Lexical Summary pelilah: Judgment, decision, arbitration Original Word: פְלִילָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance judgment Feminine of paliyl; justice -- judgment. see HEBREW paliyl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom palal Definition office of judge or umpire NASB Translation decision (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְּלִילָה noun feminine office of judge or umpire; — ׳עשׂי פ (Qr עֲשׂוּ) Isaiah 16:3 do an umpire's office. Topical Lexicon Linguistic Scope and Nuance פְלִילָה (pelilah) denotes the carrying out of a judicial decision with an emphasis on rightness that is both moral and legal. It differs from more common terms such as מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “judgment”) by stressing the fair and skillful resolution of a specific dispute. Its single biblical appearance underscores the solemn weight Scripture places on the just handling of vulnerable people. Canonical Context (Isaiah 16:3) “Give counsel, execute justice; make your shade like night at midday. Hide the fugitives; do not betray the refugees.” (Isaiah 16:3) The prophetic section (Isaiah 15–16) announces impending calamity on Moab, yet verse 3 momentarily turns to Moab’s leaders, urging them to render pelilah toward displaced refugees. The plea is striking: at the very moment Moab will itself face instability, God demands equitable action on behalf of outsiders. The term thereby links righteousness with compassionate asylum. Historical Setting Eighth-century events forced many Judeans to seek shelter across borders (compare 2 Kings 16:6). Moab historically shared mixed relations with Israel (Genesis 19:36–37; Ruth 1:1–4), but Isaiah places Moab under divine expectation to uphold covenantal ethics toward sojourners (Exodus 22:21). By invoking pelilah, the prophet insists that justice for refugees is not optional diplomacy but a moral imperative grounded in the character of the Lord who “loves righteousness and justice” (Psalm 33:5). Theological Significance 1. Protection of the Helpless. Pelilah in Isaiah 16:3 binds justice to shelter, illustrating that true adjudication safeguards the powerless, mirroring God’s own protective nature (Deuteronomy 10:18). Ministry and Discipleship Application • Advocacy: Leaders and believers are called to active, not passive, fairness—“execute” pelilah. Justice requires decisive, courageous intervention for the displaced, abused, or marginalized. Christological and Redemptive Implications Jesus embodies pelilah through perfect judgments (John 5:30) and ultimate refuge (Matthew 11:28). The cross demonstrates God’s righteous verdict against sin while offering shelter to repentant sinners. Believers proclaim and practice this justice by living out gospel reconciliation. Eschatological Outlook Revelation 20:11–12 portrays the final court in which every decision (pelilah) is rendered by the righteous Judge. Present obedience to divine justice anticipates that day, assuring believers that the Lord will vindicate truth and protect His people forever. Forms and Transliterations פְלִילָ֔ה פלילה feliLah p̄ə·lî·lāh p̄əlîlāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 16:3 HEB: עֵצָה֙ עֲשׂ֣וּ פְלִילָ֔ה שִׁ֧יתִי כַלַּ֛יִל NAS: make a decision; Cast KJV: execute judgment; make INT: advice make judgment Cast night 1 Occurrence |
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