Lexical Summary pelach: To serve, to worship, to labor Original Word: פֶלַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance piece From palach; a slice -- piece. see HEBREW palach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom palach Definition cleavage, a millstone NASB Translation millstone (1), piece (1), slice (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֶּ֫לַח noun feminine Job 41:16 cleavage, mill-stone (mill cleft between the stones ? compare GFMJu; ᵑ7 מִּלְחָא); — ׳פ absolute Job 41:16, elsewhere construct; — 1.a. mill-stone, רֶכֶב ׳פ mill-stone of riding, i.e. upper stone, which is turned (compare רֶכֶב), Judges 9:53; 2 Samuel 11:21; תַּחְתִּית ׳פ Job 41:16 lower mill-stone (simile of hardness). b. דְּבֵלָה ׳פ 1 Samuel 30:12 a cake of figs (from shape ?). 2 cleavge, split, hence slice הָרִמּוֺן ׳פ Songs 4:3=Songs 6:7 simile of human temple (from colour, compare Wetzst in DeComm. Excurs.A). Topical Lexicon Material Culture and Daily Life A פֶלַח was a common object or portion recognizable to anyone in ancient Israel. In agrarian households it could be the upper stone of a hand-mill used to grind grain (Judges 9:53; 2 Samuel 11:21; Job 41:24), or a slice cut from food for a traveler (1 Samuel 30:12). Whether stone or sustenance, the word calls attention to the ordinary things God uses to accomplish His purposes. Bread, Sustenance, and Divine Provision When David’s men discovered the abandoned Egyptian, “they gave him a piece of a cake of pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived” (1 Samuel 30:12). A single slice restored life; the episode anticipates the recurring biblical theme that God can multiply minimal resources to meet genuine need. The hospitality shown to the stranger leads directly to intelligence that enables David to rescue his people. A פֶלַח of fig-cake thus becomes an emblem of providential care. Military Imagery and Judgment In both Judges 9:53 and its recollection in 2 Samuel 11:21, an unnamed woman drops an upper millstone on Abimelech, bringing swift judgment upon the usurper. The seemingly insignificant household tool turns into an instrument of divine retribution, demonstrating the Lord’s capacity to topple the proud by unexpected means. Joab later invokes the same incident to warn messengers not to fear David’s reaction to battlefield losses, showing how the account shaped Israel’s military memory. Metaphor of Beauty and Intimacy Twice in the Song of Solomon the beloved’s temples are likened to “a slice of pomegranate behind your veil” (Song of Solomon 4:3; 6:7). The image evokes vibrant color, refreshing sweetness, and a symmetrical segment set within protective covering. In marital poetry the פֶלַח underscores covenant intimacy that is both unveiled and safeguarded. The comparison encourages spouses to recognize and celebrate God-given beauty within the boundaries He provides. Spiritual Hardness versus Humility Job 41:24 pictures Leviathan’s heart “as hard as a lower millstone.” The resistant stone stands in stark contrast to the pliable, life-giving slices of fruit and bread elsewhere. The text implicitly warns against cultivating a stony heart that mirrors the chaos creature. Humility keeps the believer receptive to God, whereas hardness invites confrontation with His power. Thematic Synthesis for Ministry 1. God often employs commonplace “slices” and “stones” to fulfill extraordinary purposes; ministers should not despise small resources or seemingly minor participants. Key References Judges 9:53; 1 Samuel 30:12; 2 Samuel 11:21; Job 41:24; Song of Solomon 4:3; Song of Solomon 6:7 Forms and Transliterations כְּפֶ֣לַח כְּפֶ֤לַח כפלח פֶ֨לַח פֶּ֥לַח פֶּ֨לַח פלח Felach kə·p̄e·laḥ keFelach kəp̄elaḥ pe·laḥ p̄e·laḥ Pelach pelaḥ p̄elaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 9:53 HEB: אִשָּׁ֥ה אַחַ֛ת פֶּ֥לַח רֶ֖כֶב עַל־ KJV: cast a piece of a millstone INT: woman A certain A piece an upper and 1 Samuel 30:12 2 Samuel 11:21 Job 41:24 Songs 4:3 Songs 6:7 6 Occurrences |
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