melakah, “work,” strong’s H4399

First occurrence

And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. Gen 2:2

The Primitive Root

Strong’s H4399, melakah, a concrete noun meaning,“occupation, work, business;” from Strong’s H4397, malak, a concrete noun meaning, “one sent, a messenger” (the same Hebrew word translated “angel” in English Bibles;) from לאך, an unused primitive root meaning, “to depute, to despatch as a deputy.” The ancient pictographs are lamed + aleph + kaph.

lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
aleph א = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader
kaph כ, ך = the open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame

According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the verbal root at the foundation of this whole family of words is lamed + kaph, as the one who takes the staff (lamed) in the palm (kaph) was the nomad who traveled on foot with his staff in his hand to provide support when walking. So then, the story becomes one who takes the staff (lamed), at the command of his superior (aleph), in his palm (kaph); i.e., one who walks (lamed + kaph) at the behest of another (aleph, higher in rank or authority being implied). Thus, the unused root meaning, “to despatch as a deputy.”

We can see what the primitive root has to do with angels, Strong’s H4397, but what does it have to with one’s occupation? God deputized Adam after Him, and carrying out that commission is man’s occupation.

And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the winged creatures of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Gen 1:26

THE ANCIENT HEBREW LEXICON | INDEX OF HEBREW ROOTS