מָלַק
𐤌𐤋𐤒
mâlaq
H4454 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To sever or dislocate, specifically to pinch or break the neck (chiefly of a bird), especially in the context of ritual sacrifice in the tabernacle or temple. The sense of the verb uniquely refers to the method prescribed for slaughtering birds for offerings, which entailed pinching or wringing the neck at the nape, often without full decapitation.
Semantic Range
to pinch or dislocate a neck (esp. of a bird), to break or sever at the nape, to kill by wringing neck (exclusively in sacrificial context), to pinch off (rare or figurative)
Root / Etymology
From the root מ־ל־ק (מל״ק), which conveys the idea of pinching, breaking, or cutting sharply. The actual verb מָלַק is derived from this root and specialized in application to ritual slaughter of birds in priestly legislation. The precise original sense has been debated, but suggestions center on an act of severing or pinching off. The term does not appear in related Semitic languages with the exact same meaning; some Aramaic opinions connect it with acts of pinching or tearing, but the etymology is largely drawn from Hebrew ritual context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָלַק appears almost exclusively in Leviticus (e.g., Lev 1:15; 5:8), always in legal passages prescribing how a priest is to kill a bird for sacrifice—distinct from other verbs of slaughter like שָׁחַט (to slaughter, usually with a knife). The method indicated by מָלַק is recognized as unique to ritual sacrifice: the priest pinches or wrings the bird's neck with his fingernails or hands, arguably without full decapitation (cf. instructions not to sever the head completely). The verb is not used for non-ritual killing or for non-avian creatures. Later translation traditions (including rabbinic literature and classical versions) expanded or debated the precise mechanics of the act; some renderings loosely paraphrase as 'wring off' or 'pinch,' but always reserved for cultic context. English translations often obscure the technicality and ritual specificity of the act with generic terms like 'wring off' or 'kill.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to crack a joint; by implication, to wring the neck of afowl (without separating it); wring off.
Bantu Hebrew
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מל״ק (m-l-q) — pinching, severing, dislocating, wringing
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4454-01 |
וּ/מָלַק֙ | umalaq | HC/Vqq3ms |
and he shall wring off | and he wrung the neck | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4454-01 |
Leviticus 1:15 | וּ/מָלַק֙ | umalaq | HC/Vqq3ms |
and he shall wring off | and he wrung the neck |
H4454-01 |
Leviticus 5:8 | וּ/מָלַ֧ק | umalaq | HC/Vqq3ms |
and wring off | and he wrung the neck |