H6395 H6395
To set apart, distinguish, make separate (Hifil); to be wonderfully made or distinguished (Nifal); to display marvels wondrously
A sibling form of the better-known פלא ('to be wonderful'), this root פלה centers on separation and distinction — but with an undertone of wonder. When God 'sets apart' the land of Goshen (Exod 8:22; 9:4), the distinction is itself a marvel: Arabic يُمَيِّزُ ('distinguishes') and Spanish distinguiré capture the deliberate divine act. The Nifal in Psalm 139:14 — 'I am wonderfully made' — pushes separation into awe, as the psalmist marvels at being distinctly and intricately fashioned. Korean 기이하도다 ('how marvellous!') and Arabic عَجِيبًا صُنِعْتُ ('wonderfully I was made') converge on this sense of sacred astonishment at one's own existence.
Senses
1. distinguish, set apart (Hifil) — The Hifil causative: to distinguish, set apart, or make a clear separation. God makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel in the plague narratives (Exod 8:22; 9:4; 11:7), and sets apart the godly for himself (Ps 4:3). Arabic يُمَيِّزُ ('he distinguishes') and Spanish distinguiré ('I will distinguish') consistently render the active separative agency. The theological weight is clear: God's power to differentiate is itself a sign of sovereign control. 4×
AR["أَفْرَزَ","وَأُمَيِّزُ","وَيُمَيِّزُ","يُمَيِّزُ"]·ben["এবং-পার্থক্য-করবেন","ও-পৃথক-করব","পার্থক্য-করেন","পৃথক-করেছেন"]·DE["distinguishes","hat-setzen-getrennt","und-ich-wird-setzen-apart","und-wird-distinguish"]·EN["and-I-will-set-apart","and-will-distinguish","distinguishes","has-set-apart"]·FR["distinguishes","et---distinguer","et-Je---placer-à-part","le-distinguer"]·heb["הפלה","ו-הפלה","ו-הפליתי","יפלה"]·HI["अलग-किया-है","और-अलग-करेगा","और-मैं-अलग-करूँगा","भेद-करता-है"]·ID["Dan-Aku-akan-membedakan","Dan-akan-membedakan","membedakan","telah-memisahkan"]·IT["distinguishes","e-io-will-pose-apart","e-will-distinguish","separo'"]·jav["Lan-Kula-badhé-mbedakaken","Lan-mbedakaken","Yéhuwah-mbédakaken","milih"]·KO["구별하셨도다","구별한다","그리고-구별할-것이다","그리고-내가-구별하리라"]·PT["distingue","e-distinguirei","e-distinguirá","separou"]·RU["И-отделит","И-отделю","отделил","различает"]·ES["Y-distinguirá","Y-distinguiré","apartó","distingue"]·SW["amemtenga","anatenganisha","na-atatenganisha","na-nitaitenganisha"]·TR["Ve-ayıracak","Ve-ayıracağım","ayırdı","ayırır"]·urd["الگ-کیا-ہے","اور-مختلف-کروں-گا-میں","اور-مختلف-کرے-گا","فرق-رکھتا-ہے"]
2. be wonderfully made (Nifal, wonderful) — A specialized Nifal sense conveying being made wonderful or marvellous, not merely 'set apart' but evoking awe at the result. In Ps 139:14 the psalmist exclaims 'I am wonderfully made' — Arabic عَجِيبًا صُنِعْتُ and Korean 기이하도다 both emphasize the marvel rather than the separation. Spanish fui hecho maravillosamente ('I was made marvellously') captures how the passive formation points to divine craftsmanship that inspires wonder. 1×
AR["عَجِيبًا-صُنِعْتُ"]·ben["অদ্ভুতভাবে-গঠিত;"]·DE["ich-bin-wunderbar-gemacht"]·EN["I-am-wonderfully-made"]·FR["distinguer"]·heb["נפליתי"]·HI["मैं-बना-हूँ"]·ID["aku-dijadikan-ajaib"]·IT["separo'"]·jav["kula-dipundamel"]·KO["기이하도다"]·PT["e-maravilhoso-fui-feito"]·RU["сотворён-я"]·ES["fui-hecho-maravillosamente"]·SW["nimefanywa-kwa-ajabu"]·TR["harika-yapıldım"]·urd["حیرت-انگیز-طور-پر-بنا-ہوں-میں"]
3. be distinguished, be set apart (Nifal) — The Nifal passive/reflexive in a communal context: to be distinguished or set apart as a people. In Exod 33:16 Moses asks how Israel will be known as distinct if God's presence does not accompany them — Spanish seremos distinguidos ('we will be distinguished') and Hindi अलग होंगे ('we will be separated') both convey a corporate identity that depends entirely on God's visible favor to mark them off from all other nations. 1×
AR["وَ-نَتَمَيَّزُ"]·ben["এবং-আলাদা-হব"]·DE["und-wir-wird-sein-distinguished"]·EN["and-we-will-be-distinguished"]·FR["et-nous---être-distinguished"]·heb["ו-נפלינו"]·HI["और-अलग-होंगे"]·ID["dan-kami-dibedakan"]·IT["e-noi-will-essere-distinguished"]·jav["Lan-kita-badhé-dipun-béda-bédakaken,"]·KO["그리고-구별될-것이다"]·PT["e-seremos-distinguidos"]·RU["и-отличимся-мы"]·ES["y-seremos-distinguidos"]·SW["na-tutengwa"]·TR["ve-ayrılacağız"]·urd["اور-جدا-ہوں-گے-ہم"]
4. show wondrously (Hifil, display marvels) — A Hifil imperative sense of displaying something in a wonderful or marvellous way. In Ps 17:7 David asks God to 'wondrously show' his steadfast love — Spanish muestra maravillosamente ('show wondrously') and Hindi अद्भुत दिखा ('show wonderfully') confirm this is not mere display but extraordinary, awe-inspiring demonstration. The sense bridges the 'separate/distinguish' root with the 'wonder/marvel' field of its sibling פלא. 1×
AR["أَظْهِرْ"]·ben["প্রকাশ-করুন"]·DE["wondrously-show"]·EN["wondrously-show"]·FR["le-distinguer"]·heb["הפלה"]·HI["अद्भुत-दिखा"]·ID["Tunjukkanlah"]·IT["separo'"]·jav["Tedahna"]·KO["나타내소서"]·PT["Mostra-maravilhosamente"]·RU["яви"]·ES["muestra-maravillosamente"]·SW["Onyesha-ajabu"]·TR["göster-harikalarını-"]·urd["عجیب-بنا"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H3605 1. all, every, whole (5352×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H0259 1. one (cardinal numeral) (940×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [פָּלָה] vb. Niph. be separated, distinct (‖ form of פלא q.v.; cf. Arabic فلو, فَلَا separate from sucking, wean; Ethiopic ፈለየ; separate, distinguish);— 1. Pf. 1 pl. consec. וְנִפְלִינוּ Ex 33:16 and we shall be distinct, c. מִן pers. 2. 1 s. נִפְלֵיתִי ψ 139:14 I am wonderful (viz. in bodily stature etc.); תָ thou [י׳] art wonderful (פלא 3). Hiph. Pf. 3 ms. הִפְלָה ψ 4:4, וְה׳ consec. Ex 9:4;…