peÌ„Ì-kuÌ„l´yar: The Latin peculium means “private property,†so that “peculiar†properly = “pertaining to the individual.†In modern English the word has usually degenerated into a half-colloquial form for “extraordinary,†but in Biblical English it is a thoroughly dignified term for “esp. one's ownâ€; compare the “peculiar treasure†of the king in (the King James Version). Hence, “peculiar people†(the King James Version , etc.) means a people especially possessed by God and particularly prized by Him. The word in the Old Testament (the King James Version ; ; ; ; ) invariably represents סגלּה, sÌ£eghullaÌ„h, “property,†an obscure word which Septuagint usually rendered by the equally obscure πεÏιουÌσιος, periouÌsios (apparently meaning “superabundantâ€), which in turn is quoted in . In , however, Septuagint has πεÏιποιÌησις, peripoıÌeÌ„sis, quoted in . the English Revised Version in the New Testament substituted “own possession†in the two occurrences, but in the Old Testament kept “peculiar†and even extended its use (; ) to cover every occurrence of sÌ£eghullaÌ„h except in (“treasureâ€). the American Standard Revised Version, on the contrary, has dropped “peculiar†altogether, using “treasure†in ; , and “own possession†elsewhere. the King James Version also has “peculiar commandments†(ἰÌδιος, ıÌdios, “particular,†the Revised Version (British and American) “severalâ€) in The Wisdom of Solomon 19:6, and the Revised Version (British and American) has “peculiar†where the King James Version has “special†in The Wisdom of Solomon 3:14 for ἐκλεκτηÌ, eklekteÌ„Ì, “chosen out.â€