Melammu

Melammu refers to a quality of overwhelming radiance or majesty attributed to deities, rulers, and powerful beings in Mesopotamian literature. It is often described as a shining or fear-inducing presence that surrounds a figure and causes others to feel awe, submission, or dread. Melammu is not merely appearance but a sign of status and authority, marking someone as set apart and empowered. Kings could possess melammu as evidence of divine favor, while gods displayed it as an expression of their dominance. The concept helps explain how ancient cultures represented power as something visibly manifest and emotionally compelling rather than abstract. It is often used in the Hebrew Bible to describe God's shining glory that can be transferred to people.