מֶ֫לֶךְ
king
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Absolute-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Grammatical forms
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Absolute 1,352 times (54%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Construct 892 times (35%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Construct 184 times (7%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Absolute 98 times (4%)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 2,526 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Page 1 of 10 — showing verses 1–200 of 1,919 distinct verses where H4428 appears, across 35 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Genesis 22 verses
- Genesis 14:1 מֶֽלֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim,
- Genesis 14:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ וּ/מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs conj + n c ms cs that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar).
- Genesis 14:5 וְ/הַ/מְּלָכִים֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
- Genesis 14:8 מֶֽלֶךְ וּ/מֶ֣לֶךְ וּ/מֶ֤לֶךְ וּ/מֶ֣לֶךְ וּ/מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs conj + n c ms cs conj + n c ms cs conj + n c ms cs conj + n c ms cs There went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar); and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim;
- Genesis 14:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מְלָכִ֖ים n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c mp against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
- Genesis 14:10 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the mountain.
- Genesis 14:17 מֶֽלֶךְ הַ/מְּלָכִ֖ים הַ/מֶּֽלֶךְ n c ms cs ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c ms The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (the same is the King's Valley).
- Genesis 14:18 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
- Genesis 14:21 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself."
- Genesis 14:22 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
- Genesis 17:6 וּ/מְלָכִ֖ים conj + n c mp I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.
- Genesis 17:16 מַלְכֵ֥י n c mp cs I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."
- Genesis 20:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
- Genesis 26:1 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
- Genesis 26:8 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
- Genesis 35:11 וּ/מְלָכִ֖ים conj + n c mp God said to him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your loins.
- Genesis 36:31 הַ/מְּלָכִ֔ים מֶ֖לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c mp n c ms These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the children of Israel.
- Genesis 39:20 הַ/מֶּ֖לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody.
- Genesis 40:1 מֶֽלֶךְ לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs prep + n c ms cs It happened after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
- Genesis 40:5 לְ/מֶ֣לֶךְ prep + n c ms cs They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
- Genesis 41:46 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
- Genesis 49:20 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Out of Asher his bread will be fat, He will yield royal dainties.
Exodus 14 verses
- Exodus 1:8 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn't know Joseph.
- Exodus 1:15 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,
- Exodus 1:17 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs But the midwives feared God, and didn't do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.
- Exodus 1:18 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?"
- Exodus 2:23 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs It happened in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
- Exodus 3:18 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.'
- Exodus 3:19 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs I know that the king of Egypt won't give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.
- Exodus 5:4 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"
- Exodus 6:11 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs "Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land."
- Exodus 6:13 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 6:27 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.
- Exodus 6:29 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs that Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you."
- Exodus 14:5 לְ/מֶ֣לֶךְ prep + n c ms cs It was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
- Exodus 14:8 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
Numbers 17 verses
- Numbers 20:14 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has happened to us:
- Numbers 20:17 הַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king's highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.
- Numbers 21:1 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.
- Numbers 21:21 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
- Numbers 21:22 הַ/מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ ptcl def.art + n c ms Let me pass through your land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed your border.
- Numbers 21:26 מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּ/מֶ֤לֶךְ n c ms cs prep + n c ms cs For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon.
- Numbers 21:29 לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ prep + n c ms cs Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh: He has given his sons as fugitives, His daughters into captivity, To Sihon king of the Amorites.
- Numbers 21:33 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs They turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
- Numbers 21:34 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh said to Moses, Don't fear him: for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.
- Numbers 22:4 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
- Numbers 22:10 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, [saying],
- Numbers 23:7 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs He took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, Come, defy Israel.
- Numbers 23:21 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms He has not saw iniquity in Jacob; Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel: Yahweh his God is with him, The shout of a king is among them.
- Numbers 24:7 מַלְכּ֔/וֹ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3ms Water shall flow from his buckets, His seed shall be in many waters, His king shall be higher than Agag, His kingdom shall be exalted.
- Numbers 31:8 מַלְכֵ֨י מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs n c mp cs They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword.
- Numbers 32:33 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities of it with [their] borders, even the cities of the land round about.
- Numbers 33:40 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 22 verses
- Deuteronomy 1:4 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei.
- Deuteronomy 2:24 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon: behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
- Deuteronomy 2:26 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
- Deuteronomy 2:30 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as at this day.
