Paltiel is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Paltiel was the prince of the tribe of Issachar, identified in the King James Bible as “Paltiel the son of Azzan” (Numbers 34:26). He appears at a specific and significant moment in Israel’s history: the people of Israel had come to the end of their wilderness wanderings and were poised to enter and possess the Promised Land. Before the land was divided, God directed Moses to appoint one leader from each of the tribes to assist in the distribution of the inheritance.
Paltiel was the man chosen to represent Issachar in that work. Alongside the princes of the other tribes, he was named by God to help divide the land among the people as an inheritance. His role was one of leadership and stewardship—entrusted with the fair and orderly apportionment of what God had promised to give His people.
Scripture tells us nothing more about Paltiel than this single verse. We are not given his age, his family beyond his father Azzan, or any account of his deeds. What we know is that he was a prince of his tribe and that he was appointed by God, through Moses, to a specific task at a pivotal time. His inclusion in the record shows that he was a man recognized and set apart for this responsibility. His brief appearance in the biblical text is a reminder that God knows and names those who serve Him, even when their part is recorded in only a single line.
The Name
The name Paltiel is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is reasonably well established from its components. It is commonly understood to mean “God is my deliverance” or “my deliverance is God,” derived from elements meaning “to escape” or “to deliver” and the word for God (El). This is a name that confesses trust in God as the one who rescues and saves. As with many Hebrew names, the meaning is not stated in the biblical text itself but is drawn from the language; it is given here as the established sense of the name rather than as something Scripture explicitly defines.
A Closing Thought
Paltiel’s life is a quiet reminder that faithfulness does not require a long or prominent story. He appears once, named as a prince and entrusted with a task, and then the record moves on. Yet his name itself confesses that God is deliverance—a fitting testimony for a man who helped God’s people receive the inheritance promised to them. Most of us will not be remembered in many lines, but we can still be found faithful in the one assignment God gives us. What matters is not how much is written about us, but whether we serve where God places us.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Numbers 34:26 — And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.