פְּתַלְתֹּל
𐤐𐤕𐤋𐤕𐤋
pᵉthaltôl
H6618 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Twisted or braided; describes something that is wound, plaited, or intertwined in a physical sense, often used with reference to hair or locks that are intricately twisted or curled.
Semantic Range
twisted (of hair or cords), plaited, braided, wound, curled
Root / Etymology
From the root פָּתַל (p-t-l), meaning 'to twist, bend, be cunning.' פְּתַלְתֹּל is a reduplicated, descriptive form deriving from this root, used to indicate something that is twisted upon itself, typically in a literal, physical sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פְּתַלְתֹּל appears only in Song of Songs 7:6 (English 7:5), describing the beloved's hair as 'twisted' or 'curled' (נְתִיבוֹת פְּתַלְתֹּל, the locks of her head). In this context, it emphasizes the beauty and intricacy of long, flowing hair that is wound or curly. The term does not carry the negative figurative sense of 'crafty' or 'deceptive' elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, unlike the related verb פָּתַל, which can mean to act in a crafty or devious way. Furthermore, it should not be confused with other terms describing deceit or crookedness; פְּתַלְתֹּל functions specifically as a visual descriptor. Later translations sometimes render the word as 'flowing,' 'wavy,' or 'tresses,' reflecting attempts to capture the visual effect of beautifully arranged hair. The word is rare and highly contextual, attested only in poetry, where it serves a complimentary and aesthetic function. English translations that use 'crooked' are potentially misleading, as the intent is not negative but ornamental.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּתַל; tortuous (i.e. crafty); crooked.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פתל (p-t-l) — to twist, to turn, to interweave, to be cunning
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5319 | נַפְתּוּל | wrestlings of |
| H5321 | נַפְתָּלִי | in My-Wrestling |
| H6616 | פָּתִיל | with a twisted cord of |
| H6617 | פָּתַל | twisted one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6618-01 |
וּ/פְתַלְתֹּֽל | ufetaletol | HC/Aamsa |
crooked | twisted | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6618-01 |
Deuteronomy 32:5 | וּ/פְתַלְתֹּֽל | ufetaletol | HC/Aamsa |
crooked | twisted |