Word Study for H4474 (מִמְשָׁל)

mimshâl /mim-shawl'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga ruler or (abstractly) rule

KJV usagedominion, that ruled.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mimshâl — 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 mimshâl, represented by H4474, refers to a ruler or, more abstractly, rule and dominion. It is derived from the root verb mâshal H4910, meaning "to rule." Despite its significant meaning, it is a rare term, appearing only 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4474 is used to describe immense earthly power. In the book of Daniel, it characterizes the "great dominion" of a prophesied mighty king Daniel 11:3. It is used again to describe the scope of another king's power, emphasizing that his rule will be a "great dominion" Daniel 11:5. In contrast, 1 Chronicles uses the word in a familial context, describing sons who ruled within the house of their father, highlighting their leadership and authority within the clan 1 Chronicles 26:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of rule and authority:

H4910 mâshal: As the primitive root, this verb means to rule. It forms the foundation for H4474, representing the act of having dominion, as seen when a person "that ruleth his spirit" is praised Proverbs 16:32.
H4475 memshâlâh: The feminine form of H4474, this word also means rule or dominion. It appears alongside H4474 to describe a king's dominion Daniel 11:5 and is also used to describe God's cosmic rule over the day and night Genesis 1:16.
H4428 melek: Meaning a king, this term identifies the one who wields dominion. The great dominion mentioned in Daniel is held by a king (Daniel 11:3, Daniel 11:5), linking the abstract concept of rule to a concrete figure of authority.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4474 is understood primarily through its application to human structures of authority.

Scope of Human Authority: In Daniel, the word is used to define the boundaries of powerful, earthly kingdoms. A "mighty king" will "rule with great dominion, and do according to his will," illustrating the significant sovereignty granted to human rulers Daniel 11:3.
Familial and Clan Leadership: The term is not limited to empires. Its use in 1 Chronicles 26:6 shows that recognized authority exists at the family level, where sons ruled in their father's house because they were "mighty men of valour."
Dominion and Might: The word's association with mighty H1368 (Daniel 11:3, 1 Chronicles 26:6) and great H7227 (Daniel 11:3, Daniel 11:5) emphasizes that this form of rule is characterized by strength and effectiveness.

Summary

In summary, H4474 is a precise and potent word for dominion. While used sparingly, its appearances in scripture are significant, portraying both the vast rule of earthly kings and the foundational authority within a family structure. It is closely tied to the verb to rule H4910 and figures, like a king H4428, who exercise it. Through mimshâl, the Bible depicts a world where authority and rule are tangible realities at every level of society.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

מֶמְשַׁלְתּ
מִמְשָׁל
מִּמְשָׁלִים

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 Daniel (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

1 Chronicles

Daniel

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.