פְּלֵיטָה
deliverance; concretely, an escaped portion
Definition
The Hebrew noun פְּלֵיטָה (pᵉlêyṭâh) fundamentally means 'deliverance' or 'escape,' often referring to the act of being saved from danger or destruction. Concretely, it denotes the 'escaped portion' or 'remnant'—those who survive a calamity, such as a military defeat or divine judgment. For example, in Genesis 45:7, Joseph tells his brothers that God sent him ahead to preserve for them a 'remnant' (פְּלֵיטָה) on earth, emphasizing survival and continuity. In 2 Kings 19:30-31, the word describes the surviving remnant of Judah that will take root and bear fruit after the Assyrian invasion, highlighting both escape and future hope.
Biblical Usage
This word appears 28 times in the Old Testament, primarily in narrative and prophetic books. It is used in contexts of military escape (e.g., Judges 21:17, where Benjaminites fear having no survivors), personal deliverance from danger (e.g., 2 Samuel 15:14, where David flees Absalom's rebellion), and theological concepts of a surviving remnant after judgment (e.g., 2 Kings 19:30-31; Isaiah 37:31-32). The usage often carries a sense of urgency and divine intervention, whether in historical accounts or prophetic promises of restoration.
Etymology
פְּלֵיטָה is the feminine form of the noun פָּלִיט (pālîṭ, H6412), meaning 'escapee' or 'fugitive,' derived from the root פלט (plṭ), which conveys the idea of slipping away, escaping, or delivering. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Ugaritic and Aramaic, also relate to escape or deliverance. The development from a concrete 'escapee' to an abstract 'deliverance' or 'remnant' reflects how the term expanded to encompass both the act of saving and the group that is saved.
Semantic Range
פְּלֵיטָה is theologically significant as it often underscores God's sovereignty in preserving a remnant, a key theme in biblical theology. In passages like 2 Kings 19:30-31 and Isaiah's prophecies, it points to God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, ensuring that a faithful group survives judgment to fulfill His purposes. This concept enriches the understanding of divine judgment and mercy, showing that even in times of disaster, God provides hope and continuity for His people, which later connects to New Testament themes of spiritual remnant (e.g., Romans 9:27-29).
In ancient Israelite culture, escape from military defeat or natural disaster was a matter of life and death, and פְּלֵיטָה would have evoked immediate, tangible relief. The idea of a 'remnant' was not just about survival but also about identity and covenant continuity—those who escaped were seen as recipients of divine favor, tasked with rebuilding the community. This contrasts with modern individualistic views of escape, as it carried collective implications for the nation's future and God's ongoing story with His people.
פָּלִיט (pālîṭ, H6412) — the masculine form, focusing on an individual escapee or fugitive; יְשׁוּעָה (yᵉšûʿâh, H3444) — emphasizes salvation or deliverance in a broader, often more spiritual sense; שְׁאֵרִית (šᵉʾêrîṯ, H7611) — also means 'remnant,' but often stresses what is left over after destruction, with a stronger emphasis on continuity and inheritance.
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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