מְלָא (me.la)
me.la
to fill
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mala means to fill or to be filled, appearing in only two verses, both within the book of Daniel. Its usage is straightforward, describing the act of putting something into a container until it is full, or the state of being filled with a substance.
In these rare occurrences, the word carries no complex theological weight beyond its literal sense. It serves as a simple descriptor of quantity or capacity, lacking the broader metaphorical extensions found in other Hebrew words for filling. The text uses it to indicate that a vessel or space is completely occupied.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The verb מְלָא (mala) simply means to fill. In the book of Daniel, this word appears only twice, each time describing a complete occupation of space. It is not a complex theological term but a clear image of totality.
In one instance, Nebuchadnezzar’s anger fills him completely, changing his appearance and driving him to extreme action. In the other, a stone becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth. These images show how something can take up every available place, leaving nothing else behind.
For your faith, this word reminds us of God’s ultimate control. Just as the stone filled the earth, His purposes will eventually occupy all things. You can trust that no space remains outside His sovereign plan, even when circumstances seem chaotic or overwhelming.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he was filled1×
- and/ it filled1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/מְלָ֥ת1×
- הִתְמְלִ֣י1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
The word describes the stone becoming a mountain that completely occupies the entire earth, leaving no place for the former kingdoms.
-
Daniel 3:19
Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
Here the term depicts Nebuchadnezzar being entirely consumed by fury, which alters his demeanor and leads to a harsh command.