What does מָלַט (mālaṭ) mean in the Bible?
מָלַט (mālaṭ): Escape through slipperiness; to slip away from danger or constraints, hence to deliver or preserve.
Hebrew · H4422
מָלַט
Properly, to be smooth , i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue ; specifically, to bring forth young , emit sparks
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מָלַט H4422
Pronunciation mālaṭ
What does מָלַט (mālaṭ) mean in the Bible?
מָלַט (mālaṭ): Escape through slipperiness; to slip away from danger or constraints, hence to deliver or preserve.
Full entry for מָלַט (H4422) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4422?
The BSB source-word alignment has 95 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include escape (13), and escaped (5), escaped (5), have escaped (5), Run (5).
Where does מָלַט (mālaṭ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 19:17. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (13), Jeremiah (13), Job (11), Isaiah (9).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It escape 13× 1 Kings 18:40, Job 20:20, Proverbs 19:5, Isaiah 20:6
and escaped 5× Judges 3:26, 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 19:12, 1 Samuel 19:18
escaped 5× 1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 30:17, 1 Kings 20:20, Isaiah 37:38
have escaped 5× Job 1:15, Job 1:16, Job 1:17, Job 1:19
Run 5× Genesis 19:17, Genesis 19:19, Genesis 19:22, 1 Samuel 19:11
Save 5× 1 Kings 1:12, Psalms 33:17, Jeremiah 51:45, Amos 2:14
will escape 3× Proverbs 11:21, Jeremiah 48:8, Amos 9:1
. . . 2× 1 Samuel 27:1, Jeremiah 39:18
had escaped 2× Judges 3:26, 1 Samuel 23:13
I have escaped 2× 2 Samuel 1:3, Job 19:20
to escape 2× 1 Samuel 27:1, 2 Kings 10:24
whoever escapes 2× 1 Kings 19:17
will be delivered 2× Daniel 11:41, Daniel 12:1
and deliver you 1× Isaiah 46:4
and escape 1× Malachi 3:15
and he has escaped 1× 1 Samuel 19:17
and I will slip 1× 1 Samuel 27:1
and preserve it 1× Isaiah 31:5
and took refuge 1× 1 Samuel 22:1
and were set free 1× Psalms 22:5
and yet escape 1× Ezekiel 17:15
be delivered 1× Isaiah 49:24
Can he deliver 1× Psalms 89:48
deliver 1× Psalms 116:4
deliver me 1× Job 6:23
delivered us 1× 2 Samuel 19:9
escapes 1× Ecclesiastes 7:26
Flee 1× Genesis 19:17
has escaped 1× 2 Chronicles 16:7
have slipped away 1× Psalms 124:7
He rescued them 1× Psalms 107:20
He will deliver [even] 1× Job 22:30
he would have saved 1× Ezekiel 33:5
I rescued 1× Job 29:12
I will surely rescue you 1× Jeremiah 39:18
let me flee 1× Genesis 19:20
let me go 1× 1 Samuel 20:29
of them escaped 1× Judges 3:29
or the woman escaping 1× Jeremiah 48:19
release 1× Ecclesiastes 8:8
rescuing him 1× Job 22:30
saved 1× Ecclesiastes 9:15
she delivered 1× Isaiah 66:7
she will lay 1× Isaiah 34:15
shoot forth 1× Job 41:19
slipped away 1× 2 Samuel 4:6
things escape 1× Ezekiel 17:15
to relieve 1× Isaiah 46:2
undisturbed 1× 2 Kings 23:18
who have saved 1× 2 Samuel 19:5
will be retrieved 1× Isaiah 49:25
will be safe 1× Proverbs 28:26
will be saved 1× Joel 2:32
will deliver him 1× Psalms 41:1
you alone will escape 1× Esther 4:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 19:17 הִמָּלֵ֣ט to Run Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular Genesis 19:17 הִמָּלֵ֖ט to Flee Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular Genesis 19:19 לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט to run Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct Genesis 19:20 אִמָּלְטָ֨ה to let me flee Verb - Nifal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Genesis 19:22 הִמָּלֵ֣ט to Run Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular Judges 3:26 נִמְלַ֖ט to had escaped Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 3:26 וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט to and escaped Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Judges 3:29 נִמְלַ֖ט to of them escaped Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 19:10 וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט to and escaped Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 19:11 מְמַלֵּ֤ט to run Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 19:17
