English · KJV
H488

אַלְמָן

ʼalmân /al-mawn'/ Ask about this word
Rootprolonged from אָלַם in the sense of bereavement
Meaningdiscarded (as a divorced person)
KJV usageforsaken.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼalmân — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼalmân, represented by H488, conveys the meaning of being forsaken or discarded, stemming from a sense of bereavement. It is a rare term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. Its singular usage provides a focused and powerful statement about God's faithfulness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H488 is in Jeremiah 51:5, where it is used to make a profound declaration. The verse states that Israel H3478 and Judah H3063 have "not been forsaken" by their God, the LORD of hosts. This assurance is given in direct contrast to their condition, as the passage immediately notes that "their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel." The word is used in the negative to emphasize God's unwavering commitment despite His people's guilt.

Related Words & Concepts

The context of H488 is enriched by the words surrounding it in Jeremiah 51:5:

  • H3478 Yisrâʼêl (Israel): The name for Jacob's posterity, "he will rule as God," representing the northern kingdom and the covenant people as a whole.
  • H3063 Yᵉhûwdâh (Judah): Meaning "celebrated," this refers to the southern kingdom, with whom God also maintains His covenant.
  • H3068 Yᵉhôvâh (the LORD): The Jewish national name of God, signifying the "self-Existent or Eternal" One who makes this promise.
  • H817 ʼâshâm (sin): This word for "guilt" or "trespass offering" describes the state of the land, highlighting the reason they could have expected to be forsaken.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H488 is derived entirely from its specific use in Jeremiah 51:5.

  • Enduring Covenant: The statement that Israel and Judah have not been forsaken underscores the permanence of God's covenant. Despite their profound sin H817, God's relationship with them as "his God" H430 remains intact.
  • Divine Faithfulness vs. Human Unfaithfulness: The word creates a stark contrast. While the people have filled the land H776 with guilt, the LORD of hosts H6635 has not discarded them. His faithfulness is not dependent on their perfection.
  • Assurance in Judgment: In a chapter focused on the judgment of Babylon, the assurance that God has not forsaken His own people serves as a message of hope and preservation for Israel and Judah, even in the face of their own transgressions.

Summary

In summary, H488 is a concise yet powerful term whose meaning is defined by its solitary biblical appearance. Used in the negative, it transforms a word for "forsaken" into a declaration of divine fidelity. Its placement in Jeremiah 51:5 serves as a critical reminder that God's commitment to His covenant people, Israel and Judah, is not nullified by their sin, establishing a foundational theme of God's steadfast love and mercy.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • אַלְמנוֹתָי
  • אַלְמָן

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel H3063 יְהוּדָה from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and H3068 יְהֹוָה from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹו H817 אָשָׁם from אָשַׁם; guilt; by implication, a fault; also a sin-offering; guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass (offering). H430 אֱלֹהִים plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) H776 אֶרֶץ from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, e

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Jeremiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.