### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻalmâh**, represented by `{{H5959}}`, is a specific term for a **lass**, often translated as **damsel, maid, or virgin**. It appears **7 times** in **7 unique verses**, indicating its specialized use in scripture. The word's base definition describes a young woman who is veiled or kept private.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narrative, `{{H5959}}` is used to describe young women in various roles. In Genesis, it is used for a young woman who comes to draw water at a well [[Genesis 24:43]]. It can refer to a young girl, as when Pharaoh's daughter sends a **maid** to fetch a child's mother [[Exodus 2:8]]. The term also appears in a worship context, describing **damsels** playing timbrels in a procession [[Psalms 68:25]], and in a context of relationship in the phrase "the way of a man with a **maid**" [[Proverbs 30:19]]. Most significantly, it is used in a prophetic sign where a **virgin** is foretold to conceive and bear a son [[Isaiah 7:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a broader context for the roles and status of the **ʻalmâh**:
* `{{H2030}}` **hâreh** (pregnant): This word is used alongside `{{H5959}}` in the prophecy that a "virgin shall **conceive**" [[Isaiah 7:14]], linking the young woman to the act of becoming pregnant.
* `{{H3205}}` **yâlad** (to bear young): Following conception, this term is used to describe the outcome where the virgin will "**bear** a son" [[Isaiah 7:14]], completing the prophetic sign.
* `{{H4436}}` **malkâh** (a queen): This term for a royal wife is used to distinguish a separate class of women from the **virgins** mentioned in the Song of Solomon [[Song of Solomon 6:8]].
* `{{H8608}}` **tâphaph** (to drum, i.e. play (as) on the tambourine): This describes the activity of the damsels in a celebratory procession, showing them in a public role of worship [[Psalms 68:25]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5959}}` is primarily centered on its prophetic use, but it also helps define certain social and relational ideals.
* **Prophetic Sign:** The most significant use of `{{H5959}}` is in [[Isaiah 7:14]], where a **virgin** conceiving and bearing a son is given as a sign from the Lord himself.
* **Idealized Youth and Purity:** The term is used to describe young women in contexts of devotion and desirability. In the Song of Solomon, the **virgins** love the kingly figure for his character, which is like "good ointments" [[Song of Solomon 1:3]], and the term is used to differentiate them from queens and concubines [[Song of Solomon 6:8]].
* **Role in Worship and Community:** The word is not limited to private or domestic settings. In [[Psalms 68:25]], **damsels** are active participants in a public, musical procession of worship, playing with timbrels among singers and players on instruments.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5959}}` **ʻalmâh** denotes a young woman, but its specific context determines whether the emphasis is on her youth (maid), her unmarried status (damsel), or her chastity (virgin). While used only a few times, its appearances are significant. It defines an ideal of young womanhood in relational contexts [[Proverbs 30:19]], a participant in joyful worship [[Psalms 68:25]], and most centrally, the subject of a monumental prophecy that carries deep theological weight [[Isaiah 7:14]].
TRV