פׇּלְחָן
𐤐𐤋𐤇𐤍
polchân
H6402 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Formal service or worship, especially in a cultic or religious context; the act of rendering service or devotion to a deity, typically in temple or official religious settings. In Aramaic biblical texts, designates rites, liturgies, or official service performed before a deity, often by designated functionaries or priests. Implies ritualized or organized character.
Semantic Range
cultic service, worship, ritual devotion, official religious service, temple rituals
Root / Etymology
From the root פְּלַח (plḥ), which means 'to serve, perform labor, engage in cultic service' in both Biblical Aramaic and related Northwest Semitic languages. פׇּלְחָן is a nominal formation indicating the act or state of service, particularly with religious connotations.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פׇּלְחָן appears in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Daniel and Ezra, in reference to religious worship directed towards a deity — notably the 'God of the heavens' (Elah Shemaya) in imperial contexts. It denotes not merely generic labor or work, but structured, cultic service (including worship, festivals, prayers, sacrifices, and temple rites). The term does not indicate private or spontaneous acts of piety, but rather the formal, communal, and often politically sanctioned worship activities. Some English translations render it simply as 'worship' or 'service,' but these can obscure its specifically ritual and communal character. The term is part of the shared Aramaic lexicon in the Persian period; its usage reflects the administrative and religious vocabulary of the imperial courts. By contrast, Hebrew עֲבוֹדָה ('service') can indicate both secular labor and religious service, while פׇּלְחָן is clearly specialized for cultic practice in its attestations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from פְּלַח; worship; service.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פלח (p-l-ḥ) — serve, labor, perform religious service
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6398 | פָּלַח | one who splits open |
| H6399 | פְּלַח | ministering ones |
| H6400 | פֶּלַח | slice of |
| H6401 | פִּלְחָא | Pilcha |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6402-01 |
לְ/פָלְחָ֖ן | lefalechan | AR/Ncmsc |
for the service | for ritual service of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6402-01 |
Ezra 7:19 | לְ/פָלְחָ֖ן | lefalechan | AR/Ncmsc |
for the service | for ritual service of |