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  • From: <michaelabernat9001 AT sbcglobal.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] virgin
  • Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:11:58 -0500

I found the recent discussion on virginity somewhat surprising. It sounds as
if some of our members do not believe that it was normative for a young woman
in Ancient Israel to be a virgin or that the law punished a woman who was not
a virgin when she married.
Please, clarify if I am misreading.

Concerning Deuteronomy 22:14ff. the Mishnah states in Sanhedrin 1:1 "But the
Sages say: He that hath brought an evil name [must be judged] by three and
twenty, for there may arise therefrom a capital case." The footnote in my
copy comments that this is because the woman may be stoned if the court
decides against her.

Josephus comments on the same verse , "but if the damsel be convicted, as
having been corrupted, and is one of the common people, let her be stoned,
because she did not preserve her virginity till she were lawfully married;
but if she were the daughter of a priest, let her be burnt alive."

Concerning the definition of almah, I understand that we have a parallel to
Isaiah 7:14 in a Ugaritic clay tablet. Someone else will have to verify this
statement. I don't have a copy available to me but Gordon commented on the
passage, ". . the Ugaritic statement that the bride will bear a son is
fortunately given in parallelistic form; in 77:7 she is called by the exact
etymological counterpart of Hebrew 'almah 'young woman'; in 77:5 she is
called by the exact etymological counterpart of Hebrew betulah 'virgin.'" (C.
H. Gordon, "'Almah in Isaiah 7:14, " Journal of Bible and Religion, XXI, 2
(April, 1953), p. 106.). This suggests that the words were at times used
synonymously.

Personally, I would have inferred that if almah does indeed come from a root
meaning "hidden," that an almah was young enough to be under her father's
protection. I would not expect English to have an exact equivalent. I would
anticipate from that context that it might be rendered, "a young woman," "a
girl living in her father's harem," or by implication, "a young virgin."
Understanding how English words develop, I would expect that each of these
meanings might be intended in different contexts.
Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy



  • [b-hebrew] virgin, michaelabernat9001, 07/16/2007

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