My friend Alan provided the following understanding about the Hebrew word which means “set apart”:
The Hebrew word ‘palah’, Strong’s H6395, is one of many popular words in the scriptures that come from the primary root ‘palal’ llp Strong’s H6419. The primary root verb ‘palal’ is used to refer to the distinguishing characteristic that illustrates how an individual person, or situation, has been impacted or affected by being ‘acted upon’ or influenced by another; and usually the ‘other’ doing the ‘influencing’ is referring to spiritual influence that impacts the behavior or character of an individual, or situation. The ‘characteristics’ can be positive, or they can be negative. Words derived from this root ‘palal’ are also descriptive of how the ‘effected’ individual manifests the traits or characteristics that the ‘influence’ is imparting. For example, consider Gen. 20:7, where this root is used in a compound word that gets translated as “…and he shall pray for thee;”
This root is used numerous times in referring to the distinguishing influence of ‘prayer’, and numerous times gets translated simply as ‘pray’, ‘prayed’, ‘intreat’, etc.
In 1Samuel 2:25 it gets used twice. The first time it is translated as “…shall judge him:”, and the second time it is translated as “…shall intreat for him”?
Several times Jeremiah is told “…do not pray (palal) for this people”. [Jer. 11:14] So the verb palal is obviously referring to the effecting influence of prayer, or lack thereof, and/or the one ‘prayed for’.
‘Palah’ (H6395) is a direct influence or result of the impact of ‘palal’. It can be a good influence or result, or it can be a negative influence/result. ‘palah’ is expressed well in Ex. 9:4 where it is translated as “…shall sever”; ie, will distinguish between. In Ex. 11:7 it is translated as “…put a difference between”. I hope that illustrates well. And in Psalm 4:3 ‘palah’ is translated as “…has set apart”. In Psalm 17:7 it is translated as ‘marvellous’ in describing the loving kindness of God. And in Psalm 139:14 it is used twice; once translated as “‘wonderfully’ made”, and then as “…’marvelous’ are thy works;”
My favorite use of this verb concept is as ‘pala’, or alp, (H6382) which usually gets translated as ‘wonderful’, ‘wonders’, ‘marvellous’, etc. The most important use of this word, in my opinion, is in Isaiah 9:6. “…and His name(nature) shall be called Wonderful;” I take this to be the description of the one we now recognize as the prophesied Messiah whose ‘nature/name’ is described as “Wonderful”, for He has completely submitted Himself to the Character/Nature of His Father.
The first place I can find this word ‘pala’ being used is in Gen. 18:14, where it is translated as “…too hard”; ie, “…is any thing (dabar-word) too wonderful that God cannot perform it”? my translation.
To add to this mystery, however, it must be noted that this root verb ‘palal’ is also the word from which we get ‘nephilim’, or ‘naphal’; to fall from your intended potential. Could it be that the ‘nephilim’, or fallen ones, are those that had ‘fallen’ from the potential that uniting with the Holy Spirit of Truth in Love can provide, and consequently are referred to also as ‘giants’? Are they ‘fallen’ because by separating themselves from the influence/impact of Father’s Spirit, and in so doing, are manifesting the beastial carnality that ‘fallen adam’ is capable of? Isaiah 14:12: “How art thou fallen (naphal) from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning!”
‘palal’ is a great word, and has a major role in the overall scope of the Old Testament scriptures.