Lexical Summary
melo: Fullness, that which fills, abundance, multitude
Original Word:מְלא
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:mlo'
Pronunciation:meh-LOH
Phonetic Spelling:(mel-o')
KJV: X all along, X all that is (there-)in, fill, (X that whereofwas) full, fullness, (hand-)full, multitude
NASB:full, all it contains, fullness, all, all its fullness, band, contains
Word Origin:[fromH4390 (מָלֵא מָלָא - filled)]
1. fullness (literally or figuratively)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
all along, all that is therein, fill, that whereof
Rarely mlowf {mel-o'}; or mlow (Ezekiel 41:8), {mel-o'}; frommale'; fulness (literally or figuratively) -- X all along, X all that is (there-)in, fill, (X that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-)full, multitude.
see HEBREWmale'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
maleDefinitionfullness, that which fills
NASB Translationall (2), all it contains (8), all its fullness (1), band (1), contains (1), fill (1), full (11), fullness (4), handful* (3), handfuls* (2), multitude (1), omerful* (2), which filled (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, []
Isaiah 8Isaiah 1:4 (Arabic
Lane
2729); — construct
Genesis 48:19 19t.;
Ezekiel 41:8; suffix
Isaiah 42:10 3t.;
Deuteronomy 33:16 12t.; —
fulness of hand (= handful)Ecclesiastes 4:6 (twice in verse) followed by accusative of materialExodus 9:8 compareLeviticus 16:12;1 Kings 17:12; so homer-full of manna;Exodus 16:33 compareLeviticus 16:12;Numbers 22:18;Numbers 24:13;Judges 6:38; simil.2 Kings 4:39; rarely followed byLeviticus 2:2;Leviticus 5:12, compareExodus 16:32 (but read perhaps so see Di).
mass of shepherdsIsaiah 31:4 (in sim);multitude of nationsGenesis 48:19 (compare Arabic
Qor 2:247 and elsewhere)
fullness =that which fills, entire contents, ofDeuteronomy 33:16;Psalm 24:1;Isaiah 6:3;Isaiah 8:8;Isaiah 34:1;Micah 1:2;Jeremiah 8:16;Jeremiah 47:2;Ezekiel 12:19;Ezekiel 19:7;Ezekiel 30:12;Ezekiel 32:15;Psalm 50:12;Psalm 89:12;Isaiah 42:10;1 Chronicles 16:32;Psalm 96:11;Psalm 98:7;Amos 6:8.
— =at full length1 Samuel 28:20;full line, or portion2 Samuel 8:2;Ezekiel 41:8full rod (reed).
Topical Lexicon
מְלֹא (Strong’s Hebrew 4393)
Scope of Meaning and Distribution
Melo’ denotes “what fills,” “fullness,” or “a full measure.” The term appears approximately thirty-eight times across the Hebrew Scriptures, with a concentration in the Pentateuch and scattered occurrences in the Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. Context determines whether the word refers to an exact quantity (a “handful” or “omer-full”) or to the all-encompassing totality of something (“the fullness of the earth”). The idea of completeness—nothing lacking and nothing mingled with foreign elements—lies at the core of every use.
Key Theological Themes
1.Divine Ownership and Cosmic Fullness
Melo’ can describe the total content of the created order that belongs to the Lord. “The earth and all its fullness are the LORD’s” (Psalm 24:1). The phrase proclaims God as both Creator and rightful Possessor. This theme anchors Israel’s worldview: any human stewardship of land, resources, or life itself remains derivative and accountable to Yahweh.
2.Covenant Provision and Sustenance
In wilderness narratives the noun underlines the sufficiency of God’s gifts. “Take a jar and put in it an omer-full of manna, and place it before the LORD to be preserved for the generations to come” (Exodus 16:33). What Israel needed, God provided in exact measure—neither short nor excessive. Later ordinances called for a “handful” of grain or incense (Leviticus 16:12). Each instance reinforces that covenant fellowship rests on the Lord’s perfect provision rather than human ingenuity.
3.Integrity in Worship and Sacrifice
Melo’ functions in the sacrificial system to require wholeness—that which is undiluted and entirely set apart. Priests were to present “the fullness of the grain offering” (Numbers 18:27) and not withhold part for themselves. Compromise or partial obedience would offend the holiness of God. The fullness demanded in offerings prefigures the complete self-offering of Christ, the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12-14).
4.Complete Consecration of Persons
When Samuel anointed Saul, he told him a skin would be given “full of wine” (1 Samuel 10:3). The full vessel became a symbol: the king’s life was to be entirely devoted to the Lord’s service. Failures such as Saul’s partial obedience (1 Samuel 15) highlight the contrast between divine requirement (fullness) and human deficiency.
