English · KJV
H4419

מַלָּח

mallâch /mal-lawkh'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom מָלַח in its second. sense
Meaninga sailor (as following 'the salt')
KJV usagemariner.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mallâch — 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 mallâch, represented by H4419, is a term for a mariner or sailor. Derived from a root word associated with salt, it appears 4 times across 4 unique verses. It specifically refers to the professional seafarers who manned ships in the ancient world.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H4419 appears exclusively in contexts of sea travel and commerce. The most dramatic use is in the story of Jonah, where the mariners become afraid during a great tempest and cry out to their gods while casting cargo overboard to lighten the ship Jonah 1:5. The other three occurrences are in Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre, a powerful maritime city. The mariners are listed as a vital part of Tyre's commercial and naval strength, alongside pilots and calkers (Ezekiel 27:9, Ezekiel 27:27). Their eventual fate is tied to the city's ruin, when they will come down from their ships and stand upon the land Ezekiel 27:29.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illustrate the world of the mariner:

  • H2259 chôbêl (pilot, shipmaster): This term refers to the leadership on a vessel, such as the pilots of Tyre who are mentioned alongside its mariners in the prophecy of its downfall Ezekiel 27:27.
  • H919 bedeq (breach, calker): This word denotes the maintenance of a ship. In Tyre, the wise men of Gebal served as calkers, working alongside the mariners to sustain the city's fleet Ezekiel 27:9.
  • H2199 zâʻaq (to shriek, cry out): This word captures the desperation of the mariners on Jonah's ship, who "cried every man unto his god" when faced with the storm Jonah 1:5.
  • H4880 mâshôwṭ (oar): This word refers to a fundamental tool of seafaring. Those who "handle the oar" are grouped with the mariners and pilots who must abandon their ships during Tyre's judgment Ezekiel 27:29.

Theological Significance

While not a central theological term, the role of the H4419 mariner carries significant thematic weight in its contexts.

  • Symbol of Worldly Enterprise: In Ezekiel, the mariner represents the height of human skill and commercial power. They are an integral part of the wealth and workforce of Tyre, a city whose fall is a lesson in divine judgment against pride Ezekiel 27:27.
  • Limitation of Human Skill: The account in Jonah demonstrates the powerlessness of even experienced mariners when confronted by the sovereignty of God. Their professional abilities fail them, leading to fear and desperate cries to their gods Jonah 1:5.
  • Instruments of God's Plan: The mariners in both narratives act as agents within a larger divine purpose. In Jonah, their actions are a direct response to God's intervention with the storm. In Ezekiel, their ruin is a fulfillment of God's prophecy against Tyre.

Summary

In summary, H4419 mallâch provides a specific identity for the sailors of the Bible. Though appearing infrequently, the term is used in powerful narratives to contrast human endeavor with divine power. Whether representing the pinnacle of a commercial empire in Ezekiel or the helplessness of professionals in Jonah, the mariner serves to advance key biblical themes of judgment, sovereignty, and the limits of human strength.

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 4 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.

  • מַלָּחִים
  • מַלָּחֵי

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.

H2259 חֹבֵל active participle from חָבַל (in the sense of handling ropes); a sailor; pilot, shipmaster. H919 בֶּדֶק from בָּדַק; a gap or leak (in a building or a ship); breach, [phrase] calker. H2199 זָעַק a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly; assembl H4880 מָשׁוֹט or מִשּׁוֹט; from שׁוּט; an oar; oar.

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

3
Ezekiel
1
Jonah

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.