Word Study for H6423 (פְּלֹנִי)

pᵉlônîy /pel-o-nee'/ Ask about this word

Meaningsuch a one, i.e. a specified person

KJV usagesuch.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pᵉlônîy — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word pᵉlônîy, represented by H6423, is a term used to mean such a one, i.e. a specified person; such. It is a rare word, appearing just 3 times in 3 unique verses of the Old Testament. Its function is to refer to a person or place that is specific and known to the speaker but is intentionally left unnamed in the narrative.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H6423 consistently appears in situations requiring secrecy or discretion. It is used to mask the location of a military camp when the king of Syria plots against Israel, saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp" 2 Kings 6:8. Similarly, David uses the term when describing a covert mission, telling Ahimelech the priest that his servants were appointed "to such and such a place" 1 Samuel 21:2. The word can also refer to a person, as when Boaz calls out to an unnamed kinsman at the city gate, "Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here" Ruth 4:1.

Related Words & Concepts

The meaning of H6423 is sharpened by a word that always accompanies it:

H492 ʼalmônîy: Defined as some one (i.e. so and so, without giving the name of the person or place); one, and such, this word comes from a root sense of concealment. In all three instances where H6423 is found, H492 appears immediately after it, forming the pair "such and such" or "such a one" to powerfully convey the idea of a deliberately unspecified identity (2 Kings 6:8, Ruth 4:1, 1 Samuel 21:2).

Theological Significance

The significance of H6423 is found in its narrative function rather than in deep theological concepts. It serves as a clear marker of intentional ambiguity.

Concealment for Strategy: The term is used to highlight moments of military or personal secrecy. It shows characters like the Syrian king and David deliberately hiding information as part of a plan (2 Kings 6:8, 1 Samuel 21:2).
Public Discretion: In the case of Boaz and the kinsman, using pᵉlônîy allows for a public summons without revealing a name, maintaining a level of discretion before initiating a sensitive public matter Ruth 4:1.
Focus on the Act: By leaving a person or place unnamed, the narrative directs the reader's attention away from the "who" or "where" and toward the significance of the action being undertaken.

Summary

In summary, H6423 pᵉlônîy is a precise tool for indicating a specific but unnamed subject. While rare, its usage is consistent and clear. Always paired with H492, it functions as a literary device to signal secrecy, discretion, or a shift in narrative focus. It demonstrates how scripture can use specific language to intentionally withhold information, thereby emphasizing the strategic or sensitive nature of a given situation.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 6 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

פְּלוֹנִי
פְּלֹנִי
פְּלֹנִי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ruth, 1 Samuel, and 2 Kings (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Kings

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.