Bible Word Study
פּוּל
Pûwl · Pul, the name of an Assyrian king and of an Ethiopian tribe
פּוּל
Pul, the name of an Assyrian king and of an Ethiopian tribe
Definition
Pul is a proper noun referring to two distinct entities in the Old Testament. Primarily, it is the name of an Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III, who invaded Israel during the reign of King Menahem (2 Kings 15:19). The tribute paid to Pul marked a significant moment of subjugation for the northern kingdom. Secondarily, in a prophetic context, Pul refers to a distant nation or people group, likely in Africa (Isaiah 66:19), listed among those who will witness God's glory.
Biblical Usage
The word is used three times, always as a proper noun. In historical books, it identifies the Assyrian king who exacted tribute from Israel (2 Kings 15:19, 1 Chronicles 5:26). In prophetic literature, it names a people to be reached in the future (Isaiah 66:19). The usage shows a shift from a specific historical oppressor to a general representative of the distant nations God will gather.
Etymology
The word is explicitly of foreign origin (Hebrew: נכרי). It is not derived from a Hebrew root but is a transliteration of an Assyrian name. In Assyrian records, 'Pul' was likely the throne name or a variant for Tiglath-Pileser III (Akkadian: Tukultī-apil-Ešarra).
Semantic Range
The dual reference to Pul highlights God's sovereignty over international powers, both in judgment and salvation. Historically, Pul was an instrument of God's discipline on Israel (2 Kings 15:19). Prophetically, the 'land of Pul' represents the farthest nations included in God's redemptive plan (Isaiah 66:19), emphasizing the global scope of His glory. Understanding this enriches the reading of Isaiah's vision, connecting a past enemy to a future recipient of God's revelation. For the original audience, 'Pul' as a king invoked the immediate political threat of the powerful Assyrian Empire, which demanded heavy tribute. The reference in Isaiah 66:19 to a people of 'Pul' likely pointed to a remote, possibly African, region (sometimes associated with Put or Libya), representing the known world's extremities. This reflects an ancient Near Eastern view of cataloging distant, exotic nations. Ashshur (H804) — The nation of Assyria itself, whereas Pul specifies a particular king. Put (H6316) — A neighboring African region often mentioned in conjunction with Pul, possibly indicating a similar geographical association.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]