- Deuteronomy 3:1 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
- Deuteronomy 3:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh said to me, Don't fear him; for I have delivered him, and all his people, and his land, into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.
- Deuteronomy 3:3 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs So Yahweh our God delivered into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we struck him until none was left to him remaining.
- Deuteronomy 3:6 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones.
- Deuteronomy 3:8 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon;
- Deuteronomy 3:11 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs (For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; isn't it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length of it, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.)
- Deuteronomy 3:21 הַ/מְּלָכִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to these two kings: so shall Yahweh do to all the kingdoms where you go over.
- Deuteronomy 4:46 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck, when they came forth out of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 4:47 מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵ֣י n c ms cs n c mp cs They took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;
- Deuteronomy 7:8 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs but because Yahweh loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 7:24 מַלְכֵי/הֶם֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name to perish from under the sky: there shall no man be able to stand before you, until you have destroyed them.
- Deuteronomy 11:3 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs and his signs, and his works, which he did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and to all his land;
- Deuteronomy 17:14 מֶ֔לֶךְ n c ms When you are come to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and shall possess it, and shall dwell therein, and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me;
- Deuteronomy 17:15 מֶ֔לֶךְ מֶ֔לֶךְ n c ms n c ms you shall surely set him king over you, whom Yahweh your God shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
- Deuteronomy 28:36 מַלְכְּ/ךָ֙ n c ms cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods, wood and stone.
- Deuteronomy 29:7 מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us to battle, and we struck them:
- Deuteronomy 31:4 מַלְכֵ֥י n c mp cs Yahweh will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom he destroyed.
- Deuteronomy 33:5 מֶ֑לֶךְ n c ms He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together.
Joshua 62 verses
- Joshua 2:2 לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ prep + n c ms cs It was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here tonight of the children of Israel to search out the land.
- Joshua 2:3 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who are come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to search out all the land.
- Joshua 2:10 מַלְכֵ֨י n c mp cs For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
- Joshua 5:1 מַלְכֵ֣י מַלְכֵ֤י n c mp cs n c mp cs It happened, when all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
- Joshua 6:2 מַלְכָּ֑/הּ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs Yahweh said to Joshua, Behold, I have given into your hand Jericho, and the king of it, and the mighty men of valor.
- Joshua 8:1 מֶ֤לֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;
- Joshua 8:2 וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּ֗/הּ וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּ֔/הּ conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king: only the spoil of it, and the cattle of it, shall you take for a prey to yourselves: set you an ambush for the city behind it.
- Joshua 8:14 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs It happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn't know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
- Joshua 8:23 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
- Joshua 8:29 מֶ֧לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the evening: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, to this day.
- Joshua 9:1 הַ/מְּלָכִ֡ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it;
- Joshua 9:10 מַלְכֵ֣י מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c mp cs n c ms cs n c ms cs and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
- Joshua 10:1 מֶ֣לֶךְ וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּ֔/הּ וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּ֑/הּ n c ms cs conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs Now it happened, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
- Joshua 10:3 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,
- Joshua 10:5 מַלְכֵ֣י מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c mp cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.
- Joshua 10:6 מַלְכֵ֥י n c mp cs The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Don't slack your hand from your servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill-country are gathered together against us.
- Joshua 10:16 הַ/מְּלָכִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
- Joshua 10:17 הַ/מְּלָכִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
- Joshua 10:22 הַ/מְּלָכִ֥ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth those five kings to me out of the cave.
- Joshua 10:23 הַ/מְּלָכִ֥ים מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c mp n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs They did so, and brought forth those five kings to him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
- Joshua 10:24 הַ/מְּלָכִ֣ים הַ/מְּלָכִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp It happened, when they brought forth those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings. They came near, and put their feet on the necks of them.
- Joshua 10:28 מַלְכָּ/הּ֒ לְ/מֶ֣לֶךְ לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs prep + n c ms cs prep + n c ms cs Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it: he utterly destroyed them and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
- Joshua 10:30 מַלְכָּ/הּ֒ לְ/מַלְכָּ֔/הּ לְ/מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs prep + n c ms cs and Yahweh delivered it also, and the king of it, into the hand of Israel; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining in it; and he did to the king of it as he had done to the king of Jericho.
- Joshua 10:33 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
- Joshua 10:37 מַלְכָּ֨/הּ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs and they took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it, and all the cities of it, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were therein.
