The Hebrew word makkôleth, represented by H4361, means nourishment or food. It appears only 1 time in 1 verse, making its usage highly specific. The term is derived from the root word for eating and refers directly to sustenance provided for consumption.
The single biblical instance of makkôleth is found in the account of King Solomon's agreement with Hiram of Tyre. Solomon provided Hiram's household with “twenty thousand measures of wheat for food” annually, along with pure oil, in exchange for timber 1 Kings 5:11. This highlights the word's use in the context of large-scale provisions and international trade agreements.
Though makkôleth appears in a transactional context, its components carry deeper theological significance.
- Royal Obligation: The use of makkôleth in 1 Kings 5:11 establishes sustenance as a cornerstone of a major political and economic alliance between two kings.
- Divine Provision: The specific items designated as food, namely wheat and oil, are consistently portrayed elsewhere as core blessings from God. God is the one who “filleth thee with the finest of the wheat” Psalms 147:14 and provides a “land of oil olive” Deuteronomy 8:8.
- Symbol of Joy and Anointing: The oil included in the provision is rich with symbolic meaning, representing the “oil of joy” Isaiah 61:3, gladness Psalms 45:7, and the sacred act of anointing 1 Samuel 16:1.
In summary, makkôleth is a precise term for nourishment whose meaning is defined by its sole appearance in Scripture. While its direct use is practical, describing the provisions in a royal treaty, the specific elements it encompasses—wheat and oil—connect the simple act of providing food to broader biblical themes of national alliance, divine blessing, and spiritual joy.
