feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state; maid, virgin.
Transliteration:bᵉthûwlâh
Pronunciation:beth-oo-law'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, `{{H1330}}`) is derived from an unused root, often understood to mean "to separate" or "to set apart." At its core, it denotes a virgin, a female who is untouched sexually and thus set apart in her purity. This primary meaning emphasizes her physical integrity and social status as an unmarried woman. The concept of "privacy" in the base definition underscores this separation from sexual experience.
Beyond this primary sense, the semantic range extends to:
1. **A Bride:** By continuation, a בְּתוּלָה could refer to a woman who is betrothed or about to be married, as she is still a virgin at that stage. Her status as a prospective wife is intrinsically linked to her virginity in ancient Israelite society.
2. **A Maid/Young Woman:** In some contexts, it can simply refer to a young, unmarried woman, though the underlying implication of virginity usually remains strong.
3. **Figurative Use - City or State:** Significantly, בְּתוּלָה is frequently used metaphorically to personify a city or nation. In this figurative sense, it can convey:
* **Purity/Untouched Status:** A city that has not been conquered or defiled by foreign powers.
* **Vulnerability/Desolation:** Paradoxically, it can also describe a city that, despite its former "virgin" status, has been utterly destroyed or "raped" by invaders, highlighting the depth of its suffering and humiliation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, `{{H1330}}`) appears approximately 50 times in the Hebrew Bible, across various genres, illustrating its multifaceted usage:
* **Literal Use - Unmarried, Sexually Intact Woman:**
* **Rebekah:** One of the clearest examples is Rebekah, described as "a virgin [בְּתוּלָה], whom no man had known" ([[Genesis 24:16]]), emphasizing her purity prior to her marriage to Isaac.
* **Dinah:** The narrative of Dinah's defilement highlights the severe social and legal implications of a virgin losing her purity outside of marriage ([[Genesis 34:3]], [[Genesis 34:7]]).
* **Legal Statutes:** The Mosaic Law frequently addresses the status and protection of virgins. [[Deuteronomy 22:23-28]] outlines specific laws concerning virgins who are betrothed or unbetrothed, emphasizing the legal consequences of sexual misconduct involving them, and the societal value placed on their purity. [[Leviticus 21:13-14]] stipulates that a high priest must marry only a virgin, underscoring the sanctity and ritual purity required of his household.
* **Warfare Contexts:** In [[Numbers 31:18]], the command to spare only the female children who were virgins after battle demonstrates the ancient practice of preserving certain women for integration into the conquering society, often as wives or slaves, with their virginity being a significant factor.
* **Figurative Use - City or Nation:**
* **"Virgin Daughter of Zion/Israel":** This is a prominent metaphorical usage, particularly in prophetic and poetic books.
* In [[2 Kings 19:21]] and [[Isaiah 37:22]], the "virgin daughter of Zion" is depicted as scoffing at Sennacherib, implying her inviolability and divine protection from foreign invasion.
* In [[Jeremiah 14:17]], [[Lamentations 1:15]], and [[Lamentations 2:13]], the "virgin daughter of Judah/Zion" is portrayed as suffering immense desolation and destruction, highlighting the tragedy of her "defilement" by enemy forces. The imagery conveys a profound sense of loss and violated purity.
* **Other Nations:** [[Jeremiah 46:11]] refers to the "virgin daughter of Egypt," lamenting her incurable wound, again using the metaphor to describe national suffering and defeat. [[Isaiah 23:12]] speaks of the "virgin daughter of Sidon" as oppressed.
The contextual analysis reveals that H1330 consistently points to a state of being "set apart" – either physically pure in the case of a woman, or symbolically untouched/unviolated in the case of a city, even when that state is tragically lost.
### Related Words & Concepts
The understanding of בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, `{{H1330}}`) is enriched by examining its relationship with other Hebrew terms and broader concepts:
* **נַעֲרָה (na‘arah, `{{H5291}}`):** This term broadly means "young woman" or "girl." While a בְּתוּלָה is often a נַעֲרָה, the latter does not necessarily imply virginity. H1330 is a more specific term focusing on sexual integrity.
