### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **pâlag**, represented by `{{H6385}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to split or divide**. It is used literally and figuratively. This specific term appears **4 times** in **4 unique verses**, making each usage significant in understanding its scope, which ranges from dividing land to dividing language.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The usage of `{{H6385}}` is seen in three distinct contexts. First, it is used genealogically to mark a pivotal event in history. In both Genesis and 1 Chronicles, it is noted that unto Eber {H5677} a son named Peleg was born, "for in his days was the earth **divided**" ([[Genesis 10:25]]; [[1 Chronicles 1:19]]). Second, it appears in a prayer for divine intervention in Psalms, where the psalmist asks the Lord {H136} to "Destroy... and **divide** their tongues" {H3956} in response to seeing violence {H2555} and strife {H7379} in the city [[Psalms 55:9]]. Finally, it describes God's creative power in the book of Job, where God asks, "Who hath **divided** a watercourse {H8585} for the overflowing of waters" [[Job 38:25]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the contexts in which division occurs:
* `{{H8585}}` **tᵉʻâlâh** (a channel... a bandage or plaster): This word, translated as "watercourse" in Job, refers to a channel or trench created by an act of division. Its use in [[Job 38:25]] illustrates `{{H6385}}` as a force that orders the natural world by creating designated paths.
* `{{H3956}}` **lâshôwn** (the tongue... speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water): As the object of division in [[Psalms 55:9]], "tongues" highlights the figurative use of `{{H6385}}` to create confusion and disrupt the communication of those who practice violence and strife.
* `{{H5677}}` **ʻÊbêr** (Eber, the name of two patriarchs and four Israelites): As the father of Peleg, his name is directly linked to the historical event where the earth was "divided" [[Genesis 10:25]]. This connects the act of division to a specific lineage and a monumental shift in human history.
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H6385}}` is demonstrated through its varied applications.
* **Historical Demarcation:** The division of the earth during the days of Peleg marks a fundamental separation in the biblical narrative, tying a personal name to a world-altering event ([[Genesis 10:25]]; [[1 Chronicles 1:19]]).
* **Divine Judgment:** Division is invoked as a tool against wickedness. The plea to "divide their tongues" [[Psalms 55:9]] is a call for God to dismantle the unity of those engaged in violence {H2555} and strife {H7379}, thereby frustrating their efforts.
* **Creative Ordering:** In Job, division is not an act of chaos but of divine architecture. God's ability to **divide** a watercourse {H8585} for rain and a way {H1870} for lightning showcases His sovereign power to bring order to the elements of creation [[Job 38:25]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6385}}` **pâlag** encapsulates the act of separation in its literal and figurative dimensions. It is used to signify a foundational division of the earth, to call for the strategic confusion of enemies through the division of their language, and to describe God’s masterful power in shaping the natural world by carving channels for water. Though rare, its usage across scripture illustrates a powerful concept of separation as an act of history, judgment, and creation.
TRV