5.Fullness of the Land and Eschatological Hope
Blessing formulas celebrate the “fullness of the land” (Deuteronomy 33:16). Prophets then project forward: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Though using a cognate verb, the underlying concept is identical—God intends a consummation in which nothing lies outside His glorious reign.
6.Justice and Moral Measure
Melo’ can indicate the tipping point of sin. God warned Abraham that the Amorites’ iniquity was “not yet complete” (Genesis 15:16), anticipating a moment when the moral “fullness” of their guilt would require judgment. Later, Micah decried merchants who kept a “bag of deceptive weights” (Micah 6:11); injustice distorted legitimate fullness and invited divine discipline.
Representative Texts
•Exodus 16:33 — covenant remembrance through an omer-full of manna.
•Leviticus 16:12 — a priest’s handful of incense, emblematic of intercession.
•Numbers 18:27 — “Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress in its fullness”, stressing integrity in giving.
•1 Kings 7:26 — Solomon’s “Sea” holding “two thousand baths,” a visual testimony to God-given abundance at the temple.
•Job 20:22 — “In the fullness of his plenty he will be brought low,” exposing the precariousness of wicked prosperity.
•Psalm 24:1 — universal claim of Yahweh’s ownership.
•Isaiah 6:3 (conceptual parallel) — the whole earth filled with God’s glory, assuring hope amid impending judgment.
Historical and Cultural Notes
• In the Ancient Near Eastern marketplace, exact quantities guaranteed fair exchange. Israel’s law therefore used melo’ to legislate just weights and measures—reflecting God’s character of truth.
• Vessels, jars, and even hands became standardized units (“handful,” “omer-full”). This vocabulary embedded theology in daily labor, ensuring that every household encounter with grain, oil, or wine recalled the Lord’s faithful sufficiency.
• Temple architecture and rituals scaled the idea upward: the bronze Sea, the lampstands filled with oil, and the storehouses packed with tithes mirrored the cosmic truth that heaven and earth together constitute a sanctuary “full” of God’s splendor.
Intercanonical Connections
• The Septuagint most often translates melo’ with πλήρωμα (plērōma), the term Paul later employs: “in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). The Old Testament’s concrete imagery of fullness converges in the incarnate Christ, who overflows grace and truth (John 1:16).
•Romans 11:25 (“the fullness of the Gentiles”) andEphesians 1:23 (“the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him”) assume the Hebraic backdrop of melo’: God’s redemptive plan reaches its appointed capacity without omission.
Pastoral and Ministry Implications
• Worship: Offer God undivided devotion—no partial measures (Romans 12:1).
• Stewardship: Recognize resources, time, and gifts as entrusted fullness from God’s hand to be returned in kind (2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
• Preaching: Trace the motif of fullness from manna jars to the person of Christ to assure believers of divine sufficiency in every season.
• Discipleship: Encourage believers to pursue “all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19) by yielding every compartment of life to the Spirit.
Summary
Wherever מְלֹא appears, Scripture calls attention to totality—be it God’s boundless glory, the precise measure of provision, or the complete response He seeks from His people. The noun’s varied settings—market, sanctuary, battlefield, and banquet—invite every generation to trust the Lord who “fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:23).
Forms and Transliterations
וּ֝מְלֹאָ֗הּ וּמְלֹ֣א וּמְלֹ֥א וּמְלֹא֑וֹ וּמְלֹא֔וֹ וּמְלֹאָ֑הּ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃ וּמְלֹאָהּ֙ וּמְלֹאֽוֹ׃ וּמְלוֹא֔וֹ וּמְלוֹאָ֑הּ וּמְלוֹאָ֔הּ ומלא ומלאה ומלאה׃ ומלאו ומלאו׃ ומלואה ומלואו מְל֣וֹ מְל֥וֹא מְל֨וֹא מְלֹ֣א מְלֹ֤א מְלֹ֥א מְלֹֽא־ מְלֹא־ מִמְּלֹ֥א מִמְּלֹאָ֔הּ מלא מלא־ מלו מלוא ממלא ממלאה mə·lō mə·lō- mə·lō·w mə·lōw melo məlō məlō- məlōw mim·mə·lō mim·mə·lō·’āh mimeLo mimeloAh mimməlō mimməlō’āh ū·mə·lō ū·mə·lō·’āh ū·mə·lō·’ōw ū·mə·lō·w·’āh ū·mə·lō·w·’ōw umeLo ūməlō ūməlō’āh ūməlō’ōw umeloAh umeloO ūməlōw’āh ūməlōw’ōw
Links
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