, 3). In translation tradition, both 'Milcom' and 'their king' are attested, leading some English translations to opt for one or the other contextually. The relation to מֹלֶךְ (Molek/Molech) is debated; while the forms are similar and emerge from the same verbal root, biblical texts treat Milcom/Malcam as specifically Ammonite, whereas Molek/Molech is associated with a broader, more infamous cult in Israelite polemic literature. The use of 'Malcham' or 'Milcom' in English Bibles does not always distinguish between the personal deity and the abstract concept of kingship, reflecting translation ambiguity. Over the course of biblical literature, the deity's significance is primarily found in the Monarchic and exilic periods; post-exilic Israelite and later Judean texts refer to the deity primarily in historical or polemical contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מִלְכּוֹם; from מֶלֶךְ for מֹלֶךְ; Malcam or Milcom, the national idol of the Ammonites; Malcham, Milcom.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מלך (m-l-k) — to reign, to be king, to rule

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3230 יַמְלֵךְ He-Will-Reign
H4409 מַלּוּךְ to Reigning-One
H4427 מָלַךְ in his reigning
H4428 מֶלֶךְ among the kings
H4429 מֶלֶךְ the sovereign

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4445-04 וּ/לְ/מִלְכֹּ֖ם ulemilekom HC/R/Np and for Milcom and to Milkom 2
H4445-02 מַלְכָּֽם malekam HNp Malcham their king 1
H4445-03 מִלְכֹּ֔ם milekom HNp Milcom Their-King 1
H4445-01 בְּ/מַלְכָּֽ/ם bemalekam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp by their king with their king 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4445-03 1 Kings 11:5 מִלְכֹּ֔ם milekom HNp Milcom Their-King
H4445-04 1 Kings 11:33 וּ/לְ/מִלְכֹּ֖ם ulemilekom HC/R/Np and to Milcom and to Milkom
H4445-04 2 Kings 23:13 וּ/לְ/מִלְכֹּ֖ם ulemilekom HC/R/Np and for Milcom and to Milkom
H4445-01 Zephaniah 1:5 בְּ/מַלְכָּֽ/ם bemalekam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp by their king with their king
H4445-02 1 Chronicles 8:9 מַלְכָּֽם malekam HNp Malcham their king
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