מֶמְשָׁלָה
mem.sha.lah
dominion
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word מֶמְשָׁלָה (mem.sha.lah) has a short definition of "dominion." In its semantic domain of Royalty & Authority, this term is associated with the exercise of control and power. With 17 occurrences in the Bible, מֶמְשָׁלָה appears in a variety of contexts. Its primary meaning of "dominion" suggests a range of usage that encompasses rulership, jurisdiction, and the ability to command or govern. The term's presence in the Bible across different genres and books underscores its significance in descriptions of royal power, leadership, and the exercise of authority. By examining the occurrences of מֶמְשָׁלָה in the Bible, we can better understand the concept of dominion and its implications for governance, leadership, and the relationship between rulers and subjects.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
17 total occurrences across the text
After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
Psalms 103:22Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!
Psalms 114:2Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
Psalms 136:8the sun to rule by day; for his loving kindness endures forever;
Psalms 136:9the moon and stars to rule by night; for his loving kindness endures forever:
Psalms 145:13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.
Isaiah 22:21and I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit your government into his hand; and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 39:2Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.
Jeremiah 51:28Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, its governors, and all its deputies, and all the land of their dominion!
Jeremiah 34:1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying:
Daniel 11:5“The king of the south will be strong. One of his princes will become stronger than him, and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion.
Micah 4:8You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
Genesis 1:16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
Genesis 1:16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
1 Kings 9:19all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
2 Kings 20:13Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.
2 Chronicles 8:6and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.