פֶּלֶךְ
𐤐𐤋𐤊
pelek
H6418 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A round object, typically a spindle used in spinning, or by extension, any cylindrical stick-like instrument such as a distaff or staff; in some passages, refers to a region or district, suggesting a boundary or circuit. The word carries the primary sense of a spinning tool, but also denotes circumscribed areas in administrative lists.
Semantic Range
spindle, distaff, staff or rod, crutch, administrative district, region, circuit
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain; Strong suggested a link to a root 'to be round', though no such root is attested in Biblical Hebrew. The noun pelek likely first denoted a rounded or cylindrical object, especially a spindle used in textile production, with later metaphorical extension to 'district' as a circumscribed or bounded area. Should not be confused with related terms for 'district' or 'region' such as מחוז (maḥoz) or גבול (gevul).
Historical & Contextual Notes
פֶּלֶךְ appears in two main semantic domains: (1) as a tool used in textile manufacture (spindle, distaff, staff), especially in Proverbs 31:19 in the context of skilled domestic production; (2) as a term for an administrative district or circumscribed region, primarily in later biblical books (Nehemiah, Chronicles), reflecting divisions under Assyrian, Babylonian, or Persian administration. Its usage as a territorial marker is prominent in exilic and post-exilic texts during periods of foreign rule and reorganization. English translations often split the term's senses based on context but may not capture the metaphorical link between the physical spindle and administrative boundaries. The sense of 'crutch' is contextually rare and based on the general sense of a staff or stick-like object. The figurative application from 'spindle' to 'district' likely reflects the concept of turning, circling, or a defined area. Late biblical Hebrew occasionally uses פֶּלֶךְ as a synonym for other regional units, but it is less common in pre-exilic texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to be round; a circuit (i.e. district); also a spindle (as whirled); hence, a crutch; (di-) staff, participle
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פלך (p-l-k) — to turn (proposed), to roll (proposed), to be round (proposed)
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6418-05 |
פֶּ֥לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle | 6 |
H6418-02 |
פָֽלֶךְ | falekhe | HNcmsa |
the spindle | spindle-rod | 1 |
H6418-04 |
לְ/פִלְכּֽ/וֹ | lefileko | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
for his district | for his spindle | 1 |
H6418-03 |
פֶ֥לֶךְ | felekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle of | 1 |
H6418-01 |
בַּ/פֶּ֛לֶךְ | bapelekhe | HRd/Ncmsa |
a spindle | in the spindle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6418-01 |
2 Samuel 3:29 | בַּ/פֶּ֛לֶךְ | bapelekhe | HRd/Ncmsa |
a spindle | in the spindle |
H6418-02 |
Proverbs 31:19 | פָֽלֶךְ | falekhe | HNcmsa |
the spindle | spindle-rod |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:9 | פֶּ֥לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:12 | פֶּ֣לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:14 | פֶּ֣לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
of district | spindle |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:15 | פֶּ֣לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
of the district | spindle |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:16 | פֶּ֣לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle |
H6418-03 |
Nehemiah 3:17 | פֶ֥לֶךְ | felekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle of |
H6418-04 |
Nehemiah 3:17 | לְ/פִלְכּֽ/וֹ | lefileko | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
for his district | for his spindle |
H6418-05 |
Nehemiah 3:18 | פֶּ֥לֶךְ | pelekhe | HNcmsc |
district | spindle |