מְלֶ֫כֶת (me.le.khet)
me.le.khet
queen
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun melekhet, derived from the root for "king" (melek), literally means "queen." In the biblical text, it refers specifically to a female monarch or the wife of a king. The term appears only five times in the Old Testament, making it a rare designation for royal women.
Most occurrences are found in Jeremiah, where the word describes the Queen Mother or the reigning queen in foreign courts, such as Babylon or Egypt. This usage highlights the political and dynastic significance of royal women in the ancient Near East, rather than merely their marital status. The sources do not suggest a distinction from other terms for female royalty; it simply denotes the highest rank held by a woman.
Its limited occurrence underscores how uncommon it was for a woman to hold sovereign power in the biblical narrative. When used, it points to specific historical figures who wielded authority alongside or instead of their husbands. The word serves as a reminder that while kingship was predominantly male, female leadership did exist in neighboring empires and occasionally within Israel's own history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word melekhet appears in Scripture primarily in Jeremiah, where it describes the 'queen of the sky,' a pagan deity worshipped by some Israelites. This usage highlights how deeply idolatry had taken root, with people turning to foreign powers for comfort instead of trusting God. It serves as a sobering reminder that seeking security in anything other than the Lord leads to emptiness and division.
For your faith life, this rare term invites reflection on where you place your ultimate allegiance. Just as the ancient Israelites struggled with divided loyalties, we too face modern 'queens'—ideals or ambitions that compete for our devotion. The text encourages us to examine our hearts, ensuring that our trust rests firmly in Yahweh alone, who provides true sustenance and peace.
Ultimately, this word points to the danger of substituting God with created things. It calls us back to a singular focus on Him, recognizing that only He can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. May we find our rest in His unchanging love rather than in fleeting worldly powers.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ [the] queen of4×
- for/ [the] queen of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/מְלֶ֣כֶת4×
- לִ/מְלֶ֧כֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 7:18
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
This verse establishes the context of idolatrous worship, showing how families participated together in offering cakes to a false deity.
-
Jeremiah 44:19
The women said, “When we burned incense to the queen of the sky and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her, without our husbands?”
Here the women defend their actions by claiming they acted with their husbands' consent, revealing the communal nature of this sin.
-
Jeremiah 44:25
Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, “We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to her.” “‘Establish then your vows, and perform your vows.’
God's response here confirms that their vows to this false queen were futile and that they must face the consequences of their choices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does melekhet mean in the Bible?
Why is this word so rare in Scripture?
How is melekhet different from other words for queen?
Every Occurrence (5 verses across 1 books)
Jeremiah 5 verses
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of…
Jeremiah 44:17But we will certainly perform every word that has gone out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of the sky and to…
Jeremiah 44:18But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of the sky, and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked…
Jeremiah 44:19The women said, “When we burned incense to the queen of the sky and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her…
Jeremiah 44:25Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands…