Word Study for H4356 (מִכְלָאָה)

miklâʼâh /mik-law-aw'/ Ask about this word

Rootor מִכְלָה · from כָּלָא

Meaninga pen (for flocks)

KJV usage(sheep-)fold. Compare מִכְלָה.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of miklâʼâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word miklâʼâh, represented by H4356, refers to a pen (for flocks) or (sheep-)fold. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses, making each usage significant. This term specifically denotes an enclosure for keeping flocks, a common and essential feature of agrarian life in the biblical world.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its scriptural occurrences, H4356 is used to frame concepts of divine choice, judgment, and self-sufficiency. In Psalms, God declares He will take H3947 no bullock H6499 from a house nor he goats H6260 from the folds Psalms 50:9, establishing His transcendence over human offerings. Conversely, it is from the sheepfolds H4356 that God took H3947 David H1732 to be his servant H5650 Psalms 78:70, highlighting humble beginnings. The prophet Habakkuk uses the image of an empty fold to depict utter desolation, where the flock H6629 is cut off H1504 as a sign of calamity Habakkuk 3:17.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the agricultural and pastoral context of a fold:

H6629 tsôʼn (a collective name for a flock): This refers to the sheep or goats that are kept within a fold H4356. The connection is direct, as seen when the flock is cut off from the fold Habakkuk 3:17 or when David is taken from the sheepfolds Psalms 78:70.
H1241 bâqâr (beef cattle or an animal of the ox family): This term for a herd is used in parallel with flocks. In a time of judgment, there is "no herd in the stalls" just as there is no flock in the fold Habakkuk 3:17.
H7517 repheth (a stall for cattle): As an enclosure for a herd, this word is a direct counterpart to a fold. Its use alongside H4356 paints a complete picture of agricultural failure where both the fold and the stalls are empty Habakkuk 3:17.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H4356 is tied to its role in God's interaction with humanity.

Divine Sovereignty in Selection: The fold is a place of humble origins from which God calls His chosen leaders. When God chose H977 David H1732 from the sheepfolds, it demonstrated that He elevates His servants based on His own will, not on their worldly status Psalms 78:70.
Symbol of Provision and Judgment: A full fold represents blessing and security, while an empty one signifies divine judgment. The imagery of a flock H6629 being cut off H1504 from the fold is a stark depiction of national disaster Habakkuk 3:17.
God's Self-Sufficiency: The fold is the source of animals for sacrifice, yet God makes it clear He does not depend on these offerings. His statement that he will not take he goats H6260 from human folds underscores His ownership of all creation and places human acts of worship in proper context Psalms 50:9.

Summary

In summary, miklâʼâh H4356 is more than just a pen for animals. While its literal meaning is simple, scripture uses it as a powerful symbol. It represents the humble station from which God raises His chosen ones, a barometer for His blessing or judgment upon the land, and the limited realm of human wealth over which God is entirely sovereign.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מִּכְלְאֹתֶי
מִּכְלָה

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Habakkuk

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.