פֶּלֶט
Pelet, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Peleṭ is a proper noun referring to two distinct individuals in the Old Testament. The first is Pelet, a son of Jahdai, mentioned in the genealogy of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:47). The second is Pelet, a Benjamite warrior who joined David's forces at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3). As a name, it carries the meaning of 'escape' or 'deliverance,' derived from its root verb. The name appears only in these two genealogical and military roster contexts within Chronicles.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a personal name in the Old Testament, appearing only in the book of 1 Chronicles. Both occurrences are in lists: one within a tribal genealogy (1 Chronicles 2:47) and the other in a record of mighty men who defected to David (1 Chronicles 12:3). There is no narrative usage; it functions solely to identify individuals in historical records.
Etymology
Peleṭ is derived from the Hebrew root פָּלַט (pālaṭ, H6403), meaning 'to escape, to deliver, to slip out.' As a proper noun, it is a nominal form of this root, essentially meaning 'escape' or 'deliverance.' It is related to the common noun פְּלֵטָה (pəlēṭâ, H6413), meaning 'escape' or 'those who have escaped.' The name likely expressed a hope for God's deliverance or celebrated a past rescue.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically central, its meaning—'escape' or 'deliverance'—connects to the broader biblical theme of God as the deliverer of His people. In the context of 1 Chronicles 12:3, a man named 'Deliverance' aligning with David, the future king and a type of Christ, can subtly foreshadow the ultimate deliverance found in the Messiah. Understanding the name's meaning enriches the reading of these lists, reminding us that even names in genealogies can point to God's saving character.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive, reflecting circumstances at birth, parental hopes, or attributes of God. Naming a child Peleṭ ('Escape') may have commemorated a narrow survival or expressed a prayer for the child's future deliverance from harm. It differs from modern naming conventions where meaning is often secondary to sound or family tradition.
פְּלֵטָה (pəlēṭâ, H6413) — A common noun meaning 'escape' or 'fugitives,' referring to a group of survivors, whereas Peleṭ is a personal name. פָּלַט (pālaṭ, H6403) — The root verb meaning 'to deliver, to slip away,' expressing the action, while Peleṭ is a nominal form representing the concept or result.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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