מִלֻּא (mil.lu)
mil.lu
setting
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun milu’im refers to a ceremonial setting or installation, appearing fifteen times in the Hebrew Bible with a heavy concentration in Exodus and Leviticus. It describes the ritual process of consecrating the priests and their garments, marking the transition from ordinary status to sacred service. The term captures the specific act of "filling" hands with authority, though the word itself focuses on the state of being set apart or installed.
Its usage is tightly bound to the priestly order established under Moses. In Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8, the text details how Aaron and his sons underwent this installation through sacrifices and anointing oil. The sources highlight that milu’im is not merely a general blessing but a formal inauguration rite, ensuring the sanctity of the tabernacle service. This ritual underscores the seriousness of approaching God, as the priests were physically and ritually prepared for their duties.
The word’s root relates to the concept of fullness or completion, suggesting that the installation made the priests "full" of office and responsibility. Unlike general terms for holiness, milu’im points to a specific historical event where the priesthood was officially recognized. This distinction helps readers understand why the narrative spends so much time on these details: the legitimacy of worship depended on this precise, God-ordained setup.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word milu’im describes a ceremonial setting or installation, appearing fifteen times in the Hebrew Bible with a heavy concentration in Exodus and Leviticus. It refers to the ritual process of consecrating priests, marking their transition from ordinary status to sacred service. This act of 'filling' hands with authority underscores the seriousness of approaching God, as it ensured the sanctity of worship through precise, God-ordained preparation.
While this ritual was specific to Aaron and his sons under Moses, it reminds us that our own service requires intentional dedication. Just as the priests were set apart for a holy purpose, we are called to offer our lives as living sacrifices. This concept invites believers to view their daily roles not as mundane tasks, but as opportunities for sacred service, grounded in humility and reverence.
Understanding milu’im helps us appreciate the weight of spiritual responsibility. It is a reminder that true holiness involves both divine calling and human obedience. As we engage in our own ministries, we can take comfort in knowing that God equips those He calls, preparing them for the work He has assigned.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ installation offering<s>6×
- setting<s>2×
- the/ setting<s>1×
- the/ installation offering<s>1×
- installation/ your1×
- installation offering<s>1×
- and/ to the/ installation offering<s>1×
- and/ settings1×
- [were] installation offerings1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִ֑ים3×
- מִלֻּאִ֑ים2×
- מִלֻּאֵי/כֶ֑ם1×
- מִלֻּאִ֥ים1×
- מִלֻּאִ֖ים1×
- וּ/מִלּוּאִ֜ים1×
- וְ/לַ֨/מִּלּוּאִ֔ים1×
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִים֙1×
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִ֛ים1×
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִ֗ים1×
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִ֖ים1×
- הַ/מִּלֻּאִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 8:22
He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.
This verse introduces the ram of consecration, establishing the ritual act that defines milu’im as a formal inauguration rite for the priesthood.
-
Leviticus 8:33
You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.
Here the term signifies the seven-day period required to fulfill the consecration, highlighting the completeness and seriousness of the installation process.
-
Exodus 29:34
If anything of the meat of the consecration, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
The text links the meat of the consecration to holiness, showing that milu’im was not just a blessing but a specific act of sanctification.
-
Leviticus 7:37
This is the law of the burnt offering, the meal offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecration, and the sacrifice of peace offerings
This summary verse lists milu’im alongside other offerings, confirming its status as a distinct and essential component of the sacrificial law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does milu’im mean in the Bible?
Why is milu’im important for understanding priesthood?
How is milu’im different from general holiness?
Where does this word appear most often?
Every Occurrence (15 verses across 3 books)
Exodus 8 verses
onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
Exodus 29:22Also you shall take some of the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the…
Exodus 29:26“You shall take the breast of Aaron’s ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It shall be…
Exodus 29:27You shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is…
Exodus 29:31“You shall take the ram of consecration and boil its meat in a holy place.
Exodus 29:34If anything of the meat of the consecration, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you shall burn the remainder…
Exodus 35:9onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
Exodus 35:27The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate;