Today in the Bible

Elul 16, 5785; from sunset September 8, 2025, to sunset September 9, 2025

(The sixteenth day of the sixth month)

Today in the Bible, we’re meeting yet another man going by the name of Malchijah. This is the third time we’ve run into this name among the men who donated their labor to the restoration of the walls and gates of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.

Let’s refresh our memory of the meaning of the name Malchijah.

מַלְכִּיָּה

Malkiyah = Malchijah

The beginning of the name Malchijah comes from the verb-root “malak” which means “to be or become a king or queen, to reign.” The ending of his name has become very familiar to us. When “iah” is found at the end of a word, it represents the Holy Name of our God. The name Malchijah made its way into the Bible twelve times. Seven times in Nehemiah, three in 1 Chronicles, and twice in Ezra.

Verb Root	Transliteration	Meaning
מלך	malak	to be or become a king or queen, to reign

Prefix/Suffix	Transliteration	Comments
י	y, i	sometimes, just a “yod” (י), the first letter of God’s Holy Name, may serve as an indicator of its presence
ה	h	“yah” (יה) this combination of the 1st and 2nd letters of “The Name” is often translated as “iah” & is a very common name ending
ו	v, w, u, o	“yahu” (יהו) – the first three letters – is not quite as common but still found – as in “Elijah” – “Eliyahu”
ה	h	adding all four letters of “The Name” is not done

These four letters represent God’s Holy Name. Many proper nouns use a combination of two or three of these letters as a prefix or a suffix to indicate an attachment to the Name of the LORD.

“Malchijah” means “The LORD is King.”

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הַנְּתִינִים

Hanetinim = The Nethinim

We’ve run into the Nethinim before as well, we found them working on an area of the wall near the Water Gate. Today, we’re finding that Malchijah the goldsmith was working to repair the area around the home of the Nethinim. The name Nethinim comes from the verb “natan” (נתן) meaning “to give.”  Nethinim is plural and means Given Ones.

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שַׁעַר הַמִּפְקָד

Sha’ar Hamiphkad = The Miphkad Gate

The name of this gate originates in the verb-root “pakad” (פקד), meaning “to number, reckon, visit, punish, or appoint.” The Miphkad Gate is also called the Command Gate, Master Gate, Muster Gate, or Inspection Gate. Some believe this was where laborers gathered to receive assignments; also, perhaps where David decided to take a census of Israel resulting in the death of 70,000 by a plague. Others envision this gate as the location where Roman soldiers carried out harsh judgements on Jesus.

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We hope you’ll join us again in a couple of days when we’ll finish up our study of Nehemiah chapter three. But between now and then, we have a couple of other biblical events to remember.