- Joshua 10:39 מַלְכָּ֤/הּ וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּ֔/הּ וּ/לְ/מַלְכָּֽ/הּ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs conj + prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs and he took it, and the king of it, and all the cities of it; and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king of it; as he had done also to Libnah, and to the king of it.
- Joshua 10:40 מַלְכֵי/הֶ֔ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp So Joshua struck all the land, the hill-country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded.
- Joshua 10:42 הַ/מְּלָכִ֤ים ptcl def.art + n c mp All these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
- Joshua 11:1 מֶֽלֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs It happened, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
- Joshua 11:2 הַ/מְּלָכִ֞ים ptcl def.art + n c mp and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill-country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,
- Joshua 11:5 הַ/מְּלָכִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp All these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.
- Joshua 11:10 מַלְכָּ֖/הּ n c ms cs + sfx pers 3fs Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck the king of it with the sword: for Hazor before was the head of all those kingdoms.
- Joshua 11:12 הַ/מְּלָכִֽים מַלְכֵי/הֶ֞ם ptcl def.art + n c mp n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp All the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded.
- Joshua 11:17 מַלְכֵי/הֶם֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and struck them, and put them to death.
- Joshua 11:18 הַ/מְּלָכִ֥ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
- Joshua 12:1 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:
- Joshua 12:2 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and [the city that is in] the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;
- Joshua 12:4 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
- Joshua 12:5 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
- Joshua 12:7 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
- Joshua 12:9 מֶ֥לֶךְ מֶ֧לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
- Joshua 12:10 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
- Joshua 12:11 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
- Joshua 12:12 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
- Joshua 12:13 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
- Joshua 12:14 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
- Joshua 12:15 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
- Joshua 12:16 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
- Joshua 12:17 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
- Joshua 12:18 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
- Joshua 12:19 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
- Joshua 12:20 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
- Joshua 12:21 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
- Joshua 12:22 מֶ֤לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
- Joshua 12:23 מֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
- Joshua 12:24 מֶ֥לֶךְ מְלָכִ֖ים n c ms cs n c mp the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.
- Joshua 13:10 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;
- Joshua 13:21 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.
- Joshua 13:27 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs and in the valley, Beth Haram, and Beth Nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and the border [of it], to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward.
- Joshua 13:30 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities:
- Joshua 24:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel: and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you;
- Joshua 24:12 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.
Judges 32 verses
- Judges 1:7 מְלָכִ֡ים n c mp Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered [their food] under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
- Judges 3:8 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms cs Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
- Judges 3:10 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs The Spirit of Yahweh came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
- Judges 3:12 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
- Judges 3:14 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
- Judges 3:15 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
- Judges 3:17 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.
- Judges 3:19 הַ/מֶּ֑לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said, Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him.
- Judges 4:2 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
- Judges 4:17 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
- Judges 4:23 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
- Judges 4:24 מֶֽלֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
- Judges 5:3 מְלָכִ֔ים n c mp Hear, you kings; give ear, you princes; I, [even] I, will sing to Yahweh; I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
- Judges 5:19 מְלָכִים֙ מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp n c mp cs The kings came and fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan. In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: They took no gain of money.
- Judges 8:5 מַלְכֵ֥י n c mp cs He said to the men of Succoth, Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.
- Judges 8:12 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the host.
- Judges 8:18 הַ/מֶּֽלֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
- Judges 8:26 מַלְכֵ֣י n c mp cs The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.
- Judges 9:6 לְ/מֶ֑לֶךְ prep + n c ms All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
- Judges 9:8 מֶ֑לֶךְ n c ms The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
- Judges 9:15 לְ/מֶ֨לֶךְ֙ prep + n c ms The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
- Judges 11:12 מֶ֥לֶךְ n c ms cs Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you are come to me to fight against my land?
- Judges 11:13 מֶ֨לֶךְ n c ms cs The king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably.
- Judges 11:14 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms cs Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;
- Judges 11:17 מֶלֶךְ֩ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֧לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs n c ms cs then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, Please let me pass through your land; but the king of Edom didn't listen. In the same way, he sent to the king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
- Judges 11:19 מֶֽלֶךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs n c ms cs Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray you, through your land to my place.
- Judges 11:25 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
- Judges 11:28 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms cs However the king of the children of Ammon didn't listen to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
- Judges 17:6 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
- Judges 18:1 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [their] inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.
