Lexical Definition

‎מֲלְאָךְ‎ mălʼâk (mal-awk') messenger ^H:N-M
from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy

ambassador, angel, king, messenger.

• a messenger
• specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)

1) messenger, representative
1a) messenger
1b) angel
1c) the theophanic angel

See Greek: ἄγγελος · ἄγγελος · ἀνήρ · βασιλεύς · παῖς

Extended Information

meaning of: מֲלְאָךְ

• : angel

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מַלְאָךְ‎₂₁₄ noun masculine messenger; — ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Exod 23:20 + 48 t.; construct ‎מַלְאַךְ‎ Gen 16:7 + 69 t.; suffixes ‎מַלְאָכִי‎ Exod 23:23 + 3 t.; ‎מַלְאָכוֺ‎ Gen 24:7; Gen 24:40 plural ‎מַלְאָכִים‎ Gen 32:4* + 63 t. + ‎מלאכים‎ 2Sam 11:1 Kt ( Qr ‎מלכים‎); construct ‎מַלְאֲכֵי‎ Gen 28:12 + 11 t.; ‎מַלְאָכֶיךָ‎ Num 24:12; 2Kgs 19:23 ‎מַלְאָכֵכֵה‎ Nah 2:14* error for ‎מַלְאָכֵכִי‎ = ‎מַלְאָכַיְכִי‎ Ges^{«GKC:91»§ 91}, (2) Anm. 2 or < for ‎מַלְאָכֵךְ‎ by dittograph from following ‎הוֺי‎ Kö^{ii. 1. 571}). ‎מַלְאָכָיו‎ 2Chr 36:15 + 8 t.; —

1. messenger,
a. one sent with a message Gen 32:4* + 8 t. J E; Deut 2:26, (not in P); Judg 6:35 + 8 t.; 1Sam 6:21 + 51 t. Samuel Kings, 1Chr 14:1; 1Chr 19:2; 1Chr 19:16; 2Chr 18:12; 2Chr 35:21; Neh 6:3; Job 1:14; Prov 13:17; Prov 17:11; Isa 14:32; Isa 18:2; Isa 30:4; Isa 37:9; Isa 37:14; Jer 27:3; Ezek 17:15; Ezek 23:16; Ezek 23:40; Ezek 30:9; Nah 2:14* ‎מלאכי שׁלום‎, messengers of peace Isa 33:7.
b. a prophet Isa 42:19; Isa 44:26; 2Chr 36:15; 2Chr 36:16; Hag 1:13 the herald of the advent ‎מלאכי‎ Mal 3:1.
c. priest Mal 2:7, probably Eccl 5:5* (RV angel).
d. || ‎מֵלִיץ‎ Job 33:23, a messenger from God acting as an interpreter and declaring what is right (angel of RV too specific).
e. figurative ‎רָעִים‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ messengers of evil Ps 78:49 ‎מות‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ messenger of death Prov 16:14 || ‎רוחות‎ winds his messengers Ps 104:4.

2. angel, as messenger of God, ‎מלאכים‎ with God in theophanies Gen 19:1; Gen 19:15; Gen 28:12; Gen 32:2* (JE), praising him; Ps 103:20; Ps 148:2 in his sight not without error Job 4:18 charged with the care of the pious Ps 91:11 elsewhere singular sent to a prophet 1Kgs 13:18; 1Kgs 19:5; 1Kgs 19:7; 2Kgs 1:3; 2Kgs 1:15; Zech 1:9 + 18 t. in Zech 1-6; excellent, wise, powerful 1Sam 29:9; 2Sam 14:17; 2Sam 14:20; 2Sam 19:28*; Zech 12:8 encamping about the faithful Ps 34:8* chasing his enemies Ps 35:5; Ps 35:6 destroying by judgment of Yahweh 2Sam 24:16; 2Sam 24:17 = 1Chr 21:12-30; 2Kgs 19:35 = Isa 37:36 = 2Chr 32:21.

3. the theophanic angel ‎ה֯א֠להים‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ in the story of E: Gen 21:17; Gen 31:11; Exod 14:19, also in Judg 6:20; Judg 13:6; Judg 13:9 ‎יהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ in the story of J: Gen 16:7; Gen 16:9; Gen 16:10; Gen 16:11; Gen 22:11; Gen 22:15; Exod 3:2; Num 22:22; Num 22:23; Num 22:24; Num 22:25; Num 22:26; Num 22:27; Num 22:31; Num 22:32; Num 22:34; Num 22:35 and in Judg 2:1; Judg 2:4; Judg 5:23; Judg 6:11; Judg 6:12; Judg 6:21 (twice in verse); Judg 6:22 (twice in verse); Judg 13:3; Judg 13:13; Judg 13:15; Judg 13:16 (twice in verse); Judg 13:17; Judg 13:18; Judg 13:20 (twice in verse); Judg 13:21 ‎הַמַּלְאָךְ‎ Gen 48:16 (E); ‎מַלְאָךְ‎ Exod 23:20 (E), Exod 33:2; Num 20:16 (JE), Hos 12:5* ‎מַלְאָכִי‎ Exod 23:23 (E), Exod 32:34 (J); ‎מַלְאָכוֺ‎ Gen 24:7; Gen 24:40 (J), ‎פניו‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Mal 3:1 (referring to the ancient ‎מלאך‎); ‎הכרית‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Mal 3:1 (referring to the advent of ‎׳‎‎י‎ for judgment, see Br^{MP 473}). The theophanic angel is not mentioned in D and P.

‎לאך‎ (√ of following; Biblical Hebrew ‎לאך‎, ‎מַלְאָח‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References