Genesis 14:9:15Gen.14.9.W15TAB
מְלָכִ֖ים
melakhim
“kings”
- Transliteration
- me-la-KHIM
- Extended
- meh-lah-KHEEM
- IPA
- /mə.laˈxiːm/
Meaning by language
- English
- kings
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Kaf | k with dagesh; kh without | |
| Hireq | 'ee' as in machine | |
| Yod | y as in yes; marks long ī | |
| Mem Sofit | final form of Mem — at word end |
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The word
Word in context
- word
me-la-KHIM
- phraseyour reading level
ar-ba-A me-la-KHIM
- clause
ar-ba-A me-la-KHIM et-ha-kha-mi-SHA
- sentence
ET ke-dar-la-O-mer ME-lekh ei-LAM ve-tid-AL ME-lekh go-YIM ve-am-ra-FEL ME-lekh shin-AR ve-ar-YOKH ME-lekh el-la-SAR ar-ba-A me-la-KHIM et-ha-kha-mi-SHA
Exegesis
Following the list, the summarizing phrase arbaah melakhim {אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים | ʾar-bā-ʿā mə-lā-kîm} ‘four kings’ precedes et-hachamishah {אֶת־הַחֲמִשָּׁה | ʾeṯ-ha-ḥă-miš-šāh} ‘the five’, functioning as the opposing group. Here et introduces the second coalition, and the absence of an explicit preposition relies on context to convey an adversative sense (“against”). The clause is asyndetic, serving as an appositional elaboration. In translation, the sequence of names is preserved, arbaah melakhim is rendered “four kings,” and the accusative et-hachamishah is expressed with “against the five” to highlight the contrast.
Root and etymology
m-l-kmem–lamed–kaf
“to reign”
In context — Genesis 14:9
Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of the nations , Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against the five.
About this coordinate
Genesis 14:9:15 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 15 of Genesis 14:9, so the Hebrew word מְלָכִ֖ים (melakhim) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Gen.14.9.W15, which extends further down to each syllable (Gen.14.9.W15.S1) and character.