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Handmaid

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1410

גָּד

gad — Gad

A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.11; son of: Israel (H3478) and Zilpah (H2153); brother of: Asher (H0836); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Ezbon (H0675), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692) § Gad = "troop" 1) seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and full brother of Asher. 2) the tribe descended from Gad 3) a prophet during the time of David; appears to have joined David when in the hold; reappears in connection with the punishment for taking a census; also assisted in the arrangements for the musical service of the "house of God"

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H519

אָמָה

a.mah — maidservant

1) maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine 1a) of humility (fig.)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3458

יִשְׁמָעֵאל

yish.ma.el — Ishmael

A man of Arabia living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.16.11; son of: Abraham (H0085) and Hagar (H1904); half-brother of: Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); father of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258) § Ishmael = "God will hear" 1) son of Abraham and Sarah's handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples 2) son of Nethaniah and the murderer of Gedaliah 3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Azel a descendant of Saul through Meribbaal or Mephibosheth 4) a Judaite, father of Zebadiah 5) a Judaite, son of Johanan and one of the captains who aided Jehoiada in restoring Joash to the throne 6) a priest of the family of Pashur with a foreign wife whom he was forced to put away by Ezra

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5321

נַפְתָּלִי

naph.ta.li — Naphtali

A man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.8; son of: Israel (H3478) and Bilhah (H1090A); brother of: Dan (H1835H); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476), Jezer (H3337) and Shillem (H8006) Also named: Nephthaleim (Νεφθαλείμ "Naphtali" G3508) § Naphtali = "wrestling" 1) the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel 2) the tribe descended from Naphtali the son of Jacob 3) the territory assigned to the tribe of Naphtali

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1090

בִּלְהָה

bil.hah — Bilhah

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.29; married to Israel (H3478); mother of: Dan (H1835H) and Naphtali (H5321) § Bilhah = "troubled" Rachel's handmaid whom she gave to Jacob as a concubine, mother to two of Jacob's children, Dan and Naphtali

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2153

זִלְפָּה

zil.pah — Zilpah

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.24; married to Israel (H3478); mother of: Gad (H1410) and Asher (H0836) § Zilpah = "a trickling" the Syrian given by Laban to Leah as a handmaid, a concubine of Jacob, mother of Asher and Gad

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5293

נַעֲרַי

na.a.ray — Naarai

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.11.37; son of: Ezbai (H0229) § Naarai = "handmaid" the Arbite, son of Ezbai and one of David's mighty warriors

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GREEK · G1400

δοῦλον

doulon — slave

servant, slave; in the NT a person owned as a possession for various lengths of times (Hebrew slaves no more than seven years, Gentile slaves without time limit), of lower social status than free persons or masters; slaves could earn or purchase their freedom a male slave, or servant, of various degrees, Mt. 8:9, and frequently ; a servitor, person of mean condition, Phil. 2:7; feminine δούλη, a female slave; a handmaiden, Lk. 1:38, 48; Acts 2:18; δοῦλος, used figuratively, in a bad sense, one involved in moral or spiritual thraldom, Jn. 8:34; Rom. 6:17, 20; 1Cor. 7:23; 2Pet. 2:19; in a good sense, a devoted servant or minister, Acts 16:17; Rom. 1:1; one pledged or bound to serve, 1Cor. 7:22; 2Cor. 4:5

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Historical dictionary entry

Servant (Gen. 16:1; Ruth 3:9; Luke 1:48). It is probable that Hagar was Sarah’s personal attendant while she was in the house of Pharaoh, and was among those maid-servants whom Abram had brought from Egypt.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Handmaid in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →