Original Word: מֶלֶךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Melek
Pronunciation: MEH-lek
Phonetic Spelling: (meh'-lek)
KJV: Melech, Hammelech (by including the article)
NASB: Melech
Word Origin: [the same as H4428 (מֶלֶך - king)]

1. king
2. Melek, the name of two Israelites

Melech, Hammelech

The same as melek; king; Melek, the name of two Israelites -- Melech, Hammelech (by including the article).

see HEBREW melek

Word Origin
from the same as melek
Definition
a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Melech (2).

II. מֶ֫לֶךְ proper name, masculine son of Micah, a Benjamite (on ׳מ as individual name see Gray^{Prop. N. 116, 122 n. 4}; compare Phoenician proper name מלך (see Bloch); Sabean proper name מלכם CIS^{iv. 1}; Palmyrene proper name מלכו Vog^{Palm. 92} and others Nabataean id., Eut^{Nab 21, 4} and others Vog^{Nab 1, 2} ); — 1 Chronicles 8:35 (ᵐ5 Μελχηλ), 1 Chronicles 9:41 (ᵐ5 Μαλαχ; ᵐ5^L Μελχιηλ in both).

מֶ֫לֶךְ₁₇₈ noun masculine king (general Semitic; see Biblical Hebrew); — ׳מ absolute Daniel 2:10 2t.; construct Daniel 4:34 6t.; usually emphatic מַלְכָּא Ezra 4:8 154t., ָ  ה Daniel 2:11; plural מַלְכִין Ezra 4:15 9t., ִ  ים Ezra 4:13 (Hebraism, BeRy M⁴¹*); emphatic מַלְכַיָּא Daniel 2:44 2t.; — king Daniel 2:4,5 132t. Daniel; Ezra 4:8,11 42t. Ezra (מֶלָךְ מַלְכַיָּא of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:37, of Artaxerxes Ezra 7:12 [compare Cooke^{71.3, of Xerxes}]; מַלְכִין Daniel 7:17 #NAME?מַלְכוּ Daniel 7:23).

Occurrences and Literary Setting

Melek appears four times in the Hebrew Scriptures, twice as a personal name in the genealogies of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:35; 9:41) and twice within the expression “the king’s son” in Jeremiah’s narrative of Judah’s final years (Jeremiah 36:26; 38:6). Though the form is identical, the contexts differ sharply, providing two complementary windows into Israel’s history: one reaching back to Saul’s lineage, the other looking forward to the collapse of Zedekiah’s throne.

Melek in the Genealogy of Benjamin

1 Chronicles 8:35 records, “The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz”. The Chronicler revisits the same list after the exile (1 Chronicles 9:41), underscoring that the Benjamite line endured Judah’s dispersion. By preserving Melek’s name, Scripture affirms God’s faithfulness to maintain each tribe’s identity despite judgment. Because Benjamin supplied the first monarch (Saul) and shared borders with Judah, its survival maintained the integrity of messianic expectation tied to the house of David. For ministry, these brief notices remind us that no servant of God—however obscure—escapes His record-keeping (Malachi 3:16).

Royal Offspring and Apostasy in Jeremiah

During Jehoiakim’s reign Jeremiah was ordered seized by “Jerahmeel the king’s son” (Jeremiah 36:26). A few years later Zedekiah’s officials lowered the prophet into “the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son” (Jeremiah 38:6). Both princes, bearing the title ben-ha-melek, embody a royal house that had surrendered its calling to shepherd the flock in righteousness (Jeremiah 22:2–3). Their hostility toward Jeremiah illustrates how dynastic privilege, divorced from covenant obedience, degenerates into persecution of God’s word. Yet the Lord “hid” His servants (36:26) and ultimately rescued Jeremiah from the mud (38:13), demonstrating His sovereign protection even when earthly authority turns hostile.

Historical and Theological Significance

1. Continuity: The Chronicles notices show that exile did not erase Israel’s family lines, anchoring post-exilic identity in pre-exilic promises.
2. Contrast: The same term that designates mundane genealogical stability (Melek) also frames the tragic failure of Judah’s princes. Scripture thus juxtaposes faithful preservation with royal apostasy, emphasizing personal responsibility within inherited privilege.
3. Foreshadowing: The downfall of Zedekiah’s “sons of the king” heightens anticipation for the true Son of David, whose rule would succeed where theirs failed (Isaiah 9:6–7). Melek’s limited appearances therefore point beyond themselves to the ultimate King.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• God notices ordinary believers. The chronicled Melek never leads armies or writes psalms, yet his name endures in holy writ.
• Spiritual heritage is a trust, not a guarantee. Royal birth did not exempt Jerahmeel or Malchiah from judgment when they opposed God’s messenger.
• Faithful proclamation confronts power. Jeremiah’s courage before the king’s sons encourages modern servants to speak truth regardless of status or risk, confident that the Lord who delivered His prophet still governs outcomes.

Summary

Whether preserved in ancestral lists or implicated in royal intrigue, Melek’s four appearances trace a line from Israel’s earliest monarchy to its collapse, revealing both God’s unwavering memory of His people and His uncompromising demand for covenant loyalty.

הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ המלך וָמֶ֖לֶךְ ומלך ham·me·leḵ hamMelech hammeleḵ vaMelech wā·me·leḵ wāmeleḵInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts