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פִּלְאִי

𐤐𐤋𐤀𐤉

pilʼîy

H6383 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root פלא to be marvelous, to be extraordinary, to do something wonderful

Definition

An adjective denoting something or someone characterized by wonder, marvelousness, or extraordinariness; pertaining to that which is exceptional, surpassing the ordinary, or beyond human comprehension or expectation. In some contexts, it can highlight the hidden or mysterious nature inherent in something wondrous, but its primary sense is 'extraordinary' or 'remarkable.'

Semantic Range

extraordinary, remarkable, wondrous, marvelous, miraculous, incomprehensible, mysterious (in the sense of wondrous), surpassing the ordinary

Root / Etymology

The word פִּלְאִי (pil'îy) derives from the root פלא (p-l-ʼ), which carries the core idea of being astonishing, surpassing, or distinguished by miraculous or transcendent attributes. The adjective form פִּלְאִי is related to the noun פֶּלֶא (wonder, miracle) and indicates a remarkable or wondrous quality, distinct from regular experience.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּלְאִי appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible but retains a strong sense of marvel or transcendence where used (e.g., Judges 13:18, describing the 'remarkable' nature of the divine messenger's name). The related root פלא occurs frequently to describe acts, qualities, or events that elicit awe or are attributed to divine agency, often beyond human understanding. In later literature and translations, the nuance of 'hidden' or 'secret' may sometimes be inferred, but this is secondary to the fundamental connotation of 'wondrous' or 'extraordinary.' English translations often render פִּלְאִי as 'wonderful,' 'remarkable,' or 'secret,' but the latter only when highlighting the incomprehensibility of that which is wondrous, not literal secrecy. There is semantic overlap with related roots or adjectives such as נִפְלָא (extraordinary), but פִּלְאִי maintains a unique focus on awe-inspiring wonder. The meaning has remained fairly stable from the monarchic through post-exilic periods, always signifying quality that stands apart from the ordinary, often in connection with the divine or the miraculous. Standard English translations can flatten the range (by rendering as simply 'wonderful' or 'secret'), so care must be taken to appreciate its full scope.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or פָּלִיא; from פָּלָא; remarkable; secret, wonderful.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פלא (p-l-ʾ) — to be marvelous, to be extraordinary, to do something wonderful

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4652 מִפְלָאָה wonders of
H6381 פָּלָא in his extraordinary acts
H6382 פֶּלֶא extraordinary wonder
H6384 פַּלֻּאִי the Pallu-descendant
H6411 פְּלָיָה Yah has distinguished

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6383-03 פְּלִ֣יאָֽה peliah HAafsa wonder extraordinary 1
H6383-02 פלאיה flyh HAafsa wonderful extraordinary 1
H6383-01 פֶ֛לִאי feliy HAamsa wonderful extraordinary one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6383-01 Judges 13:18 פֶ֛לִאי feliy HAamsa wonderful extraordinary one
H6383-02 Psalms 139:6 פלאיה flyh HAafsa wonderful extraordinary
H6383-03 Psalms 139:6 פְּלִ֣יאָֽה peliah HAafsa wonder extraordinary
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