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פֶּלֶג

𐤐𐤋𐤂

Peleg

H6389 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פ־ל־ג to divide, split, separate, channel

Definition

Peleg: a personal name, primarily referring to a descendant of Shem listed in the genealogies of Genesis (specifically, son of Eber). The name itself is related to the idea of 'division' or 'split,' reflecting a notable event during his lifetime. Semantic range includes both the proper name Peleg and the association with dividing or splitting, derived from the root word but primarily used as a name.

Semantic Range

Peleg (as a personal name), division, splitting, separation, reference to an event of dividing (people, languages, territory)

Root / Etymology

From the root פלג (peleg), meaning 'to divide, split, separate, channel (of water).' The name is derived directly from this root, likely alluding to an event of division, as in Genesis 10:25: 'for in his days the earth was divided.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Peleg is introduced in Genesis 10:25 and 1 Chronicles 1:19 as a significant ancestor within the Israelite genealogical tradition. The biblical narrative connects his name to the 'division of the earth,' which most likely refers to a significant migration or dispersal of peoples, rather than a physical earthquake as sometimes rendered in older translations. This association has influenced interpretive traditions but is not a technical term for a natural disaster. The root פלג typically refers to division or a channel/split in other Hebrew usage (e.g., streams or canals, Psalm 1:3), but as a proper name, Peleg serves primarily as a personal identifier. English translations render Peleg as a proper name and do not convey the embedded sense of division inherent in the Hebrew context. Compared to related terms (such as נחל for 'stream'), פלג emphasizes the act or result of division. There is no evidence for the use of 'Jew' or Judean identity in connection with Peleg, as his character is pre-monarchic and linked to early Israelite genealogies.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as פֶּלֶג; earthquake; Peleg, a son of Shem; Peleg.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פלג (p-l-g) — divide, split, separate, channel

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4653 מִפְלַגָּה to divided groups
H6385 פָּלַג he split apart
H6386 פְּלַג divided
H6387 פְּלַג and a half of
H6388 פֶּלֶג like distributary-streams of

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6389-03 פֶּ֗לֶג peleg HNp Peleg Peleg 4
H6389-01 פֶ֖לֶג feleg HNp Peleg Peleg 2
H6389-02 פָּֽלֶג paleg HNp Peleg Peleg 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6389-03 Genesis 10:25 פֶּ֗לֶג peleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-02 Genesis 11:16 פָּֽלֶג paleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-03 Genesis 11:17 פֶּ֔לֶג peleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-01 Genesis 11:18 פֶ֖לֶג feleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-01 Genesis 11:19 פֶ֗לֶג feleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-03 1 Chronicles 1:19 פֶּ֗לֶג peleg HNp Peleg Peleg
H6389-03 1 Chronicles 1:25 פֶּ֖לֶג peleg HNp Peleg Peleg
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