פֶּלֶת
Peleth, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Peleth is a proper noun used exclusively as the name of two different Israelite men in the Old Testament. The first is Peleth, a Reubenite and the father of On, who was a co-conspirator with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in a rebellion against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:1). The second is Peleth, a descendant of Jerahmeel from the tribe of Judah, mentioned in a genealogical list (1 Chronicles 2:33). There are no other meanings or senses for this word beyond these two personal identifications.
Biblical Usage
The word 'Peleth' is used only twice in the Old Testament, each time as a personal name in distinct contexts and books. In Numbers 16:1, it appears in a narrative of rebellion during the wilderness wanderings. In 1 Chronicles 2:33, it is used in a genealogical record within the tribe of Judah. There is no pattern of usage beyond these two isolated, proper-name references.
Etymology
The name Peleth is derived from an unused Hebrew root (פלת) generally understood to mean 'to flee' or 'to escape,' implying swiftness. As a proper name, it likely carried a sense of 'swift one' or 'refuge,' which was a common practice for Hebrew names to convey a characteristic or hope. Its exact linguistic development from this root to a personal name is not detailed in scripture.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. While the biblical text does not explicitly comment on the character or fate of either man named Peleth, the name itself, meaning 'swiftness,' may have been given with positive intent. The first Peleth is notable only through his son's involvement in a grave rebellion (Numbers 16), which led to divine judgment. This association, rather than the name's meaning, is his primary cultural and narrative context.
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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