6418. pelek
Lexical Summary
pelek: District, region, circuit, or spindle

Original Word: פֶלֶךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: pelek
Pronunciation: peh'-lek
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-lek)
KJV: (di-)staff, participle
NASB: district, distaff, spindle
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to be round]

1. a circuit (i.e. district)
2. also a spindle (as whirled)
3. (hence) a crutch

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
distaff, participle

From an unused root meaning to be round; a circuit (i.e. District); also a spindle (as whirled); hence, a crutch -- (di-)staff, participle

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
whorl of a spindle, a district
NASB Translation
distaff (1), district (8), spindle (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מֶּ֫לֶךְ noun [masculine]

1 whirl of spindle.

2 district (properly circle, circuit); — absolute ׳פ 2 Samuel 3:29, מָּ֑לֶךְ Proverbs 31:19; construct מֶּלֶךְ Nehemiah 3:9 +; suffix מִּלְכּוֺ Nehemiah 3:17; —

1 whirl of spindle, 2 Samuel 3:29 (probably, see Dr), Proverbs 31:19 ("" כִּישׁוֺר).

2 district, Nehemiah 3:9,12,14,15,16,17 (twice in verse); Nehemiah 3:18.

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Overview

פֶלֶךְ (pelekh) is used for physical implements connected with support or manufacture (a spindle, distaff, or staff) and for territorial administration (a district or circuit). The common idea is a defined sphere—whether the turning sphere of a spindle, the supportive reach of a walking-stick, or the civic bounds of local government.

Occurrences in Scripture

2 Samuel 3:29; Nehemiah 3:9, 3:12, 3:14, 3:15, 3:16, 3:17 (twice), 3:18; Proverbs 31:19.

District Administration in Nehemiah

Eight of the ten appearances cluster in Nehemiah 3, the chapter that itemizes those who repaired Jerusalem’s wall after the exile. The word designates a civic subdivision governed by a “ruler of half the district” (for example Nehemiah 3:9, 12).

• Decentralized leadership: Each half-district supplied its own labor teams. The rebuilding succeeded because authority was exercised locally yet harmonized under Nehemiah’s overarching vision.
• Shared responsibility: The repeated phrase emphasizes that every social stratum—from goldsmiths to daughters of a district ruler (Nehemiah 3:12)—owned a segment of the work. The term thus embodies cooperative stewardship in kingdom service.
• Restoration context: Naming districts underscores the re-establishment of ordered society after judgment and exile, a testimony to God’s faithfulness in restoring both worship and civil life.

Covenant Justice in 2 Samuel

In David’s curse upon Joab’s household for murdering Abner the word refers to a “crutch” or supporting staff:

“May the house of Joab never be without a man who has a discharge or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or falls by the sword or lacks bread.” (2 Samuel 3:29)

Here פֶלֶךְ evokes perpetual weakness. The legal gravity of bloodguilt is expressed through a physical emblem of frailty, reminding readers that divine justice reaches the body as well as the soul.

Domestic Wisdom in Proverbs 31

“She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.” (Proverbs 31:19)

Used for the tool that twists fiber into thread, פֶלֶךְ illustrates the industrious excellence of the virtuous woman. The same term that marks public administration in Nehemiah pictures private diligence here, uniting household productivity with covenant faithfulness.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

• Wholeness of vocation: Whether governing a district, producing cloth, or supporting a crippled body, פֶלֶךְ shows that every sphere of human activity falls under divine observation. Scripture affirms the dignity of civic duty, domestic labor, and even the frailty that leans on a staff.
• Shared mission: The Nehemiah passages encourage congregations to organize work in manageable “districts,” empowering local leaders while pursuing a common goal.
• Warning and hope: David’s invocation of the staff of affliction warns against hidden sin in leadership. By contrast, Proverbs 31 holds up the spindle as an emblem of fruitful service. Together they call believers to integrity in public and private life.

Forms and Transliterations
בַּפֶּ֛לֶךְ בפלך לְפִלְכּֽוֹ׃ לפלכו׃ פֶ֥לֶךְ פֶּ֣לֶךְ פֶּ֥לֶךְ פָֽלֶךְ׃ פלך פלך׃ bap·pe·leḵ bapPelech bappeleḵ Falech Felech lə·p̄il·kōw lefilKo ləp̄ilkōw p̄ā·leḵ p̄āleḵ pe·leḵ p̄e·leḵ Pelech peleḵ p̄eleḵ
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
2 Samuel 3:29
HEB: וּמְצֹרָ֞ע וּמַחֲזִ֥יק בַּפֶּ֛לֶךְ וְנֹפֵ֥ל בַּחֶ֖רֶב
NAS: or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls
KJV: or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth
INT: leper takes of a distaff falls the sword

Nehemiah 3:9
HEB: שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס
NAS: of half the district of Jerusalem,
KJV: of the half part of Jerusalem.
INT: the official of half the district of Jerusalem

Nehemiah 3:12
HEB: שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֣לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם ה֖וּא
NAS: of half the district of Jerusalem,
KJV: of the half part of Jerusalem,
INT: the official of half the district of Jerusalem he

Nehemiah 3:14
HEB: רֵכָ֔ב שַׂ֖ר פֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּית־ הַכָּ֑רֶם
NAS: the official of the district of Beth-haccherem
KJV: the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem;
INT: of Rechab the official of the district of Beth-haccherem He

Nehemiah 3:15
HEB: חֹזֶה֮ שַׂ֣ר פֶּ֣לֶךְ הַמִּצְפָּה֒ ה֤וּא
NAS: the official of the district of Mizpah,
KJV: the ruler of part of Mizpah;
INT: of Col-hozeh the official of the district of Mizpah He

Nehemiah 3:16
HEB: שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּֽית־ צ֑וּר
NAS: of half the district of Beth-zur,
KJV: of the half part of Bethzur,
INT: official of half the district of Beth-zur far

Nehemiah 3:17
HEB: שַׂר־ חֲצִי־ פֶ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָ֖ה לְפִלְכּֽוֹ׃
NAS: of half the district of Keilah,
KJV: of the half part of Keilah,
INT: the official of half the district of Keilah his district

Nehemiah 3:17
HEB: פֶ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָ֖ה לְפִלְכּֽוֹ׃ ס
NAS: carried out repairs for his district.
KJV: part of Keilah, in his part.
INT: the district of Keilah his district

Nehemiah 3:18
HEB: שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָֽה׃ ס
NAS: of [the other] half of the district of Keilah.
KJV: the ruler of the half part of Keilah.
INT: official half of the district of Keilah

Proverbs 31:19
HEB: וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃
NAS: And her hands grasp the spindle.
KJV: and her hands hold the distaff.
INT: hands grasp the spindle

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6418
10 Occurrences


bap·pe·leḵ — 1 Occ.
p̄ā·leḵ — 1 Occ.
p̄e·leḵ — 1 Occ.
lə·p̄il·kōw — 1 Occ.
pe·leḵ — 6 Occ.

6417
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