Aligned rows 95
Books represented 20
Genesis 5 Judges 3 1 Samuel 13 2 Samuel 4 1 Kings 5 2 Kings 3 2 Chronicles 1 Esther 1 Job 11 Psalms 8 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 3 Isaiah 9 Jeremiah 13 Ezekiel 4 Daniel 2 Joel 1 Amos 4 Zechariah 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה 3x wā·’im·mā·lə·ṭāh Job 1:16, Job 1:17, Job 1:19
וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט 3x way·yim·mā·lêṭ Judges 3:26, 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 22:1
יִמָּלֵֽט׃ 3x yim·mā·lêṭ Proverbs 19:5, Proverbs 28:26, Isaiah 49:24
הִמָּלֵ֣ט 2x him·mā·lêṭ Genesis 19:17, Genesis 19:22
וַיִּמָּלֵ֗ט 2x way·yim·mā·lêṭ 1 Samuel 19:18, 1 Kings 20:20
יְמַלֵּ֥ט 2x yə·mal·lêṭ Ecclesiastes 8:8, Amos 2:14
יִמָּלֵ֥ט 2x yim·mā·lêṭ 1 Kings 18:40, Amos 9:1
יִמָּלֵ֣ט 2x yim·mā·lêṭ Ecclesiastes 7:26, Daniel 12:1
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 14x 1 Kings 18:40, 2 Kings 10:24, Proverbs 19:5, Proverbs 28:26
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 8x Judges 3:26, 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 19:12, 1 Samuel 19:17
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 8x Job 20:20, Job 22:30, Psalms 33:17, Psalms 89:48
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 7x Judges 3:26, Judges 3:29, 1 Samuel 23:13, 1 Samuel 30:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular 4x Job 1:15, Job 1:16, Job 1:17, Job 1:19
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular 3x Genesis 19:17, Genesis 19:22
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 3x Jeremiah 34:3, Jeremiah 38:18, Jeremiah 38:23
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 3x 2 Samuel 4:6, 2 Kings 19:37, Isaiah 37:38
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Escape through slipperiness; to slip away from danger or constraints, hence to deliver or preserve.
Strong's H4422
Lexical occurrences 95 verses Word forms 3 forms 55 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 46:1-4 Source Gloss
properly, to be smooth , i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue ; specifically, to bring forth young , emit sparks
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Escape through slipperiness; to slip away from danger or constraints, hence to deliver or preserve.
properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparks BDB: slip away Usage: deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, × speedily, × surely.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 55
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 40×
Imperfect 2Kgs 10:24 · Amos 9:1 · Dan 12:1 · Eccl 7:26 · Ezek 17:18 · Isa 49:24 · Isa 49:25 · Jer 32:4 · Joel 3:5 · Prov 19:5 · Prov 28:26 · Jer 34:3 · Jer 38:18 · Jer 38:23 · 1Sam 27:1 · Dan 11:41 18×
Perfect 1Sam 23:13 · 1Sam 30:17 · 2Chr 16:7 · Jer 41:15 · Judg 3:26 · Judg 3:29 · Prov 11:21 · 2Kgs 19:37 · 2Sam 4:6 · Isa 37:38 · 2Sam 1:3 · Ps 124:7 13×
Sequential imperfect Gen 19:17 · Gen 19:22 · Zech 2:11 4×
Jussive 1Kgs 18:40 · Jer 46:6 2×
Cohortative 1Sam 20:29 · Gen 19:20 2×
Infinitive construct 1Sam 27:1 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 14×
Imperfect Amos 2:14 · Amos 2:15 · Eccl 8:8 · Job 20:20 · Job 22:30 · Ps 33:17 · Ps 89:49 · Job 29:12 9×
Participle active 1Sam 19:11 1×
Perfect Ezek 33:5 1×
Infinitive construct Isa 46:2 1×
Infinitive absolute Jer 39:18 1×
Sequential imperfect Jer 48:6 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 1×
Imperfect Job 41:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
God's causative action to rescue and preserve people from danger
To slip away or get free from captivity or hostile circumstances
Assurance that the wicked will not go unpunished or evade judgment
False witness cannot evade or slip away from ultimate consequences
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 95 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מָלַט is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain