Skip to content

shebanq

מֶלְקָחַיִם melqāḥàyim – forceps, tongs

Semantic Fields: Utensils   
Author(s): Cornelis Houtman
First published: 2011-03-24
Citation: Cornelis Houtman, מֶלְקָחַיִם melqāḥàyim – forceps, tongs,
               Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database (sahd-online.com), 2011 (WORK IN PROGRESS)

Introduction

Grammatical type:
Occurrences: 6x HB (3/2/1)

  • Torah: Exod 25:38; 37:23; Num 4:9;
  • Nebiim: 1 Kgs 7:49; Isa 6:6;
  • Ketubim: 2 Chron 4:21.

A.1

1. Root and Comparative Material

A.1 Semitic: The √lqḥ is general Semitic and has the basic meaning ‘to grasp, take’, see e.g. Klein, CEDHL, 305; Leslau, CDG, 317; Del Olmo Lete & Sanmartín, DULAT, 501.

Akkadian: The word occurs in the Akkadian of Ugarit (Tawil, ALCBH, 215-6. See below.

Ugaritic: It has been suggested that Ugaritic mqḥm (a dual) means ‘forceps’ or ‘pincers’ (for a survey of opinions see Watson 2002, 923). This is apparently the same word as the Hebrew מֶלְקַחַיִם, be it that the l was assimilated, as is often the case with forms of √lqḥ. In KTU 4.123:21 mqḥm occurs between various containers in the phrase w . qpt . w . mqḥm which might be interpreted as ‘and a box with a forceps’ (→ מֹאזְנַיִם). KTU 4.127:4 mqḥ mqḥm ‘an excellent forceps’ occurs in broken context. KTU 4. 385:3 spl . mšlt . wmqḥm might be rendered ‘a bowl, a flint-knife and a forceps’ -- it has been suggested that we are dealing with a physician’s equipment here (Stieglitz 1981).

This term is also attested in syllabic Ugaritic transcription. In a list of bronze tools PRU VI, No. 157:13-14 mentions 1 ma-qa-ḫa išāti | 1 ma-qa-ḫa me-e ‘1 forceps for fire’ | ‘1 forceps for intestines’ (cf. Hebr. מֵּעִים). Especially the former tallies with the Hebrew use of the tool in Isa 6:6. Also attested in the Akkadian of Ugarit are two ša la-qí išāti siparri ‘bronze forceps to pick up fire’ (PRU III, 186:38), mentioned just after seven torches.

Punic: Punic mlqḥ is a different word, possibly meaning ‘catch-net’ (Krahmalkov, PPD, 645; cf. Hoftijzer & Jongeling, DNSI, 645: uncertain).

Postbiblical Hebrew: See section 6 below.

2. Formal Characteristics

A.1 [Will be added later.]

3. Syntagmatics

A.1 [Will be added later.]

4. Ancient Versions

a. Septuagint (LXX) and other Greek versions (αʹ, σʹ, θʹ):

  • Exod 25:38(37) ἐπαρυστήρ sing. according to*LSJ, 611: ‘vessel for pouring oil into a lamp’; similarly GELS-L, 165: ‘vessel for pouring oil (into a lamp), funnel’. 1 Kgs 7:49 (LXX 7:35) ἐπαρυστρίς plur., a neologism with the same meaning. This rendering is also used for → מַחְתָֹּה
    in Exod 37:23 [LXX 38:17]; Num 4:9, and for → מוּצָקָה in Zech 4:2. In Exod 37:23 (LXX 38:17); Num 4:9; Isa 6:6; 2 Chron 4:21the LXX opts for λαβίς (sing. in Isa 6:6; elsewhere plur.), according to LSJ, 1021: ‘handle’, ‘holder’, ‘forceps’, ‘clamps’, ‘tongs, snuffers to trim lamps’. The latter renderings are also given by GELS-L, 275.

b. Peshitta (Pesh):

  • The normal rendering is malq eṭā, ‘tweezers, snuffers’ according to Payne Smith (Margoliouth), CSD, 278. The verb lqḥ means ‘to pick, glean’. Only in Isa 6:6 kalb etā is chosen for which Payne Smith (Margoliouth), CSD, 215 offers the renderings ‘tongs, pincers, tweezers’. 2 Chron 4:21 is lacking in Pesh.

c. Targum (Tg):

  • TgO on Exod 25:38; 37:23; Num 4:9 ציבתא plur. (Levy, CWT, Bd. 2, 314: ‘Zange, Lichtschneuze’; Jastrow, DTT, 1260: ‘tongs’). TgN, TgPsJ, Fragment Targum MS Vatican Ebr. 440 (on Num 4:9) מלקחא plur. (Levy, CWT, Bd. 2, 43: ‘Zangen’, ‘Lichtschneuzen’; Jastrow, DTT, 793: ‘snuffers’; Sokoloff, DJPA, 311: ‘tong, snuffer’). Tg 1 Kgs 7:49; 2 Chron 4:21 ציבתא plur. like TgO. In Isa 6:6 Tg offers a free paraphrasis.

d. Vulgate (Vg):

  • Exod 25:38; 37:23 emunctorium plur., ‘snuffers’ (in Num 4:9 → מַחְתָֹּה plur. is translated with emunctoria). Num 4:9; 1 Kgs 7:49; Isa 6:6; 2 Chron 4:21 forceps (sing. in Isa 6:6; elsewhere plur.), ‘(pair of) tongs, pincers, forceps’ (LD, 767).

