פַּלְמוֹנִי (pal.mo.ni)
pal.mo.ni
certain
H:IndPQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:IndP
Word Overview
The Hebrew word palmoni appears only once in the entire Bible, in Daniel 1:7. It functions as a descriptive label for a "certain" or specific individual, serving as a placeholder name rather than a proper title. In this context, it identifies one of the young men taken into the king’s service, distinguishing him without providing his actual personal name.
This term is an alternate spelling of peloni (H6423), which means "someone" or "a certain one." Lexical sources indicate that in ancient Hebrew usage, such words often paired with almoni to form a generic phrase meaning "so-and-so" or "Mr. Nobody." By using palmoni here, the text highlights the anonymity of the figure while still acknowledging his distinct presence in the narrative.
The significance of this entry lies in its extreme rarity and its function as a linguistic marker for an unspecified person. It demonstrates how biblical authors could refer to individuals by descriptive titles when their names were either unknown or intentionally withheld. This single occurrence offers a glimpse into the Hebrew practice of using generic identifiers within historical accounts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word palmoni appears only once in Scripture, found in Daniel 1:7. It identifies a specific young man taken into Babylonian service without giving his actual name. This rare term functions as a descriptive label, marking him as "a certain one" or an individual of unspecified identity within the narrative.
While most biblical figures are known by name, this anonymous reference reminds us that God’s story includes those whose names are lost to history. The text acknowledges his presence and role in the king’s court, even if his personal identity remains hidden. This highlights a broader truth: every person matters to God, regardless of whether their name is recorded.
For your faith, this offers comfort that you do not need fame or recognition to be part of God’s plan. Whether your name is written in history books or known only to God, He sees you and uses you. Your quiet faithfulness is just as significant as the deeds of well-known biblical heroes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to the/ certain [one]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ/פַּֽלְמוֹנִ֣י1×