Lexical Summary pili or pali: Distinction, wonder, marvel Original Word: פִלְאִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance secret, wonderful Or paliy {paw-lee'}; from pala'; remarkable -- secret, wonderful. see HEBREW pala' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as pele Definition wonderful, incomprehensible NASB Translation wonderful (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָּלִיא] see following. [מִּלְאִי] adjective wonderful, incomprehensible; — masculine פלאי (i.e. מִּלְאִי) Kt, Judges 13:18 (name of ׳מַלְאַךְ י; > Qr מֶּ֫לִי(אׅ); feminine פלאיה דַעַת מִמֶּנִּי (i.e. מִּלְאִיָה) Psalm 139:6 God's knowledge; > Qr מְּלִיאָה. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuance פִלְאִי points to that which exceeds the bounds of ordinary human perception. It captures the sense of an awe-inspiring reality that cannot be fully analyzed or domesticated by the mind. Whereas the common verb פָּלָא highlights acts that are “marvelous” or “extraordinary,” the adjective פִלְאִי directs attention to the very character of the subject—it is inherently wonder-full. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Judges 13:18—The Angel of the LORD answers Manoah, “Why do you ask My name, since it is beyond comprehension?”. Both settings place the word on the lips of individuals overwhelmed by divine self-disclosure—Manoah confronted by the Angel of the LORD, and David contemplating the omniscience of God. Historical Context and Narrative Implications In Judges 13 Manoah, the father of Samson, seeks to domesticate the revelation by asking the Angel’s name. The response pivots the conversation away from human control toward reverent submission. Manoah learns that the One commissioning Samson’s birth is beyond manipulation, a lesson Israel needed during the cyclical apostasy of the Judges era. Psalm 139 belongs to Davidic reflection rather than narrative plot. Here the psalmist confesses limitation in the face of exhaustive divine knowledge. The setting may be private devotion, yet it shapes corporate worship by modeling humble wonder. Theological Themes of Wonder and Transcendence 1. Divine Inaccessibility. Both passages emphasize that certain aspects of God remain unsearchable (compare Romans 11:33). Christological Foreshadowing The Angel of the LORD episode anticipates Isaiah 9:6 where the Messiah is called “Wonderful Counselor.” Early Christian writers viewed Judges 13 as a Christophany: the pre-incarnate Christ disclosing a name that is intrinsically “wonderful.” In the New Testament the incarnate Son retains this quality; His signs evoke amazement (Mark 2:12), and His name surpasses every other (Philippians 2:9). Application for Faith and Ministry • Preaching: These texts call congregations to a posture of reverent awe. Sermons can highlight the balance between knowing God truly and acknowledging His unfathomable depths. Related Terms and Intertextual Echoes ־פָּלָא (palaʾ) verb—divine acts (Exodus 34:10). ־פֶּלֶא (peleʾ) noun—wonder (Isaiah 25:1). These cognates build a semantic field of wonder that threads through Scripture, culminating in the miracles of Jesus Christ. Conclusion פִלְאִי gathers the biblical witness into a single adjective: God is wonderfully, gloriously beyond us, yet graciously for us. Human response is not dissecting curiosity but surrendered worship. Forms and Transliterations פֶֽלִאי׃ פְּלִ֣יאָֽה פלאי׃ פליאה Feli p̄e·li pə·lî·’āh p̄eli pəlî’āh peLiahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 13:18 HEB: לִשְׁמִ֑י וְהוּא־ פֶֽלִאי׃ ס NAS: my name, seeing it is wonderful? KJV: thou thus after my name, seeing it [is] secret? INT: my name he secret Psalm 139:6 2 Occurrences |
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