Lexical Definition
נְתַן־מֶלֶךְ Nᵉthan-Melek (neth-an' meh'-lek) Nathan-melech N:N-M-P
from נָתַן and מֶלֶךְ; given of (the) king
Nathanmelech.
- § Nathan-melech = "the gift of the king"
- Nethan-Melek, an Israelite
1) an official of Judah in the time of king Josiah
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| נְתַן | Nathan | 2Kgs.23.11 |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | Melech | 2Kgs.23.11 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ki.23.11
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[תַּהְפֻּכָה] noun feminine perversity, perverse thing (only Proverbs except Deut 32:20) — Plural absolute תַּהְפֻּכוֺת Deut 32:20 + 8 t.; construct id. Prov 2:14 — perverse things, particularly utterances Prov 2:12; Prov 10:32; Prov 23:33, compare ׳פִּי ת Prov 8:13, ׳לְשׁוֺן ת Prov 10:31, and even ׳אִישׁ ת Prov 16:28 (|| נִרְגָּן slanderer); but also thoughts, devices Prov 6:14; Prov 16:30 ׳דּוֺר ת Deut 32:20 = perverse generation, (|| לֹאאֵֿמֻן בָּם), רָ֑ע ׳ת Prov 2:14 (|| עֲשׂוֺת רָ֑ע).
נְתַןמֶֿ֫לֶךְ proper name, masculine an official of Judah, Josiah's time 2Kgs 23:11 ᵐ5 Ναθαν βασιλέως (τοῦ εὐνούχου), ᵐ5L Ναθαν εὐνούχου τοῦ βασιλέως.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Deuteronomy | 32:20 |
| 2 Kings | 23:11 |
| Proverbs | 2:12 · 2:14 · 6:14 · 8:13 · 10:31 · 10:32 · 16:28 · 16:30 · 23:33 |
Profile
Male • A court official during King Josiah's reign.
Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy
Nathan-melech was a court official who had living quarters near the entrance of the temple during King Josiah's reign.
- A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ki.23.11;
- only referred to as Nathan-melech נְתַן־מֶלֶךְ.
Nathan-melech is mentioned briefly in 2 Kings 23:11 during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. He was a court official who held a position of some importance, as evidenced by his living quarters being located near the entrance of the temple in Jerusalem.
The passage describes the religious reforms carried out by King Josiah, who sought to purge the land of idolatry and restore proper worship of the Lord. As part of these reforms, Josiah removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun and burned the chariots of the sun with fire. These horses and chariots were located "by the entrance to the Lord's temple in the precincts of Nathan-melech, the court official" (2 Kings 23:11).
The mention of Nathan-melech's living quarters in connection with the idolatrous practices suggests that he may have had some involvement or oversight in the maintenance of these horses and chariots. However, the text does not provide any explicit details about his role or his personal response to Josiah's reforms.
The fact that Nathan-melech is specifically named and identified as a court official indicates that he held a position of some significance within the royal administration. Court officials were often responsible for various aspects of the king's household, including management of resources, diplomatic relations, and religious matters.
Apart from this single mention, no further information is given about Nathan-melech's life, family, or other duties. His inclusion in the narrative serves to provide context for the location of the idolatrous objects and to highlight the thoroughness of Josiah's reforms in removing all traces of pagan worship from the temple and its surroundings.
All entries for Nathan-melech: נְתַן־מֶלֶךְ