- Judges 19:1 וּ/מֶ֖לֶךְ conj + n c ms It happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
- Judges 21:25 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
1 Samuel 75 verses
- 1 Samuel 2:10 לְ/מַלְכּ֔/וֹ prep + n c ms cs + sfx pers 3ms Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces; Against them will he thunder in the sky: Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth; He will give strength to his king, Exalt the horn of his anointed.
- 1 Samuel 8:5 מֶ֛לֶךְ n c ms and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
- 1 Samuel 8:6 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
- 1 Samuel 8:9 הַ/מֶּ֔לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
- 1 Samuel 8:10 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king.
- 1 Samuel 8:11 הַ/מֶּ֔לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
- 1 Samuel 8:18 מַלְכְּ/כֶ֔ם n c ms cs + sfx pers 2mp You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.
- 1 Samuel 8:19 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No: but we will have a king over us,
- 1 Samuel 8:20 מַלְכֵּ֨/נוּ֙ n c ms cs + sfx pers 1cp that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
- 1 Samuel 8:22 מֶ֑לֶךְ n c ms Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.
- 1 Samuel 10:19 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, [No], but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands.
- 1 Samuel 10:24 הַ/מֶּֽלֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king.
- 1 Samuel 12:1 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
- 1 Samuel 12:2 הַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
- 1 Samuel 12:9 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
- 1 Samuel 12:12 מֶ֣לֶךְ מֶ֖לֶךְ מַלְכְּ/כֶֽם n c ms cs n c ms n c ms cs + sfx pers 2mp When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us; when Yahweh your God was your king.
- 1 Samuel 12:13 הַ/מֶּ֛לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ ptcl def.art + n c ms n c ms Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and, behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.
- 1 Samuel 12:14 הַ/מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ ptcl def.art + n c ms If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God, [well]:
- 1 Samuel 12:17 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking you a king.
- 1 Samuel 12:19 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms All the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.
- 1 Samuel 12:25 מַלְכְּ/כֶ֖ם n c ms cs + sfx pers 2mp But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king."
- 1 Samuel 14:47 וּ/בְ/מַלְכֵ֤י conj + prep + n c mp cs Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he put [them] to the worse.
- 1 Samuel 15:1 לְ/מֶ֔לֶךְ prep + n c ms Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen you to the voice of the words of Yahweh.
- 1 Samuel 15:8 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms cs He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
- 1 Samuel 15:11 לְ/מֶ֔לֶךְ prep + n c ms It repents me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.
- 1 Samuel 15:17 לְ/מֶ֖לֶךְ prep + n c ms Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;
- 1 Samuel 15:20 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
- 1 Samuel 15:23 מִ/מֶּֽלֶךְ prep + n c ms For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king.
- 1 Samuel 15:26 מֶ֖לֶךְ n c ms Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.
- 1 Samuel 15:32 מֶ֣לֶךְ n c ms cs Then said Samuel, Bring you here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
- 1 Samuel 16:1 מֶֽלֶךְ n c ms Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
מלך — transliterated melek — is a Hebrew noun carrying the sense “king.” Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 14:1. It appears 1,919 verses across 35 books of the Hebrew Bible, among its most common vocabulary. It shares a root with מלך, מלוכה and מלך. See the sense tree, 1,919-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H4428 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 1,919
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 1,919 distinct verses.
- 35 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 35 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #15
- by frequency
- Top 25 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 15 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 1,919 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- 2 Kings 268 verses 14%
- 1 Kings 231 verses 12%
- 2 Chronicles 218 verses 11%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 1,919 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 1,231 verses · 64%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 613 verses · 32%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 75 verses · 4%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 2 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: King 1,741×, Kings 202×, King's 187×
- American Standard Version†: King 1,824×, Kings 192×, All the kings 24×
- Berean Standard Bible†: King 1,732×, Kings 261×, King’s 120×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: King 1,322×, King of 697×, Kings of 130×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H4428 across 2,523† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 173 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H4428 across 2,522† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 225 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H4428 across 2,406† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 86 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 118 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H4428 across 2,390† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 37 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
9 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 9 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
מלך I king (NH id.
