מִכְלָה
completion (in plural concrete adverbial, wholly)
Definition
The Hebrew noun מִכְלָה (miklâh) fundamentally means 'completion' or 'perfection,' denoting the state of being finished or whole. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Chronicles 4:21, where it is used in its plural form (מִכְלוֹת) as an adverbial phrase meaning 'wholly' or 'perfectly,' describing the complete and finished nature of the golden lampstands for the temple. This singular usage emphasizes a state of total and flawless execution, particularly in the context of sacred objects crafted for worship.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only one time in the entire Old Testament. It occurs in 2 Chronicles 4:21, describing the golden lampstands Solomon made for the temple: 'and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold' (KJV), with the phrase 'that perfect gold' translating the Hebrew 'וּמִכְלוֹת זָהָב' (umiklôt zāhāv), meaning 'and of gold, wholly/perfectly.' The plural form functions adverbially to stress that the objects were made entirely and completely of gold, leaving nothing unfinished or impure.
Etymology
מִכְלָה is a noun derived from the root כָּלָה (kālâ, H3615), which means 'to be complete, finished, at an end, or spent.' This root conveys the ideas of completion, consumption, and perfection. The noun form מִכְלָה specifically denotes the abstract concept of completion or the concrete result of a finishing process. It is related to מִכְלָאָה (miklā'â, H4356), which refers to a 'fold' or 'enclosure' for animals, a different but possibly connected concept of a contained or completed space.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, מִכְלָה carries theological weight in its context. Its application to the temple furnishings in 2 Chronicles 4:21 underscores the biblical theme that items dedicated to God's worship must be made with excellence, wholeness, and perfection, reflecting His holy and complete nature. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the intentionality behind the temple's construction—nothing for God's service was to be partial or compromised. It points to the divine standard of completeness that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, especially in Israelite temple worship, the use of pure gold and flawless craftsmanship for sacred objects was not merely aesthetic but deeply symbolic. Gold represented purity, divinity, and incorruptibility. Describing the lampstands as made 'wholly' of gold (מִכְלוֹת זָהָב) communicated that they were fit for the presence of a holy God, meeting the highest standard of material and artistic perfection as an act of reverence and devotion.
תָּם (tām, H8535) — denotes moral integrity or blamelessness, often of character, whereas מִכְלָה focuses on completion or perfection of state or object. כָּלִיל (kālîl, H3632) — means 'whole, entire,' often used for burnt offerings wholly consumed; it shares the root idea of completeness but in a sacrificial context.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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