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פְּלֵתִי

𐤐𐤋𐤕𐤉

Peleti

H6432 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פלₑת uncertain; possibly 'to escape, deliver' if related to פלט (p-l-ṭ), but not definitively connected

Definition

Member of the group known as 'Pelethites,' a body of elite royal guards or couriers serving King David, often mentioned alongside the Kerethites. The term denotes a professional role within the royal administration, likely referring either to a specific ethnic group originally or to a unit whose function became institutionalized as messengers, couriers, or bodyguards in the monarchic period.

Semantic Range

member of the royal bodyguard; elite royal official; operational messenger or courier in the court; name of an institution or group of professional guards; possible ethnic designation in early usage

Root / Etymology

From the same form as פֶּלֶת (Pelet), which itself is of uncertain etymology. The root may relate to a personal name, possibly indicating descent or association with an ancestor named Pelet, though the underlying Hebrew root is uncertain or unattested in standard Hebrew verbal forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

'Pelethites' are frequently mentioned in the context of the royal court in descriptions of David's personal troops, typically paired with the 'Kerethites.' The precise ethnic origin of the Pelethites is debated, with some proposing non-Israelite or foreign mercenary status (possibly of Philistine or Cretan origin), while others suggest the term came to represent an institutional rather than strictly ethnic identity. In many English translations, the term is transliterated to preserve the ambiguity. The meaning 'courier' derives from their apparent role as royal messengers or guards rather than from the core or etymological meaning. In the context of the biblical narrative, the Pelethites are distinct from the general Israelite soldiery and are associated with loyalty to the king during times of crisis (e.g., Absalom's rebellion). There is no evidence that the term developed later religious meanings or was applied beyond the royal bodyguard context in the biblical period.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same form as פֶּלֶת; a courier (collectively) or official messenger; Pelethites.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פלת (p-l-t) — uncertain; possibly escape, deliver; institutional or clan designation

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6432-02 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman 5
H6432-01 הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י hapeleti HTd/Ngmsa the Pelethite the Pelethite guard 2

Occurrences in Scripture

7 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6432-02 2 Samuel 8:18 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman
H6432-01 2 Samuel 15:18 הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י hapeleti HTd/Ngmsa the Pelethite the Pelethite guard
H6432-02 2 Samuel 20:7 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֖י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman
H6432-01 2 Samuel 20:23 הַ/פְּלֵתִֽי hapeleti HTd/Ngmsa the Pelethites the Pelethite guard
H6432-02 1 Kings 1:38 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֔י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman
H6432-02 1 Kings 1:44 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman
H6432-02 1 Chronicles 18:17 וְ/הַ/פְּלֵתִ֑י vehapeleti HC/Td/Ngmsa and the Pelethites and the Pelethite guardsman
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