פְּלִילִיָּה (pe.li.liy.yah)
pe.li.liy.yah
judgment
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pililiyyah denotes the act of rendering a legal decision or offering reasoned judgment. It appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Isaiah 28:7. In this specific context, it describes the failure of priests who stumble over visions and pervert justice due to excessive wine.
The term emphasizes the intellectual and procedural aspect of adjudication rather than just the verdict itself. It implies a process of weighing evidence and pronouncing a ruling based on sound reasoning. When applied to religious leaders, its absence highlights a collapse in their ability to provide clear, thoughtful guidance for the people they serve.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word pililiyyah points to the careful, reasoned process of rendering a legal decision. It is not merely about delivering a verdict, but about weighing evidence and applying sound reasoning to reach a just conclusion. In Isaiah 28:7, this term describes how religious leaders stumbled in their judgment due to the influence of wine. Their failure was not just moral but intellectual; they lost the clarity needed to guide others fairly.
For your faith, this reminds us that true leadership and wisdom require sobriety of mind and heart. When we seek to make decisions or offer guidance, we are called to do so with clear thinking and integrity. This word encourages us to value thoughtful discernment over impulsive reactions. It invites you to pray for clarity in your own judgments, trusting God to provide the wisdom needed to navigate complex situations with fairness and grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- decision1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פְּלִילִיָּֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 28:7
They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
This occurrence highlights how impaired judgment leads religious leaders to stumble in their duties, emphasizing the need for clear-minded discernment.