Pelonite

At a Glance

Old Testament identifying label of uncertain origin.

Key Points

• Appears in biblical list material
• Likely functions as a clan-, place-, or family-based designation
• Scripture does not define the term explicitly
• Useful as a historical identifier, not a distinct theological concept

Description

Pelonite is an Old Testament designation attached to certain named individuals in list material. Its precise origin is uncertain, but it likely identifies a family, clan, or geographic association. Because the Bible does not clearly explain the label, interpreters should avoid dogmatism. The term has historical value for reading the biblical records carefully, but it does not function as a distinct theological concept. This makes it better suited to a minor historical or onomastic entry than to a theological one, though the exact editorial handling may still require taxonomy review.

Biblical Context

The term appears in Old Testament warrior and administrative lists, where brief identifying labels are often attached to personal names. In context, it helps distinguish individuals, but the text does not stop to explain the label itself.

Historical Context

Ancient Hebrew records often preserve clan, town, or family identifiers alongside personal names. Pelonite likely belongs to that kind of administrative or genealogical usage, though the specific historical referent remains debated.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Second Temple and later Jewish readers would likely have understood the term as a local or familial identifier, but Scripture does not preserve enough information to reconstruct it with confidence.

Primary Key Texts

• 2 Samuel 23:26
• 1 Chronicles 11:27

Secondary Key Texts

• 1 Chronicles 27:10

Original Language Note

The underlying Hebrew form and derivation are uncertain. The label may reflect a place-name, clan-name, or another personal designation, but Scripture does not explain it directly.

Theological Significance

Pelonite has little direct theological significance. Its value is mainly historical and textual, reminding readers that biblical lists preserve real people and concrete identity markers.

Philosophical Explanation

This entry is best understood as an onomastic or historical identifier, not as a doctrinal category. The term illustrates how Scripture uses compact labels to anchor names in real historical settings.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the meaning of the term. Avoid claims of certainty about its origin, and do not turn an uncertain label into a doctrinal point. The safest reading is descriptive, not speculative.

Major Views

Most interpreters treat Pelonite as an obscure identifier whose exact sense is lost or disputed. The main question is whether it preserves a clan, place, or textual variant rather than a theological meaning.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No doctrine should be built on this term. It should be treated as a historical label within the biblical text, with its referent left modestly uncertain where Scripture is silent.

Practical Significance

Pelonite encourages careful reading of biblical name lists and a willingness to live with some unresolved historical details without forcing certainty where the text does not provide it.

See Also

• Helez
• Paltite