PHALEG (Hebr. Pélegh). - A descendant of Sem and son of Heber; brother of Iectan and father of Reu, one of the ancestors of Abramo. He was called P. “because in his time the world was divided” (Gen. 10, 25).
The most varied interpretations have been given of this phrase. Two are the most important: Dillmann, Holzinger, Hummelauer think that it refers to the division of the earth made by Noè among his grandchildren; but there is no mention whatsoever of such an event. The ancients, still followed by several modern scholars (Hetzenauer, Vaccari), hold that there is an allusion to the division that took place after the confusion of tongues (Gen. 11, 1-9): “the Lord confused the languages of the whole world and from there dispersed them over all the earth.” According to the data known today, this took place in the fifth generation after the flood. Some understand P. as an ethnographic or geographical name, but without sufficient reason. P. begot Reu at the age of 30 and “died at 230 years, leaving sons and daughters” (Gen. 11, 18 ff.). He is mentioned in Lc. 3, 35.
Vincenzo M. Jacono