Bible Word Study
מְלָא
mᵉlâʼ · to fill
מְלָא
to fill
Definition
The Aramaic verb מְלָא (mᵉlâʼ) means 'to fill' or 'to be full.' It describes the action of making something full or being in a state of fullness. In Daniel 2:35, it is used to describe how the stone that struck the statue 'filled the whole earth,' indicating a complete and overwhelming occupation of space. In Daniel 3:19, it refers to King Nebuchadnezzar's countenance being 'filled' with fury, expressing an intense, internal emotional state. Thus, the word can apply to both physical filling and metaphorical or emotional fullness.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. It is used in two distinct contexts: one describing a physical, geographical filling (Daniel 2:35) and the other describing an emotional filling of a person's demeanor (Daniel 3:19). This limited usage shows it functioning within prophetic narrative and royal court settings.
Etymology
מְלָא is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew verb מָלֵא (mālēʼ, H4390), both meaning 'to fill.' It shares a common Semitic root (m-l-ʼ) related to fullness and completion. The Aramaic form is used specifically in the sections of Daniel written in that language, reflecting the linguistic context of the Babylonian exile.
Semantic Range
This word is significant in Daniel's prophetic visions. In Daniel 2:35, the filling of the whole earth by God's kingdom stone contrasts with and completely replaces human empires, highlighting God's sovereign, universal rule. In Daniel 3:19, the king's 'filled' fury sets the stage for divine deliverance, showing human opposition to God's people. Understanding this Aramaic term enriches the theme of God's fullness overcoming worldly powers. In the ancient Near East, Aramaic was the lingua franca of empires like Babylon. Its use in Daniel reflects the Jewish exile experience. The concept of 'filling' could carry royal and cosmological weight; a king's decree or a god's influence was seen as 'filling' a realm. Nebuchadnezzar's fury 'filling' him aligns with cultural views of emotions as potent, internal forces. מָלֵא (mālēʼ, H4390) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used extensively for physical and metaphorical filling. שָׂבַע (śāḇaʿ, H7646) — to be satisfied or sated, often with food or desire, focusing on contentment rather than mere occupancy. מָלָא (mālāʼ, H4390) — identical root, common Hebrew form for fill.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]