H6391 H6391
divisions, courses (of priests or Levites for temple service)
This term refers to organized divisions or courses of priests and Levites for rotating temple service. It appears in Judges 5 in Deborah's song, describing tribal divisions (perhaps military or social), and in 2 Chronicles 35 for priestly divisions during Josiah's Passover. The system divided priests into groups (later formalized as 24 courses) that served in rotation, ensuring both continuity of worship and shared responsibility. The term parallels 'mahălōqet,' the more common word for divisions. This organizational structure sustained regular temple service while allowing most priests to live in their hometowns.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Organized divisions or courses, particularly of priests and Levites for temple service rotation. Judges 5:15-16 uses it in Deborah's song: 'among the divisions (בִּפְלַגּוֹת) of Reuben were great resolves of heart'—possibly military or tribal divisions. 2 Chronicles 35:5 instructs priests to 'stand in the holy place according to the divisions (לִפְלֻגּוֹת) of the fathers' houses of your kinsmen the lay people.' This refers to the organized courses of priestly service. The system ensured orderly rotation for temple duties. The term parallels מַחֲלֹקֶת. Translations: 'divisions,' 'courses'; Spanish 'divisiones,' French 'divisions,' German 'Abteilungen.' 3×
AR["بِ-فَرِقَاتِ", "لِ-فَرِقَاتِ", "لِفِرَقِ"]·ben["-বিভাগ-অনুসারে", "ভাগগুলিতে-"]·DE["[לפלגות]", "fuer-der-Abteilungen-von", "in-der-Abteilungen-von"]·EN["by-divisions-of", "for-the-divisions-of", "in-the-divisions-of"]·FR["[לפלגות]", "dans-le-divisions-de", "pour-le-divisions-de"]·heb["ב-פלגות", "ל-פלגות"]·HI["भागों-में", "विभागों-के-लिए"]·ID["Di-cabang-cabang", "menurut-pembagian"]·IT["[לפלגות]", "in-il-divisions-di", "per-il-divisions-di"]·jav["Ing-palih-palih", "Kanggé-palih-palih", "miturut-golongan"]·KO["분열들-에", "으로-분류들"]·PT["Nas-divisões-de", "pelas-divisões-de"]·RU["В-разделениях", "по-разделам"]·ES["en-divisiones-de", "según-divisiones-de"]·SW["katika-migawanyo-ya", "liplugּwot"]·TR["bölümlerine-göre", "de-bölümlerinde", "için-bölümleri"]·urd["فرقوں-کے-لیے", "نہروں-میں"]
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
† [פְּלֻגָּה] n.f. division (= מַחֲלֹקֶת q.v.), of priests, for service;—pl. cstr. פְּלֻגּוֹת 2 Ch 35:5.