Exodus 20:9

Duties of the Messenger

Strongs #4399 deputyship, ministry, task (of messengers/angels) 

The words מלאך (mal'akh) and מלאכת (melakht) are related etymologically, stemming from the same root letters: לאך. This root carries the core meaning of "sending" or "dispatching," implying a sense of carrying out a task or delivering a message.

1. מלאך (Mal'akh - Angel/Messenger) #4397:

   • "מלאך" (mal'akh) refers to an angel or a messenger in Hebrew. It is derived from the root לאך, meaning "one who is sent" or "one who delivers a message." In biblical and traditional Hebrew contexts, angels are seen as divine messengers, intermediaries between God and humans, tasked with delivering messages, carrying out missions, or performing specific duties.

2. מלאכת (Melakht - Work/Task/Mission) #4399:

   • "מלאכת" (melakht) refers to work, task, or labor in Hebrew. It also derives from the same root לאך, but in this case, the emphasis is on the action of carrying out tasks or fulfilling duties. This word is often used to describe various forms of labor or work assignments, both in everyday contexts and in religious or spiritual contexts. It conveys the sense of purposeful action or activity, akin to the duties assigned to a messenger or an agent.

Both "מלאך" (mal'akh) and "מלאכת" (melakht) are rooted in the concept of "sending" or "dispatching," but they emphasize different aspects of this idea: "מַלְאָךְ" (mal'akh) focuses on the messenger or agent who carries out tasks or delivers messages, while "מְלַאכְתְּ" (melakht) emphasizes the tasks or duties themselves, regardless of who performs them.