סְגֻלָּה
𐤎𐤂𐤋𐤄
çᵉgullâh
H5459 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A treasured possession or valued property, especially one set apart due to its rarity or special status; in the Hebrew Bible, often used to denote a prized or special possession belonging to a sovereign or deity. Its semantic range encompasses physical valuables (such as jewels or treasures), but especially denotes the idea of something carefully selected, set apart, and held in special esteem or protection, including a group of people regarded as specially valued (e.g., the Israelite people in covenantal contexts).
Semantic Range
treasured possession, prized property, private wealth, valued treasure, select group regarded as prized, special selection, covenantal people, jewel
Root / Etymology
Derived from root סגל (sgl), meaning 'to set apart, treasure, or value highly.' The verb form is unused in the Hebrew Bible, but cognate forms occur in related Semitic languages, suggesting the sense of gathering or setting aside prized items. The form סְגֻלָּה is a feminine noun denoting that which is treasured or set apart.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, סְגֻלָּה appears infrequently (e.g., Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalm 135:4; Malachi 3:17), primarily in covenantal passages describing the Israelite people as YHWH’s treasured possession among the nations. In these uses, the term denotes a status of being set apart and specially valued, more than simply material wealth or jewels. Later, during the Second Temple period, the nuance of 'special status' is retained, and the term at times becomes a self-identifier for communities considering themselves especially chosen. Standard English translations such as 'special possession,' 'treasured possession,' or 'jewel' sometimes fail to capture this blend of rarity, distinction, and covenantal relationship embedded in the term. The conceptual scope should be distinguished from related terms such as חֵפֶץ (hefez, 'delight'), which emphasizes pleasure or desire, and אֹצָר (otzar, 'storehouse, treasure'), which stresses material accumulation without the nuance of being specially chosen or protected. The English 'peculiar' in older translations referred to 'belonging exclusively to,' not 'strange.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up); jewel, peculiar (treasure), proper good, special.
Bantu Hebrew
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סגל (s-g-l) — to set apart, treasure, value highly
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5459-02 |
סְגֻלָּה֙ | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured | treasured possession | 6 |
H5459-03 |
וּ/סְגֻלַּ֥ת | usegulat | HC/Ncfsc |
treasured possession of | 1 | |
H5459-01 |
לִ/סְגֻלָּתֽ/וֹ | lisegulato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
as his treasured possession | his treasured possession | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5459-02 |
Exodus 19:5 | סְגֻלָּה֙ | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured possession | treasured possession |
H5459-02 |
Deuteronomy 7:6 | סְגֻלָּ֔ה | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured | treasured possession |
H5459-02 |
Deuteronomy 14:2 | סְגֻלָּ֔ה | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured | treasured possession |
H5459-02 |
Deuteronomy 26:18 | סְגֻלָּ֔ה | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured | treasured possession |
H5459-02 |
Malachi 3:17 | סְגֻלָּ֑ה | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasured possession | treasured possession |
H5459-01 |
Psalms 135:4 | לִ/סְגֻלָּתֽ/וֹ | lisegulato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
as his treasured possession | his treasured possession |
H5459-03 |
Ecclesiastes 2:8 | וּ/סְגֻלַּ֥ת | usegulat | HC/Ncfsc |
treasured possession of | |
H5459-02 |
1 Chronicles 29:3 | סְגֻלָּ֖ה | segulah | HNcfsa |
treasure | treasured possession |