- 1. king: of Egypt Gn 39:20 f. Ex 1:8 f. Dt 11:3 1 K 3:1; of Mesopotamia, Shinar, Assyrian, Babyl., Pers., etc. Ju 3:8, 10 Gn 14:1 f. 2 K 15:19, 20, 29; 17:3 f.; 18:13 f.; 24:1, 11 f. Ezr 1:1 f.; 4:3 f. Est 1:2 +, 1 K 11:18, 40; 14:25 2 K 17:4 f.; 23:29 +; of Canaan, Philist., Edom, Moab, etc. (often of single city): Gn 14:2 f. v 18; 20:2; 26:1, 8; 36:31 Nu 20:14; 21:1 f.; 22:4, 10 Dt 1:4; 3:1 f. Jos 2:2 (often in Jos), Ju 1:7; 5:19; 8:5, 12; 11:12 f.; 2 K 3:4 f. +; of Aram, Hamath, etc. 2 S 8:3 f. v 9 1 K 15:18; 20:1 f.; 22:3 2 K 5:1 f.; 8:7 f v 29; 9:14, 15; 15:37; 16:5 f. +; of Tyre, etc. 2 S 5:11; 1 K 5:15; 9:11; 16 +, etc.; especially of Israel (undivided, and of both divisions) Gn 36:31 Nu 23:21; 24:7 Dt 17:14 f. Ju 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25; 1 S 2:10; 8:5 f. 2 S 2:4 f. 1 K 1:33, 34 f. + very often; cf. also Ju 9:5.—2 S 18:29b del. הַמּ׳ We Klo Dr Kit Bu. Note that in early books המלך דוד is nearly always said; in late books usually דוד (שׁלמה וגו׳) המלך; cf. Aramaic כּוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא, etc. e.g. Genesis 39:20
- 2. of Davidic king, as under divine protection, 1 S 2:10 (‖ מְשִׁיחוֹ), ψ 2:6; 18:51; 89:19; 61:7, cf. 99:4; so in (Messianic) prediction Ho 3:5 Is 32:1 Je 23:5 Ez 37:22, 24 Zc 9:9. e.g. 1 Samuel 2:10
- 3. used of י׳ as king of Israel 1 S 12:12; poet. Dt 33:5 cf. ψ 5:3; 10:16; 29:10; 44:5; 48:3; 68:25; 74:12; 84:4; 145:1; 149:2 Is 41:21; 43:15; 44:6 Zp 3:15; מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד ψ 24:7, 8, 9, 10(×2); universal king ψ 47:3, 8; 95:3; 98:6 Je 10:7, 10, cf. 46:18; 48:15; 51:57 Zc 14:9, 16, 17 Mal 1:14; of false god Am 5:26. e.g. 1 Samuel 12:12
- 4. in fable, king of trees Ju 9:8, 15; fig. of crocodile Jb 41:26; מ׳ אֵין לָאַרְבֶּה Pr 30:27; of death, מֶלָךְ בַּלָּהוֹת Jb 18:14. e.g. Judges 9:8
- 5. combinations are:—
- a. הַמּ׳ הַגָּדוֹל 2 K 18:19, 28 = Is 36:4, 13 (of Assyrian king: cf. Assyrian šarru rabû); מ׳ גָּדוֹל Ec 9:14 (indef.); of י׳ Mal 1:14, מ׳ ג׳ עַל־כל־אלהים ψ 95:3; עוֹלָם מ׳ Je 10:10 (of י׳); מ׳ מְלָכִים Ez 26:7 (king of Babyl.) e.g. 2 Kings 18:19
- b. יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ 1 S 10:24 2 S 16:16(×2) 1 K 1:34, 39 2 K 11:12 2 Ch 23:11; מֶלָךְ בירושׁלם Ec 1:1, cf. 1 Sa 15:26; 2 S 5:2 1 K 14:2 1 Ch 29:25 2 S 2:11 (היה מ׳ בחברון על־) 1 K 11:37 2 Ch 28:4 Ec 1:12. e.g. 1 Samuel 10:24
