פְּלֵיטָה (pe.le.tah)
pe.le.tah
survivor
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 25 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun peleṭah denotes an escape or deliverance, but its primary focus is concrete rather than abstract. It refers specifically to the remnant—the people who have survived a catastrophe such as war, slaughter, or disaster. While it can mean the act of escaping, in most biblical contexts it identifies the survivors themselves, the portion of a population that remains after judgment or defeat.
This distinction is visible in texts like 2 Kings 19:30, where God promises that a remnant of Judah will take root and bear fruit, highlighting their survival against Assyrian threat. Similarly, Ezra 9:8 describes the exiles as a "remnant to escape," emphasizing their precarious status as those who barely survived exile. The word captures the fragility and resilience of those left behind.
Its root verb, palat, means to snatch away or deliver, often from danger. This etymology underscores that survival is not merely luck but an act of divine intervention. Translators usually render it "remnant" or "escapee," capturing the idea of those who have been snatched from destruction. The term thus carries theological weight, pointing to God’s faithfulness in preserving a people even when all seems lost.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peletah reminds us that survival is never an accident. It describes those who have been snatched from danger, a rescue that points directly to God’s hand. When we feel overwhelmed by circumstances that seem too large for us to handle, this term offers a quiet comfort: we are not left to face the storm alone.
Scripture uses this word to describe people who remain after catastrophe, yet it carries more than just physical survival. In Isaiah 4:2, the survivors of Israel are linked to God’s branch, which is beautiful and glorious. This connection suggests that those who endure hardship are often positioned for a new beginning, rooted in faith even when the ground beneath them feels unstable.
Whether you are navigating a personal crisis or watching your community face uncertainty, this word invites you to look for the small signs of grace. It encourages us to trust that God preserves what matters most, turning moments of fragility into opportunities for renewed hope and steadfast faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 25 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ escaped remnant3×
- and/ an escaped remnant3×
- an escaped remnant3×
- escape2×
- [the] escaped remnant of2×
- the/ escaped thing1×
- for/ [the] escaped remnant of1×
- deliverance1×
- and/ escape1×
- and/ [the] escaped remnant of1×
- an escape1×
- [will be] for/ [the] escaped remnant of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פְּלֵיטָ֖ה3×
- פְלֵיטָ֖ה3×
- וּ/פְלֵיטָ֖ה3×
- פְּלֵיטַ֧ת2×
- פְּלֵיטָֽה\׃1×
- פְּלֵיטָ֔ה1×
- פְּלֵטָ֔ה1×
- לִ/פְלֵיטָֽה\׃1×
- לִ/פְלֵיטָ֖ה1×
- לִ/פְלֵיטָ֔ה1×
- לִ/פְלֵיטַ֤ת1×
- לִ/פְלֵיטַ֖ת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 4:2
In that day, Yahweh’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel.
This verse uniquely connects the survivors of Israel to the beauty and glory of Yahweh’s branch, showing that survival is tied to divine purpose.
-
Ezra 9:8
Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our bondage.
The exiles describe themselves as a remnant to escape, highlighting their precarious status and dependence on God's mercy in exile.
-
Genesis 45:7
God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.
Joseph identifies his presence in Egypt as a divine act to preserve a remnant, framing survival as part of a larger plan for deliverance.
-
Obadiah 1:17
But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
This promise places those who escape on Mount Zion, linking physical safety with holiness and future possession of their land.