---
title: מֶמְשֶׁלֶת — rule · The Tanakh dictionary
description: מֶמְשֶׁלֶת (4475), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 17 times: rule. BDB 1906: n.f. rule, dominion, realm. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# מֶמְשֶׁלֶת

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«מֶמְשֶׁלֶת» in the Tanakh dictionary: **rule** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 17 times · **Key:** 4475 · **BDB:** מֶמְשָׁלָה

### Glosses

dominion (4); his.dominion (4); dominion(s) (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

rule [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4475/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.f. rule, dominion, realm [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4475/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.f. rule, dominion, realm (cf. DrJPhil. xi. 1882, 215);—abs. מ׳ Mi 4:8; cstr. מֶמְשֶׁ֫לֶת ψ 136:8 (before בְּ Ges§ 130, 1 Köii 182), Je 34:1 + 2 times; sf. מֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ Is 22:21 ψ 145:13; מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ 1 K 9:19 + 6 times; pl. cstr. מֶמְשְׁלוֹת ψ 136:9; sf. מַמְשְׁלוֹתָיו ψ 114:2;— rule, dominion (human) Is 22:21 Mi 4:8; וְכָל־מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ עִמּוֹ 2 Ch 32:9 and all his imperial might with him (i.e. display of might—soldiers, court, luxury, etc.; of Sennach.); כֹּל אֶרֶץ מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ 1 K 9:19 = 2 Ch 8:6, Je 51:28, מַמְלְכוֹת אֶרֶץ מֶמְשֶׁלֶת יָדוֹ Je 34:1; hence מ׳ alone = realm, domain 2 K 20:13 = Is 39:2, Dn 11:5. rule of heavenly bodies לִמְשׁ׳ הַיּוֹם Gn 1:16 the sun for the rule of the day, cf. v 16; also sq. בְּ ψ 136:8, 9. God’s rule, dominion: ψ 145:13 (‖ מַלְכוּת), כָּל־מְקֹמוֹת מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ 103:22; pl. = realm הָֽיְתָה יְהוּדָה לְקָדְשׁ֑וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָֽיו׃ 114:2.

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Why these entries: BDB: another headword, part of speech agrees, 16 of its verses cited, 3 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (2 candidates); OSHB: another headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (1 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «מֶמְשֶׁלֶת» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4475/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Psalms 114:2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.114.2/)

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הָיְתָ֣ה יְהוּדָ֣ה לְקָדְשׁ֑וֹ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָֽיו׃

*Word for word:* it.became Judah (into) sanctuary his Israel dominion(s) his

*JPS 1917:* Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.

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[Psalms 136:8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.136.8/)

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אֶת־הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

*Word for word:* (et) the sun for dominion in the day (dm) \[is\] forever loyalty his.covenant

*JPS 1917:* The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endureth for ever;

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