- c. following a very (one or two acc.) שִׂים מ׳ על Dt 17:14, 15(×2) 1 S 10:19; שִׂים לָנוּ מ׳ 1 S 8:5; שִׂים לְמ׳ 1 K 10:9; נָתַן מ׳ לְ 1 S 8:6 Ho 13:10, 11; נָתַן עַל 1 S 12:13 2 Ch 2:10 Ne 9:37; 13:26; הִמְלִיךְ לְמֶלֶךְ Ju 9:6 1 S 15:11; הִמְלִיךְ מ׳ על 1 S 12:1; הִמְלִיךְ מ׳ לְ 1 S 8:22; מָשַׁח מ׳ עַל Ju 9:8; מָשַׁח לְמ׳ 1 K 1:45; מָשַׁח לְמ׳ עַל Ju 9:15 1 S 15:1, 17; 2 S 2:4; 5:3, 12; 12:7 1 K 1:34 1 Ch 11:3; 14:8; מ׳ יִהְיֶה על 1 S 8:19; בִּקֵּשׁ למ׳ על 2 S 3:17; הֵכִין לְמ׳ על 2 S 5:12 1 Ch 14:2; הֵקִים מ׳ על 1 K 14:14 Dt 28:36; יָשַׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא י׳ לְמ׳ תַּחַת וגו׳ 1 Ch 29:23, cf. Pr 20:8; נָתַן עַל־כִּסֵּא לְמ׳ לְי׳ אלהיך 2 Ch 9:8. e.g. Deuteronomy 17:14
- d. מַעֲדַנֵּי־מֶלֶךְ Gn 49:20 royal dainties, fig.; מִשְׁתֵּה הַמּ׳ 1 S 25:36 royal feast (in sim.); אֶבֶן הַמּ׳ 2 S 14:26 king’s weight; יַד־הַמּ׳ 1 K 10:13 royal bounty (in sim.); גִּזֵּי הַמּ׳ Am 7:1 king’s mowings; מִקְדַּשׁ מ׳ Am 7:13 royal sanctuary; עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם 2 S 12:30 crown of their king = 1 Ch 20:2 (but read מִלְכֹּם 𝔊 We Klo Dr Kit Kau—not Bu KitChr. Hpt); cf. also בַּיִת, עֵמֶק, גַּן, שָׁוֵה, etc.—N.pr. אבימלך, אחימלך, אלימלך, נתן מלך, עבד מלך, v. sub אב, אח, etc. e.g. Genesis 49:20
מלך II m. son of Micah, a Benjamite (on מ׳ as individ. name v. GrayProp. N. 116, 112 n. 4
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. n.m. king (NH id.; MI 1.5.10.18.23 מלך; 1:4 המלכן; Ph. מלך; Zinj. מלך DHMSendsch. 60; Assyrian maliku, malku, prince (Assyrian šarru = king); Arabic مَلِكٌ king (orig. Heb. מַלִךְ inferred, LagBN 73 BaNB § 112 WMMAs. u. Europ. 76); Sab. מלכן SabDenkmNo. 1; cstr. מלך, pl. אמלך CISiv. 37; cf. Ethiopic አምላክ God (and Nöl.c.); Aramaic ܡܠܶܟ, מְלֵיךְ; Palm. מלך מלכא VogNo. 28; Nab. מלכא EutNab. 1);—מ׳ abs. Gn 36:31 + (ins. also 2 S 13:17 𝔊 Th We Dr Kit Bu, and v 34 𝔊 We Dr Kit Bu); in p. always מֶ֑לֶךְ Gn 49:20 + 238 times (so also n.pr. in -מֶלֶךְ); cstr. Gn 14:1 +; sf. מַלְכִּי 2 S 19:44 + 6 times, etc.; pl. מְלָכִים Gn 14:9 +; מְלָכִין Pr 31:3; cstr. מַלְכֵי Gn 17:6 +; sf. מְלָכֶיהָ Is 7:16 + 3 times; מַלְכֵיהֶם Dt 7:24 + 16 times, etc.;—
II. n.pr.m. son of Micah, a Benjamite (on מ׳ as individ. name v. GrayProp. N. 116, 112 n. 4; cf. Ph. n.pr. מלך (v. Bloch); Sab. n.pr. מלכם CIS iv. 1; Palm. n.pr. מלכו VogPalm. 92 al. Nab. id., EutNab 21, 4 al. VogNab. 1, 2);—1 Ch 8:35 (𝔊 Μελχηλ), 9:41 (𝔊 Μαλαχ; 𝔊L Μελχιηλ in both).
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from מלך (mâlak) (H4427) — to reign.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
*מַלָּךְ
- (= מַה לָךְ) what is it to thee?; of no practical value. Sabb. 150ᵃ sq. חשבונות של מ׳ ושל מה בכך (Ms. M. מה לך, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note) accounts of ‘what is it to thee?’ and of ‘what is in it?’, i.e. for no practical purpose. [Oth. opin., v. Ar.]
