מִלָּה (mil.lah)
mil.lah
word
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun milah generally means "word," but its range extends to include "thing," "matter," or "affair." In the Old Testament, it often refers to a spoken utterance or command, yet it frequently functions as a broader term for any event or situation. This dual meaning allows the word to bridge the gap between speech and reality, suggesting that what is declared has tangible substance.
This flexibility is particularly noticeable in the book of Daniel, where milah appears frequently. The sources highlight its use in contexts involving royal decrees or divine messages, such as when kings issue commands or prophets deliver visions. By using a single word for both "word" and "thing," Hebrew thought emphasizes that words are not empty sounds but carry weight and effect change in the world.
The term’s connection to action is key. When a milah is spoken, it often initiates a corresponding matter or event. This usage reflects a worldview where speech and reality are closely linked, rather than separate domains. Translators must carefully choose between "word," "thing," or "matter" based on the immediate context, ensuring the reader grasps whether the focus is on the utterance itself or the situation it describes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word milah carries a weight that modern language often loses. It means both "word" and "thing." When the Bible uses this term, it does not separate speech from reality. A command is not just sound; it is an event. What is spoken has substance. This reminds us that God’s words are not empty noises. They create and sustain what they describe.
In Daniel, we see kings issuing decrees that change history. Their milah becomes a matter of life or death. Yet the text also shows that human power is limited. When Nebuchadnezzar tries to enforce his will, he finds that God’s authority stands above every royal decree. The word spoken by the Most High cannot be overturned.
This connection between speech and action offers comfort. You do not need to force outcomes through your own strength. Trust in the One whose words are firm. His promises are as real as the ground beneath you. Rest in the certainty that what He says, He accomplishes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- matter/ the5×
- word/ the2×
- and/ matter/ the2×
- [the] matter of2×
- words/ the1×
- matters/ the1×
- matters1×
- and/ words1×
- and/ a word1×
- and/ [the] word of1×
- a matter1×
- [the] words of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִלְּתָ֖/א2×
- מִלְּתָ֑/א2×
- מִלָּ֤ה1×
- מִלַּיָּ֣/א1×
- מִלַּיָּ֖/א1×
- מִלַּ֥ת1×
- מִלַּ֤ת1×
- מִלַּ֣ת1×
- מִלֵּ֤י1×
- מִלִּ֖ין1×
- מִלְּתָֽ/א\׃1×
- מִלְּתָ֥/א1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:15
He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
The king’s urgent decree becomes a tangible crisis that Daniel must address, showing how a spoken command creates an immediate situation.
-
Daniel 2:23
I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Daniel thanks God for making the king's matter known, linking divine revelation directly to the resolution of a royal problem.
-
Daniel 5:15
Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
The wise men fail to interpret the writing because they cannot reveal the thing behind the words, highlighting the gap between human insight and divine truth.
-
Daniel 7:28
“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Daniel keeps the matter in his heart, showing that understanding God's vision requires internal reflection rather than public debate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does milah mean in Hebrew?
Why is milah used so often in Daniel?
How is milah different from dabar?
Does this word appear outside of Daniel?
Every Occurrence (18 verses across 1 books)
Daniel 18 verses
The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its…
Daniel 2:8The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me.
Daniel 2:9But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt…
Daniel 2:10The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no…
Daniel 2:11It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose…
Daniel 2:15He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to…
Daniel 2:17Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Daniel 2:23I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what…
Daniel 3:22Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those…
Daniel 3:28Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and…
Daniel 5:10The queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, “O…
Daniel 5:15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to…
Daniel 5:26“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.
Daniel 7:1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he…
Daniel 7:11“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the…
Daniel 7:16I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. “So he told me, and made me know…
Daniel 7:25He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the…
Daniel 7:28“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but…