Lexical Summary
pele: Wonder, Marvel, Miracle
Original Word:פֶלֶא
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:pele'
Pronunciation:peh'-leh
Phonetic Spelling:(peh'-leh)
KJV: marvellous thing, wonder(-ful, -fully)
NASB:wonders, wonderful, astonishingly
Word Origin:[fromH6381 (פָּלָא - wonders)]
1. a miracle
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
marvelous thing, wonderful
Frompala'; a miracle -- marvellous thing, wonder(-ful, -fully).
see HEBREWpala'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiona wonder
NASB Translationastonishingly (1), wonderful (2), wonders (9).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id.; as
unusual, extraordinary); —
Exodus 15:11 6t.; suffix
Psalm 89:6;
Psalm 77:12;
Psalm 88:13, plural
Lamentations 1:9; feminine plural
Psalm 119:129;
Daniel 12:6; —
wonder: extraordinary, hard to be understood, God's dealings with His peopleIsaiah 29:14; the testimonies of the LawPsalm 119:129;Isaiah 9:5marvel of a counsellor (Baer ),wonderful counsellor (of Messianic king); plural as adverb accusativeLamentations 1:9she (Jerusalem)hath come down marvelously.
wonder: of God's acts of judgment and redemptionPsalm 77:12;Psalm 88:13;Psalm 89:6;Exodus 15:11;Isaiah 25:1;Psalm 77:15;Psalm 78:12;Psalm 88:11; of extraordinary trialsDaniel 12:6.
Topical Lexicon
Wonder as Revelation of Yahweh“Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). From the moment Israel steps onto the eastern bank of the Sea, פֶלֶא signals God’s self-disclosure. The “wonders” are not random displays of power but covenantal acts that unveil His holiness, inspire fear, and elicit praise. Every later occurrence recalls, echoes, or anticipates that foundational revelation.
Patterns of Occurrence
Thirteen times פֶלֶא appears, clustered in three major literary settings:
• The Exodus tradition (Exodus 15:11).
• The Psalter’s historical and lament psalms (Psalm 77:11; 77:14; 78:12; 88:10; 88:12; 89:5; 119:129).
• The Prophets and Writings addressing future hope or present judgment (Isaiah 9:6; 25:1; 29:14;Lamentations 1:9;Daniel 12:6).
Across these settings, the word anchors memory, shapes worship, sustains hope, and warns of judgment.
The Psalter: Remembering and Reliving the Exodus
Psalm 77 intertwines crisis with recollection: “I will remember the works of the LORD; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11). The psalmist moves from despair to confidence by rehearsing פֶלֶא. InPsalm 78:12 the same term frames the recital of “wondrous works” in Zoan, teaching a new generation to trust God. Even the depths of lament do not silence the language of wonder;Psalm 88 asks whether those wonders are remembered in the grave, exposing the agony of apparent divine distance while affirming that the category of wonder remains operative.
“Wonderful Counselor” and the Messianic Horizon
Isaiah 9:6 names the coming King “Wonderful Counselor,” crowning פֶלֶא with royal and messianic significance. The title points beyond isolated miracles to the Person in whom the very nature of God’s wonder dwells. The Servant-King embodies and surpasses every previous act of marvel; His incarnation, ministry, resurrection, and promised return are the climactic פֶלֶא that unites redemption history.
Triumph, Trust, and Teaching in Isaiah
Isaiah 25:1 looks back and forward: “You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, in perfect faithfulness.” Here פֶלֶא validates prophetic assurance; the God who once redeemed will finally swallow up death.Isaiah 29:14 warns of judgment through a fresh “wonder upon wonder,” reminding complacent people that God’s marvels can dismantle human wisdom as readily as they deliver.
From Devastation to Expectation: Exile Literature
Lamentations 1:9 mourns that Jerusalem “had no one to comfort her,” a tragic counterpoint to earlier wonders. The absence of פֶלֶא intensifies grief, yetDaniel 12:6 reopens the theme: “How long will it be before the end of these wonders?” The question binds eschatological expectation to the certainty that God’s extraordinary acts will culminate in resurrection and final justice (Daniel 12:2-3).
Theological Threads
1. Revelation: Wonders disclose God’s character—holy, sovereign, faithful.
2. Memory: Recounting פֶלֶא is central to Israel’s liturgy and identity.
3. Judgment and Mercy: Wonders can save or confound, depending on the heart’s response.
4. Christology: Jesus Christ is the ultimate Wonder, uniting divine nature and human need.
5. Eschatology: Past wonders guarantee future consummation; history moves toward a final, decisive פֶלֶא.
Practical Ministry Implications
• Worship: Incorporate readings and songs that celebrate God’s historic and present wonders, fostering awe and gratitude.
• Preaching: Trace the trajectory from Exodus through the prophets to Christ, showing congregations the coherence of God’s marvelous works.
• Discipleship: Encourage believers to journal present-day answers to prayer as personal “wonders,” connecting experience to biblical testimony.
• Counseling: Use passages likePsalm 77 to model lament that intentionally recalls God’s past wonders, nurturing hope amid suffering.
• Missions: Present the gospel as the supreme wonder—God acting in Christ to redeem the nations—fueling evangelistic confidence.
The word פֶלֶא thus spans redemptive history, threading together the sea’s parting, the psalmist’s praise, the prophet’s vision, the city’s ruin, the angel’s timetable, and the church’s proclamation. Recognizing and proclaiming these wonders renews faith, sharpens worship, and anchors hope “until the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Forms and Transliterations
הַפְּלָאֽוֹת׃ הפלאות׃ וָפֶ֑לֶא ופלא פְּלָא֥וֹת פְּלָאִ֔ים פִּלְאֲךָ֣ פִּלְאֶ֑ךָ פִּלְאֶֽךָ׃ פֶ֑לֶא פֶּ֑לֶא פֶּ֠לֶא פֶֽלֶא׃ פלא פלא׃ פלאות פלאים פלאך פלאך׃ Fele hap·pə·lā·’ō·wṯ happəlā’ōwṯ happelaot pə·lā·’îm pə·lā·’ō·wṯ pe·le p̄e·le pəlā’îm pəlā’ōwṯ pelaIm pelaot pele p̄ele pil’ăḵā pil’eḵā pil·’ă·ḵā pil·’e·ḵā pilaCha pilEcha vaFele wā·p̄e·le wāp̄ele
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