מָלַךְ
- (b. h.) [to lead in council,] to preside; to officiate; to be ruler. B. Bath. 164ᵇ מ׳ שנה מונין לו שתים when he has been in office one year, they date (in documents) ‘the second year’. Meg. 11ᵃ (ref. to המֹלֵךְ, Esth. I, 1) מ׳ מעצמו started a dynasty with himself (had no claims of succession). Ib. מָלְכוּ בכיפה, v. כִּיפָּה. Zeb. 118ᵇ עשרה שנה שמ׳ וכ׳ ten years during which Samuel ruled alone, ושנה שמ׳ שאול וכ׳ and one year during which Saul and Samuel ruled conjointly; Tem. 15ᵃ; a. fr. e.g. Esther 1:1
- [to be led,]
- 1. to take council, to ask advice or permission. Ber. 3ᵇ נִמְלָכִין בסנהדרין they ask the Sanhedrin for their confirmation. Ib. 4ᵃ כל מה … אני נ׳ במפיבשת וכ׳ in whatever I undertake, I consult the opinion of M., my teacher. Ib. 29ᵇ וכשאתה … הִמָּלֵךְ בקונך וצא and when thou art about to go on a journey, take council of thy Maker (pray) and go out. B. Mets. 14ᵃ צריך לִימָּלֵךְ the scribe must ask for authorization (to insert in the contract); a. fr.
- 2. [to take council with one’s self,] to reconsider, change one’s mind. Gitt. III, 1. Dem. III, 2 הלוקח … ונ׳ להחזיר if one buys vegetables …. and then decides to return (the goods). Ib. 3 נטלן לאוכלן ונ׳ להצניע if he took them up to eat them and changed his mind (deciding) to keep them; a. fr.
- to appoint or elect for rulership, to acknowledge the authority of. Snh. 64ᵃ שהִמְלִיכוּהוּ עליהם, v. מוֹלֶךְ. Y. Ned. IX, beg. 41ᵇ (ref. to Ps. LXXXI, 10) זר שבקרבך אל תַּמְלִיכֵהוּ עליך allow not the tyrant within thee (the evil inclination) to rule over thee. Ab. Zar. 18ᵃ אומה זו מן השמים הִמְלִיכוּהָ this (Roman) nation has been given the rulership by divine decree. R. Hash. 16ᵃ אמרו לפני … מלכיות שתַּמְלִיכוּנִי עליכם recite before me verses of homage (v. מַלְכוּת), in order that you may declare me your ruler; a. fr. e.g. Psalms 81:10
מְלַךְ
- 1. to rule. Targ. Gen. XXXVII, 8; a. fr.—Part. מָלִיךְ. Targ. Jer. XXXIII, 21 (ed. Wil. מְלִיךְ, corr. acc.); a. fr.—Ab. Zar. 10ᵃ בעינא דיִמְלַךְ וכ׳ I desire that my son Severus be king after me; ib. דיִמְלוֹךְ.—Ber. 64ᵃ מ׳ רבה Rabbah officiated (as teacher and judge); a. fr.
- 2. (mostly מליך) to decide. Targ. Is. XIV, 27. Ib. XXIII, 8 (ed. Ven. מַלִּיךְ). Ib. 9 מִילְכָהּ ed. Lag. (some ed. מלכא, read: מִלְכָהּ); a. fr.—Part. pass. מְלִיךְ. Ib. XIV, 26; a. e.
- 3. to advise. Targ. II Sam. XVII, 7. Targ. I Kings I, 12; a. fr.
- 1. to advise. Targ. Job XXVI, 3.
- 2. to decide, v. supra.
- 1. = preced. = preced. Hif. Targ. I Kings III, 7; a. fr.
- 2. to counsel, persuade. Targ. Josh. XV, 18. Targ. Y. Deut. XXX, 6; a. e.—[Targ. Prov. VIII, 15 מַמְלְכִין ed. Lag. rule (oth. ed. מלכין).]
- , אִמְּ׳ = preced. Nif.—Targ. Is. XXXII, 7; a. fr.—B. Bath. 4ᵃ בתר דעבדין מִתְמַלְּכִין do people ask for advice (or permission) after they have acted? Ber. 27ᵇ אִימְּלִיךְ וכ׳ consult my family. Ib. אזיל ואִמְּ׳ וכ׳ he went and consulted his wife. Ned. 54ᵃ כל מילתא דצריך שליחא לאִמְּלוּכֵי וכ׳ any change of order for which the messenger has to ask special authorization, is heterogeneous (to the object of the original commission); כל מילתא דמִימְּלִיךְ שליח עלה וכ׳ a change for which the messenger asks for instructions is homogeneous. Sot. 43ᵇ אי אימ׳ עלה if he reconsiders his original disposal; a. fr.
מֶלֶךְ
- preced.) leader in council, chief, king. Ber. 3ᵇ אדוננו המ׳ our lord the king! Tosef. Snh. VIII, 5, a. fr. מ׳ מלכי המלכים the Most Supreme King (the Lord). Ib. IX, 8 אפי׳ מ׳ של מלכים even a king of kings (great sovereign). Snh. 38ᵃ, a. fr. מ׳ בו"ד (v. בָּשָׂר) a human chief. Ab. Zar. 10ᵃ אין מושיבין מ׳ בן מ׳ they (the Romans) do not allow the son of a king to succeed his father. Kerith. 5ᵇ מ׳ ראשון a first king, starter of a dynasty. Shebu. 6ᵇ מַלְכֹּו של זה this hyparch’s chief. Num. R. s. 18 משה מ׳ וכ׳ Moses has made himself the chief, and Aaron is high priest &c.; a. v. fr.—Pl. מְלָכִים. Hor. 12ᵃ כיצד מושחין את המ׳ וכ׳ how are kings anointed? By drawing with the oil the outlines of a crown; Ker. 5ᵇ. Ib. מַלְכֵי בית דוד the kings of the house of David (southern kingdom); מ׳ ישראל the kings of the northern kingdom; a. v. fr.—בַּת מְ׳ Princess, name of a demon afflicting the eye, also a certain disorder of the eye, v. בַּת I. Sabb. 109ᵃ (Var. בת חורין, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note).—Pl. בנות מֶלֶךְ. Tosef. B. Kam. IX, 27 יצאו בנות מ׳ the ‘princesses’ (humors of the eye) escaped (in consequence of a blow).
מֶלֶךְ ²
- Targ. Ps. XXIV, 7; 9. Targ. Ex. I, 8; a. fr.—Snh. 110ᵃ איהו הוה מ׳ he (Moses) himself is chief. Y. Yeb. XVI, 15ᶜ, v. אָרְסְקִינָס. Y. Ter. VIII, 46ᵇ bot. אתעביד מ׳ he (Dioclet) became king; a. fr.—Pl. מַלְכֵין, מַלְכַיָּא, מַלְכֵי. Targ. Gen. XVII, 6. Ib. XIV, 5. Targ. Prov. VIII, 15; a. fr.—Gitt. 62ᵃ שלמא עלייכו מ׳ (to scholars) peace be with you, chiefs!—Shebu. 6ᵇ תרי מ׳ וכ׳ two kings and two viceroys (hyparchs); a. fr.
מֵלַךְ
- (preced. wds.) counsel, advice. Targ. Is. III, 3. Targ. Y. Deut. VIII, 18 (O. עצה; h. text כֹּחַ); a. fr.—Pl. מִלְכִין, מִלְכַיָּא, מִי׳. Targ. Is. XXV, 1. Targ. Job XII, 17 (not מַ׳). Targ. Hos. X, 6; a. e.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 242 distinct written forms H4428 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 182 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H4428, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- מלוכה mᵉlûwkâh H4410 kingship
- מלך mᵉlak H4431 counsel
- מלכות malkûwth H4438 kingdom
- מלכת mᵉleketh H4446 queen
- ממלכה mamlâkâh H4467 kingdom
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- ימלך Yamlêk H3230 Jamlech
- מלוך Mallûwk H4409 Malluch
- מלך Môlek H4432 Molech
- מלכת Môleketh H4447 Hammoleketh
- מלך Melek H4429 Melech
- מלכיאל Malkîyʼêl H4439 Malchiel
- מלכיה Malkîyâh H4441 Malchijah
- מלכיצדק Malkîy-Tsedeq H4442 Melchizedek
- מלכירם Malkîyrâm H4443 Malchiram
- מלכישוע Malkîyshûwaʻ H4444 Malchishua
- מלכם Malkâm H4445 Milcom
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 20 — not the complete family. 11 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 1,799 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 1,919 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 14:1
- Exodus 1:8
- Numbers 20:14
- Deuteronomy 1:4
- Joshua 2:2
- Judges 1:7
- 1 Samuel 2:10
- 2 Samuel 2:4
- 1 Kings 1:1
- 2 Kings 1:3
- 1 Chronicles 3:2
- 2 Chronicles 1:12
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
