English · KJV
H4398

מַלְאַךְ

malʼak /mal-ak'/ Ask about this word
Root(Aramaic) corresponding to מֲלְאָךְ
Meaningan angel
KJV usageangel.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of malʼak — 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 Aramaic word malʼak, represented by H4398, is the term for an angel. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. It is the Aramaic corresponding term to the Hebrew מֲלְאָךְ and refers to a divine messenger sent by God.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H4398 appears exclusively in the book of Daniel, where an angel acts as an agent of God's direct intervention and deliverance. In one instance, Nebuchadnezzar praises the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for having sent His angel to deliver His servants from the fiery furnace Daniel 3:28. Similarly, Daniel tells King Darius that his God sent His angel to shut the mouths of the lions, protecting him because of the innocency found in him Daniel 6:22.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the role and context of the malʼak:

  • H7972 shᵉlach (to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)): This verb is used in both instances to describe the divine action of dispatching the angel to perform a specific mission (Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:22).
  • H426 ʼĕlâhh (God, god): This is the Aramaic word for God, who is always identified as the one who sends the angel (Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:22).
  • H5649 ʻăbad (a servant): This term describes the faithful individuals whom the angel is sent to deliver, emphasizing their relationship with the God they trusted Daniel 3:28.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4398 is focused on God's power to save.

  • Divine Agency: The angel does not act independently but is explicitly sent by God. This reinforces that the deliverance comes directly from God Himself, with the angel serving as His instrument (Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:22).
  • Protection of the Faithful: The angel's mission is one of protection and rescue in response to unwavering faith. It is sent to deliver God's servants who trusted in Him Daniel 3:28 and to preserve Daniel, in whom innocency was found Daniel 6:22.
  • Manifestation of God's Power: The angel's intervention serves as a public sign of God's supreme power over worldly forces, whether it be a king's decree or a den of lions. This causes even pagan kings to bless God Daniel 3:28.

Summary

In summary, H4398 is a specific term for an angel used in contexts of miraculous deliverance. Though its use is infrequent, it plays a crucial role in the narrative of Daniel, illustrating God's readiness to dispatch His heavenly messengers to protect and vindicate His faithful servants in times of extreme peril.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Singular common gender Construct 2×
Singular
One.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Related Words

Related

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.

H7972 שְׁלַח (Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁלַח; {to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)}; put, send. H426 אֱלָהּ (Aramaic) corresponding to אֱלוֹהַּ; God; God, god. H5649 עֲבַד (Aramaic) from עֲבַד; a servant; servant.

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

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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, 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.