6431. Peleth

Lexical Summary

Peleth: Peleth

Original Word: פֶלֶת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Peleth
Pronunciation: PEH-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-leth)
KJV: Peleth
NASB: Peleth
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to flee]

1. swiftness
2. Peleth, the name of two Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Peleth

From an unused root meaning to flee; swiftness; Peleth, the name of two Israelites -- Peleth.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
two Isr.
NASB Translation
Peleth (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מֶּ֫לֶת proper name, masculine 1. Reubenite Numbers 16:1, Φαλεθ[κ]; read probably מַּלּוּא (q. v.) so Gf Dr and others

2 Judahite 1 Chronicles 2:33: Θαλεθ, Φαλεθ[ατ].

Topical Lexicon

Name and Context

Pelet appears twice in the Old Testament as the name of two different men. Although the occurrences are few, the settings—one amid the rebellion of Korah and the other within the family records of Judah—provide valuable windows on Israel’s history and on God’s dealings with His people.

Occurrences

1. Numbers 16:1 – ancestor of On, a Reubenite whose name is linked to the abortive revolt led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
2. 1 Chronicles 2:33 – a descendant of Jerahmeel from the tribe of Judah listed among the sons of Jonathan.

Pelet and the Rebellion Narrative (Numbers 16)

“Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, together with Dathan and Abiram… and On son of Pelet, the sons of Reuben, took men” (Numbers 16:1).
• Pelet himself is not depicted as joining the revolt; only his son On is named among the initial conspirators.
• In the remainder of Numbers 16, On disappears from the record, and Pelet is never mentioned again. Jewish tradition later proposed that On withdrew from the rebellion through the influence of his wife, sparing his household from judgment. While Scripture does not confirm that detail, the text’s silence regarding On in the ensuing punishment implicitly distinguishes him—and by extension Pelet—from Korah’s final fate.
• The episode underscores the generational impact of choices: reputations are shaped not only by personal action but also by association. Pelet’s family name is preserved, but primarily as an admonition against aligning with challenges to God-ordained authority.

Pelet in the Genealogies of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:33)

“The sons of Jonathan: Pelet and Zaza” (1 Chronicles 2:33).
• This reference occurs in the broader Jerahmeelite branch of Judah. The Chronicler carefully preserves smaller family lines to demonstrate the continuity of the covenant people after the exile.
• Though little else is told about this Pelet, his inclusion affirms that every lineage, however obscure, matters in the unfolding redemptive narrative (cf. Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7).

Historical Significance

• Tribal Identity: The two records place a Pelet in both Reuben and Judah, tribes that occupied territories east and west of the Jordan respectively. The dual occurrence illustrates the diversity within Israel and the breadth of the name’s use.
• Record Preservation: Numbers provides narrative history; Chronicles provides priestly-styled genealogical history. Together they show that God’s Word keeps both the dramatic and the seemingly mundane details of His people’s story.

Theological and Ministry Insights

1. The Weight of Association – Being linked to rebellion (even passively) can stain a family legacy; conversely, withdrawal from sin preserves it. Church leaders can point to Pelet’s household as a reminder that repentance and separation from divisive movements safeguard future generations.
2. The Value of the Individual – Every name recorded in Scripture validates the worth of each believer within the covenant community (Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:5). A modern congregation can find encouragement that God knows every member, even if little is known of them publicly.
3. Genealogical Faithfulness – Chronicles highlights the importance of maintaining clear records for worship and inheritance. Today’s ministry benefits from careful membership rolls and discipleship tracking, echoing the orderly stewardship found in the Chronicler’s lists.

Practical Applications

• Guarding Allegiances: Pelet’s proximity to Korah’s rebellion cautions believers to examine the leaders they follow and the causes they promote.
• Preserving Heritage: Families and churches should intentionally pass down testimonies of God’s faithfulness, lest the only remembered detail be an association with error.
• Celebrating Obscure Service: The unnamed acts of faith within Judah’s genealogies remind ministries to honor behind-the-scenes servants whose faithfulness supports the whole body.

Key Cross-References

• Psalms 106:16-18 – divine judgment on Korah’s company.
• 1 Samuel 2:30 – God honors those who honor Him, a principle contrasted with Pelet’s potential dishonor through On.
• 2 Timothy 2:19 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity,” mirroring the implied need for On and Pelet’s household to separate from rebellion.

Summary

Pelet’s brief scriptural footprints—one in a moment of looming judgment, the other in a quietly preserved genealogy—together illustrate God’s comprehensive record-keeping and His call to covenant fidelity. While human history may overlook such lightly sketched figures, Scripture embeds them as enduring testimonies: warning against rebellion, commending faithful withdrawal from sin, and affirming the individual’s place in God’s unbroken redemptive line.

Forms and Transliterations

פֶּ֖לֶת פֶּ֣לֶת פלת pe·leṯ Pelet peleṯ

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 16:1
HEB: וְא֥וֹן בֶּן־ פֶּ֖לֶת בְּנֵ֥י רְאוּבֵֽן׃
NAS: the son of Peleth, sons
KJV: the son of Peleth, sons
INT: and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben

1 Chronicles 2:33
HEB: וּבְנֵ֥י יוֹנָתָ֖ן פֶּ֣לֶת וְזָזָ֑א אֵ֥לֶּה
NAS: of Jonathan [were] Peleth and Zaza.
KJV: of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza.
INT: the sons of Jonathan Peleth and Zaza These

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6431
2 Occurrences

pe·leṯ — 2 Occ.