πλάξ G4109
tablet, flat stone; a writing surface, especially stone tablets for inscriptions or sacred texts
This noun denotes anything flat and broad, especially a flat stone or tablet used for writing. Paul contrasts his Corinthian converts—a letter written not on 'stone tablets' but on hearts of flesh (2 Cor 3:3, twice). Hebrews mentions the ark containing 'the tablets of the covenant' (Heb 9:4). The word evokes the stone tablets Moses received on Sinai, making it a powerful symbol of old versus new covenant. Flat stone becomes a metaphor: external law inscribed on rock versus internal transformation written on living hearts.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Cross-linguistic evidence emphasizes flat writing surfaces: English 'tablets', Spanish 'tablas', French 'tablette', German 'Tafeln'. The lexicon defines πλάξ as 'anything flat and broad' including 'flat stone, tablet' with uses for inscribed stones. 2 Cor 3:3 twice contrasts letters written on 'stone tablets' (the old covenant law) versus on 'tablets of hearts of flesh'. Heb 9:4 mentions the ark containing 'the tablets of the covenant'. All three uses refer to stone tablets for sacred writing, particularly the Decalogue. 3×
AR["أَلواحٍ", "لَوْحَا"]·ben["পাটে", "ফলক"]·DE["Tafeln"]·EN["tablets"]·FR["Tafeln", "tablette"]·heb["לוּחוֹת"]·HI["पट्टियां", "पट्टियों"]·ID["loh-loh"]·IT["plakes", "tavola"]·jav["blabak", "papan"]·KO["판들에", "판들이라"]·PT["tábuas"]·RU["скрижали", "скрижалях"]·ES["tablas"]·SW["mbao", "vibao"]·TR["ama-", "değil", "levhaları"]·urd["تختیاں", "تختیوں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πλάξ, πλᾰκός, ἡ, anything flat and broad, especially flat land, plain, πᾶσαν ἠπείρου πλάκα Refs 4th c.BC+; Φλεγραίαν π. Refs; νυχίαν π., of Psyttaleia (perhaps μυχίαν), Refs 5th c.BC+; νεκύων πλάκα Refs 5th c.BC+; also of sea and sky, πόντου πλάξ the ocean-plain, Refs 6th c.BC+; ποντία, πελαγία π., Refs 5th c.BC+; αἰθερία πλάξ Refs 5th c.BC+; flat top of a hill, table-land, Σουνίου, Οἴτης π.,…