A.1 SPT: מלקחה which Tal, DSA, 445, describes as a ‘receptacle’ but which on the analogy of Tg and Pesh should probably be understood as ‘forceps, tongs’.

5. Lexical/Semantic Fields

A.1 [Will be added later.]

6. Exegesis

6.1 Textual Evidence

A.1 With the exception of Isa 6:6, מֶלְקַחַיִם (transliterated by St. Jerome as malcaim; see Sperber 1937-8, 191, 237), a dualis describing an object consisting of two parts (cf. König 1897, § 257a), and a derivative of √לקח, is used to denote some utensils specifically intended for servicing the lamps (→ נֵר) of the sanctuary lampstand (→ מְנֹרָה), of the Tabernacle (Exod 25:38; 37:23; Num 4:9), as well as of the Temple of Solomon (1 Kgs 7:49 = 2 Chron 4:21). They are made of respectively ‘pure gold’ (טָהֹור זָהָב, Exod 25:38; 37:23) and ‘gold’ (1 Kgs 7:49 = 2 Chron 4:21). In Exod 25:38; 37:23 they are mentioned together with ‘firepans’ (→ מַחְתָֹּה plur.), in Num 4:9 moreover with such things as containers and funnels for the lampstand’s oil (שַׁמְנָהּ כָּל ־כְּלֵי, cf. also Exod 30:27; 31:8; 35:14; 39:37).

In Isa 6:6, where מֶלְקַחַיִם is used for taking and holding a live coal from the incense altar of the Temple, it evidently denotes a light type of tongs or forceps. Elsewhere the term presumably stands for a tool used for servicing the wicks of the lamps, such as adjusting the wicks, holding them while trimming (→ מְזַמֶּרֶת), removing old wicks and putting in new ones. In translations, on the assumption that there was more than one pair of tongs, one finds the rendering ‘snuffers’ for מֶלְקַחַיִם too. However, because in 1 Kgs 7:49f. = 2 Chron 4:21f. מֶלְקַחַיִם and מְזַמְּרֹות are mentioned side by side it is likely that the terms refer to two different utensils.Another proposal is that lids for covering the lamps are meant so that no dirt would fall into the oil (Nachmanides; see Chavel 1973, 460-1). Finally it has been suggested that the מֶלְקַחַיִם refer to pliers to remove the hot lamps from the stand (cf. Holzinger 1900, 126).

In the Temple Scroll from Cave 11 in the Judean Desert (11Q19: IX.10-11) ככרים כולה ומלקחיה מזמרתיה ‘its [trimming knives] and its מלקחים, two talents in total’ occurs, suggesting fairly heavy tools. However, this may rest on interpretation of the biblical occurrences.

The rabbinic testimony is based on the biblical testimony and has no independent value. There are no indications supporting the hypothesis that the מֶלְקַחַיִם were attached to the lamp (against Krauss, TA, Bd. 1, 71, 403, n. 217).

6.2 Pictorial Material

A.1 In Tell el-Amarna, Egypt, forceps designed like human hands have been found that may have been used to pull up lampwicks (ISBE, vol. 4, 558).

6.3 Archaeology

A.1 [Will be added later.]

7. Conclusion

A.1 The מֶלְקַחַיִם denote a pair of tongs or forceps. They were used in the cult to pick up hot coals from the altar (fire was difficult to make) or were used for servicing the wicks of the lamps, such as adjusting them, holding them while trimming (→ מְזַמֶּרֶת), removing old wicks and putting in new ones. Most ancient versions support this interpretation. A related word in Ugaritic suggests that such forceps were also used for other purposes requiring a delicate instrument to pick up small objects.

Bibliography

Chavel 1973: Ramban (Nachmanides) Commentary on the Torah: Exodus, translated and annotated by C.B. Chavel, New York 1973

Holzinger 1900: H. Holzinger, Exodus (KHC), Tübingen 1900

König 1897: E. König, *Historisch-comparative Syntax der hebräischen Sprache, Leipzig 1897

Sperber 1937-8: A. Sperber, ‘Hebrew Based upon Greek and Latin Transliterations’, HUCA 12-13 (1937-8), 103-274 Stieglitz 1981: R.R. Stieglitz, ‘A Physician‘s Equipment List from Ugarit’, JCS (33) 1981, 52-5

Watson 2002: W.G.E. Watson, ‘Tools of the Trade (KTU 4.127 and 4.385)’, UF 34 (2002), 921-30.

Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database