Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 5th, 2025
the Fourth Week of Lent
There are 15 days til Easter!
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more! Bible Encyclopedias
Handmaid
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Search for…
or
hand´mād : Which appears often in the Old Testament, but seldom in the New Testament, like bondmaid, is used to translate two Hebrew words ( שׁפחה , shiphḥāh , and אמה , 'āmāh ) both of which normally mean a female slave. It is used to translate the former word in the ordinary sense of female slave in Genesis 16:1; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 29:24 , Genesis 29:29; Proverbs 30:23; Jeremiah 34:11 , Jeremiah 34:16; Joel 2:29; to translate the latter word in Exodus 23:12; Judges 19:19; 2 Samuel 6:20 . It is used as a term of humility and respectful self-depreciation in the presence of great men, prophets and kings, to translate the former word in Rth 2:13; 1 Samuel 1:18; 1 Samuel 28:21; 2 Samuel 14:6; 2 Kings 4:2 , 2 Kings 4:16; it translates the latter word in the same sense in Rth 3:9; 1 Samuel 1:16; 1 Samuel 25:24 , 1 Samuel 25:28 , 1 Samuel 25:31 , 1 Samuel 25:41; 2 Samuel 20:17; 1 Kings 1:13 , 1 Kings 1:17; 1 Kings 3:20 . It is also used to express a sense of religious humility in translating the latter word only, and appears in this sense in but three passages, 1 Samuel 1:11; Psalm 86:16; Psalm 116:16 .
In the New Testament it occurs 3 t, in a religious sense, as the translation of δούλη , doúlē , "a female slave" ( Luke 1:38 , Luke 1:48; Acts 2:18 ), and twice (Galatians 4:22 , Galatians 4:23 ) as the translation of παιδίσκη , paidı́skē , the King James Version "bondmaid."
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software.
Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Handmaid'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/h/handmaid.html. 1915.
