אַלַּמֶּלֶךְ
𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊
Alamelekhe
H487 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a specific town or settlement assigned to the tribe of Naphtali; the name may be interpreted as 'oak (or terebinth) of the king,' although the precise significance remains uncertain. It appears as a geographical designation in the tribal allocations.
Semantic Range
proper name of a place, specifically a Naphtalite border town; 'oak (or terebinth) of the king' (possible literal meaning); location name incorporating royal association
Root / Etymology
Derived from two elements: אַלָּה (allāh, 'oak,' 'terebinth') and מֶלֶךְ (melek, 'king'), presumably in the construct state ('oak of the king'). This compound forms a toponym; the specific motivation or referent for the 'king' is not preserved in the biblical text. The word does not function outside this place-name context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַַלַּמֶּלֶךְ occurs only in Joshua 19:33 as one of the border towns of Naphtali. The first element, אַלָּה, generally refers to the large and prominent trees characteristic of the Levant, and is occasionally associated with place-names, suggesting a local landmark or sacred tree. The second element, מֶלֶךְ, is common in Israelite place-names and personal names, indicating possible royal, administrative, or cultic significance, but no further details about a specific king are offered in the context. The later English tradition of using the spelling 'Allammelech' or 'Alammelech' is a transliteration convention, but the ancient referent is obscure beyond this single textual occurrence. There is no evidence that the place had special royal or cultic associations beyond the meaning implied by its name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אַלָּה and מֶלֶךְ; oak of (the) king; Allammelek, a place in Palestine; Alammelech.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אלא, מלך (ʾ-l-h; m-l-k) — oak, terebinth, king, sovereignty
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H487-01 |
וְ/אַֽלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ | vealamelekhe | HC/Np |
and Allammelech | and Oak-of-the-King | and Alamelekhe | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H487-01 |
Joshua 19:26 | וְ/אַֽלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ | vealamelekhe | HC/Np |
and Allammelech | and Oak-of-the-King | and Alamelekhe |