* **עַלְמָה (almah, `{{H485}}`):** This word means "young woman" or "maiden." Like na‘arah, it does not inherently guarantee virginity, though it often implies it, especially in the context of [[Isaiah 7:14]] (where the Septuagint translates it as παρθένος, *parthenos*, "virgin"). The distinction is that bᵉthûwlâh explicitly denotes virginity, whereas almah emphasizes youth and unmarried status, with virginity being a strong implication but not a definitional component.
* **אִישׁ (ish, `{{H376}}`):** Man, husband. The concept of bᵉthûwlâh is often defined in relation to a man, specifically in terms of "no man has known her" ([[Genesis 24:16]]).
* **חֶרְפָּה (cherpah, `{{H2781}}`):** Reproach, shame. The loss of virginity outside of marriage brought great shame and dishonor upon a woman and her family in ancient Israel ([[Deuteronomy 22:20-21]]).
* **קְדֻשָּׁה (qedushah, from qadosh, `{{H6942}}`):** Holiness, sacredness. The emphasis on virginity, particularly for priests' wives or in the context of cultic purity, connects to the broader concept of holiness and being set apart for God.
* **בַּעַל (ba‘al, `{{H1167}}`):** Husband, master. A bᵉthûwlâh transitions from her father's household to her husband's, changing her status from "virgin" to "wife," and her purity is crucial in this transition.
The concept of bᵉthûwlâh is intricately linked to themes of honor, shame, lineage, purity laws, and the social fabric of ancient Israelite society.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, `{{H1330}}`) is profound and multi-layered:
1. **Covenant Purity and Holiness:** The rigorous emphasis on virginity within the Mosaic Law, particularly concerning marriage and sexual conduct, underscores God's demand for purity and holiness among His covenant people. Israel was called to be a "set apart" nation, and the purity of its members, especially its women, reflected this divine expectation. The integrity of the family unit, and by extension the nation, was seen as foundational to its covenant relationship with Yahweh.
2. **Symbol of Israel's Relationship with God:** The metaphor of the "Virgin Daughter of Zion" or "Virgin Daughter of Israel" is a powerful theological image.
* **Unblemished Devotion:** It often symbolizes Israel's unique, unadulterated relationship with Yahweh, a people chosen and set apart by Him, ideally pure in their devotion. Just as a virgin is untouched, so Israel was intended to be untouched by the idolatry and defilement of surrounding nations.
* **Vulnerability and Divine Protection:** When used in contexts of threat or invasion, it highlights Israel's vulnerability, yet also God's protective care. The "virgin daughter" trusts in her divine Father/Husband to defend her.
* **Tragedy of Apostasy and Judgment:** Conversely, when Zion is depicted as a "virgin" who has been "defiled" or "raped" by invaders ([[Lamentations 1:15]], [[Lamentations 2:13]]), it powerfully conveys the horror of God's judgment and the consequences of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness. The violation of her physical integrity mirrors the breaking of the covenant relationship.
3. **Moral and Ethical Standard:** The consistent portrayal of bᵉthûwlâh as a desirable and protected status establishes a clear ethical standard for sexual purity within the biblical worldview. It reflects God's design for human sexuality to be expressed within the covenant of marriage, emphasizing fidelity and integrity.
4. **Anticipation of Divine Intervention:** While H1330 itself is not directly used in the prophecies of the Messiah's birth, the broader biblical emphasis on virginity, especially in relation to the almah of [[Isaiah 7:14]] and its New Testament fulfillment, provides a crucial conceptual backdrop. The idea of a woman "set apart" and untouched becomes a symbol of a miraculous, divinely initiated event, underscoring the unique and pure nature of the incarnation.
### Summary
The Hebrew word בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, `{{H1330}}`) fundamentally denotes a virgin, a woman "set apart" by her sexual purity and privacy. Its semantic range extends to a bride and, figuratively, to a city or nation. In its literal usage, it highlights the high value placed on female sexual integrity within ancient Israelite society, reflected in legal statutes and social norms concerning marriage, honor, and defilement. Theologically, bᵉthûwlâh serves as a potent symbol of covenant purity and holiness, illustrating Israel's ideal relationship with Yahweh as a "Virgin Daughter" set apart for Him. Its use in prophetic lamentations powerfully conveys the tragedy of national defilement and judgment. Ultimately, bᵉthûwlâh encapsulates a profound biblical concern for purity, integrity, and the sacredness of relationships, both human and divine.
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