סְגֻלָּה

From the study of Exodus 19:5

Range of meaning

Personal, privately held property that is set apart and valued: a treasure kept for oneself. It appears only 8 times. Six describe Israel as God's own (Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Mal 3:17). Two describe a king's private treasure: David's 'own treasure of gold and silver', which he gives to the temple on top of what he gathered officially as king (1 Chr 29:3), and 'the treasure of kings' (Eccl 2:8).

Against the English

KJV 'peculiar treasure'. BSB, ESV and NIV 'treasured possession'. WEB and NASB 'my own possession'. NLT 'own special treasure'. 'Possession' on its own can sound cold, like an inventory item. 'Treasured' brings back the affection. Neither word fully conveys the sense of a private reserve, kept apart from everything else one owns or rules.

How it drifted

KJV's 'peculiar' comes through the Latin Vulgate's 'peculium': the private savings of a son or slave, his very own as opposed to the household's. In 1611 'peculiar' meant 'belonging exclusively to one'. Today it mostly means 'odd'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Akkadian has the related word 'sikiltu', meaning personal savings or a private hoard set aside (Greenberg, JAOS 1951). In an Ugaritic letter (KTU 2.39), the Hittite overlord reminds the king of Ugarit that he is 'his servant, his sglt'. There the word describes a vassal king who is the great king's specially valued possession, which is very close to the covenant setting of Exodus 19. The Septuagint translates it 'laos periousios' ('a special people, one's own'). Titus 2:14 echoes that phrase, and 1 Peter 2:9 echoes Exod 19:5–6 with 'a people for his own possession'.

From the study of Deuteronomy 14:2

Range of meaning

Personal property that is one's own and set aside from common or general holdings: a private treasure, a cherished possession. The word appears eight times in the Hebrew Bible. Six concern Israel as God's people (Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Mal 3:17). Two concern a king's private wealth: David's personal gold and silver, given 'over and above' what he had already gathered for the temple (1 Chr 29:3), and the treasure of kings that the Teacher amassed (Eccl 2:8).

Against the English

KJV 'peculiar people' (also 'peculiar treasure' in Exod 19:5) is now heard as 'odd' or 'strange'. Modern versions say 'treasured possession' (NIV, ESV), 'prized possession' (BSB), 'own possession' (NASB, WEB) or 'special treasure' (NLT). 'Own possession' is accurate but loses the sense of value. 'Treasure' keeps the value but can lose the idea that this property is legally and personally the owner's.

How it drifted

KJV's 'peculiar' comes from the Vulgate's peculiarem, from Latin peculium, the private property a son or slave was allowed to hold as his own. In 1611 'peculiar' meant 'belonging exclusively to one person'. Its main modern sense, 'strange or odd', took over later, so the KJV wording is now regularly misheard.

Used elsewhere in the period

Its Akkadian relative sikiltu means a private hoard or personal holding (Greenberg, JAOS 1951). A seal impression from Alalakh describes its owner as the sikiltu of a god. In a letter from Ugarit, a Hittite overlord calls the king of Ugarit his sglt, his own special vassal. So the word could describe a treasured subordinate bound to a greater king. The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) translates it laos periousios, 'a people that is one's own surplus or special portion'. Titus 2:14 reuses that phrase, and 1 Peter 2:9 echoes it with laos eis peripoiēsin, 'a people for possession'.

From the study of Deuteronomy 26:18

Range of meaning

Valued property that belongs personally to its owner, set apart from common or shared holdings. In the Bible: King David's private gold and silver, given on top of the state treasury (1 Chronicles 29:3), and 'the treasure of kings' (Ecclesiastes 2:8). Applied to Israel as God's own treasured people in Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 26:18, Psalm 135:4, and Malachi 3:17 (where it is the treasure God claims 'on the day I act').

Against the English

KJV 'peculiar people'; BSB, NIV, NASB 'treasured possession'; WEB 'a people for his own possession'; NLT 'his own special treasure'; YLT 'a peculiar treasure'. 'Treasure' versions keep the sense of value. 'Possession' alone keeps ownership but loses the affection and the set-apart sense. 'Peculiar' was accurate in 1611 but now misleads.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'peculiar' comes from the Latin Vulgate's 'peculiaris', from 'peculium': private property, such as savings a son or slave held as his own. In 1611 'peculiar' meant 'belonging specially to one owner'. The sense of 'strange or odd' took over later, so the phrase now sounds like 'a weird people'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same word appears in Akkadian (sikiltu) and Ugaritic (sglt) for personal property set aside. Two uses are especially close (Greenberg, JAOS 1951). A seal from Alalakh calls a king the sikiltu of the god Hadad. In a letter found at Ugarit, the Hittite overlord reminds the Ugaritic king that he is his servant and his sglt, his own special vassal. The Greek Septuagint translates it laos periousios, 'a people that is one's own surplus or special property'. The New Testament reuses this wording in Titus 2:14 and echoes the idea in 1 Peter 2:9.