6369. Pikol
Lexical Summary
Pikol: Phicol

Original Word: פִיכֹל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Piykol
Pronunciation: pee-KOHL
Phonetic Spelling: (pee-kole')
KJV: Phichol
NASB: Phicol
Word Origin: [apparently from H6310 (פֶּה - mouth) and H3605 (כּוֹל כּוֹל - all)]

1. mouth of all
2. Picol, a Philistine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Phichol

Apparently from peh and kol; mouth of all; Picol, a Philistine -- Phichol.

see HEBREW peh

see HEBREW kol

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
commander of Abimelech's army
NASB Translation
Phicol (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מִּיכֹל proper name, masculine captain of Abimelech of Gerar Genesis 21:22,32; Genesis 26:26, Φικολ, ᵐ5L Φιχολ.

פִילֶגֶשׁ see מִּלֶנֶשׁ.

פים, perhaps < פאם (√ of following, compare Arabic fill, II. make wide, IV. become full (of fat); hence (Thes and others) following, by syncope of א, compare Ges§ 19k).

Topical Lexicon
Historical Setting

Phicol appears in Genesis 21 and 26 as the commander of Abimelech’s army, stationed in the Philistine city-state of Gerar during the patriarchal era. His presence at treaty ceremonies reflects the ancient Near-Eastern practice of bringing high-ranking military officials to legitimize diplomatic agreements, especially those involving land and water rights on a volatile frontier.

Phicol’s Role in the Covenants with the Patriarchs

• With Abraham: “At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, ‘God is with you in all that you do’” (Genesis 21:22). Phicol stands beside his king throughout the negotiations over Beersheba’s well, serving as public witness when the oath is sworn and, afterward, returning with Abimelech “to the land of the Philistines” (Genesis 21:32).
• With Isaac: Years later Abimelech travels to Isaac “with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army” (Genesis 26:26). The renewed covenant mirrors the earlier one, stressing that the Lord’s favor on Abraham has passed intact to his son.

Whether Phicol is the same individual in both accounts or a dynastic title, Scripture links the two scenes to highlight the continuity of divine promise from generation to generation.

A Figure of Secular Authority Acknowledging Divine Blessing

Phicol represents the military strength of Gerar, yet he is portrayed in a secondary, even silent, role while his king affirms the supremacy of the patriarchs’ God. The narrative contrast is deliberate: earthly might stands mute before the Lord’s providence. In each episode, it is the Gentile ruler—flanked by his general—who seeks terms of peace with God’s chosen servant.

Geographical Significance: Gerar and Beersheba

The well of Beersheba straddled a strategic caravan corridor linking Egypt and Canaan. By concluding treaties there, Abraham and Isaac secured uncontested access to vital water while maintaining separation from Philistine culture. Phicol’s withdrawal to Gerar after covenant ratification reinforces the divinely marked boundary between the land of promise and neighboring territories.

Typological and Theological Insights

1. Covenant Witness: Phicol foreshadows later biblical patterns in which official witnesses ratify oaths (Exodus 24; Nehemiah 10).
2. Nations Seeking Peace: His king’s confession of God’s favor anticipates prophetic visions of Gentiles drawing near to Israel’s God (Isaiah 2:2-3).
3. God’s Protection vs. Human Power: The silent soldier underscores that the safety of the patriarchs rests in divine, not military, strength (Psalm 20:7).

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Integrity Earns Respect: Abraham’s and Isaac’s transparent dealings led even foreign generals to trust their word.
• Generational Continuity: The repeated Phicol episode encourages parents and church leaders to expect God’s covenant faithfulness to extend to their children.
• Conduct Agreements Publicly: The presence of witnesses like Phicol underscores the value of accountability and clear testimony (Matthew 5:37).

Intertextual Echoes

Phicol’s submission to God’s work among outsiders foreshadows the Roman centurions who recognize Christ’s authority (Matthew 8:5-10; Mark 15:39), pointing ultimately to the universal acknowledgment that “every knee will bow” (Philippians 2:10). His brief appearances thus spotlight the sovereign God who orchestrates history so that even the commanders of the nations serve His redemptive purposes.

Forms and Transliterations
וּפִיכֹ֖ל וּפִיכֹל֙ ופיכל ū·p̄î·ḵōl ufiChol ūp̄îḵōl
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 21:22
HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־ צְבָא֔וֹ
NAS: that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander
KJV: that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain
INT: spoke Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army

Genesis 21:32
HEB: וַיָּ֣קָם אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־ צְבָא֔וֹ
NAS: and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander
KJV: rose up, and Phichol the chief captain
INT: arose and Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army

Genesis 26:26
HEB: וַאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר־ צְבָאֽוֹ׃
NAS: Ahuzzath and Phicol the commander
KJV: one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain
INT: Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6369
3 Occurrences


ū·p̄î·ḵōl — 3 Occ.

6368
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