Bible Dictionary: Virginity

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The quality or state of being a virgin; undefiled purity or chastity; maidenhood.

2. (n.) The unmarried life; celibacy.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

VIRGIN, VIRGINITY

vur'-jin; vur-jin'-i-ti:

(1) bethulah, from a root meaning "separated," is "a woman living apart," i.e. "in her father's house," and hence "a virgin." Bethulah seems to have been the technical term for "virgin," as appears from such a combination as na`arah bhethulah, "a damsel, a virgin," in Deuteronomy 22:23, 28, etc. An apparent exception is Joel 1:8, "Lament like a virgin bethulah.... for the husband of her youth," but the word is probably due to a wish to allude to the title "virgin daughter of Zion" (the translation "a betrothed maiden" is untrue to Hebrew sentiment). and the use of "virgin" for a city (Isaiah 37:22, etc.; compare Isaiah 23:12; Isaiah 47:1) probably means "unsubdued," though, as often, a title may persist after its meaning is gone (Jeremiah 31:4). The King James Version and the English Revised Version frequently render bethulah by "maiden" or "maid" (Judges 19:24, etc.), but the American Standard Revised Version has used "virgin" throughout, despite the awkwardness of such a phrase as "young men and virgins" (Psalm 148:12). For "tokens of virginity" ("proofs of chastity") see the commentary on Deuteronomy 22:15;.

(2) `almah, rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) by either "damsel" (Psalm 68:25), "maiden" (so usually, Exodus 2:8, etc.), or "virgin" with margin "maiden" (Songs 1:3; Songs 6:8 Isaiah 7:14). The word (see OHL) means simply "young woman" and only the context can give it the force "virgin." This force, however, seems required by the contrasts in Songs 6:8, but in 1:3 "virgin" throws the accent in the wrong place. The controversies regarding Isaiah 7:14 are endless, but Septuagint took `almah as meaning "virgin" (parthenos). But in New Testament times the Jews never interpreted the verse as a prediction of a virgin-birth-a proof that the Christian faith did not grow out of this passage. See IMMANUEL; VIRGIN BIRTH.

(3) parthenos, the usual Greek word for "virgin" (Judith 16:5, etc.; Matthew 1:23, etc.). In Revelation 14:4 the word is masculine. In 1 Corinthians 7:25; the Revised Version (British and American) has explained "virgin" by writing "virgin daughter" in 7:36-38. This is almost certainly right, but "virgin companion" (see Lietzmann and J. Weiss in the place cited.) is not quite impossible.

(4) neanis, "young woman" (Sirach 20:4).

(5) Latin virgo (2 Esdras 16:33).

The Old Testament lays extreme emphasis on chastity before marriage (Deuteronomy 22:21), but childlessness was so great a misfortune that death before marriage was to be bewailed (Judges 11:37, 38). Paul's preference for the unmarried state (1 Corinthians 7:29 if) is based on the greater freedom for service (compare Matthew 19:12), and the Greek estimate of virginity as possessing a religious quality per se is foreign to true Jewish thought (such a passage as Philo Mund. opif., section symbol 53, is due to direct Greek influence). Some have thought to find a trace of the Greek doctrine in Revelation 14:4. But 144,000 lst-century. Christian ascetics are out of the question, and the figure must be interpreted like that of James 4:4 (reversed).

Burton Scott Easton

Greek

3932. parthenia -- virginity
... virginity. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: parthenia Phonetic Spelling:
(par-then-ee'-ah) Short Definition: virginity Definition: virginity. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3932.htm - 6k

Topical Bible Verses

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 1:25
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Topicalbible.org

Ephesians 5:31
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Topicalbible.org

Strong's Hebrew

1331. bethulim -- virginity
... 1330, 1331. bethulim. 1332 . virginity. Transliteration: bethulim Phonetic
Spelling: (beth-oo-leem') Short Definition: virgin. Word ...
/hebrew/1331.htm - 6k

Library

Of Holy Virginity.
Of Holy Virginity. . Of Holy Virginity. St. Augustine. Rev. CL Cornish,
MA Table of Contents. Title Page. Of Holy Virginity. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/of holy virginity /

Two Epistles Concerning Virginity
Two Epistles Concerning Virginity. <. Two Epistles Concerning Virginity Clement
of Rome. Translated by the Rev. BP Pratten Table of Contents. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clement/two epistles concerning virginity/

Of Holy virginity
Of Holy Virginity. . ... Of Holy Virginity. Of Holy Virginity. [De Virginitate.]
Translated by Rev. CI Cornish, MA, of Exeter College, Oxford. Retr. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/of holy virginity /of holy virginity.htm

On virginity. Introduction.
... II."Ascetic and Moral. On Virginity. Introduction. The object of this treatise is
to create in its readers a passion for the life according to excellence. ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/on virginity introduction.htm

Whether virginity is a virtue?
... OF VIRGINITY (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether virginity is a virtue? Objection 1:
It would seem that virginity is not a virtue. For "no virtue ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether virginity is a virtue.htm

Whether virginity is Unlawful?
... OF VIRGINITY (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether virginity is unlawful? Objection
1: It would seem that virginity is unlawful. For whatever ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether virginity is unlawful.htm

Heaven is the Home of virginity, and the Son of God Its Author...
... Three Books Concerning Virgins. To Marcellina, His Sister. Book I. Chapter V.
Heaven is the home of virginity, and the Son of God its Author� ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter v heaven is the.htm

Concerning virginity.
... Book IV. Chapter XXIV."Concerning Virginity. ... For man was formed of virgin soil. From
Adam alone was Eve created. In Paradise virginity held sway. ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xxiv concerning virginity.htm

Whether virginity is the Greatest of virtues?
... OF VIRGINITY (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether virginity is the greatest of virtues? Objection
1: It would seem that virginity is the greatest of virtues. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether virginity is the greatest.htm

Divinity of virginity.
Two Epistles Concerning Virginity. <. ... Disciple of Peter the Apostle.
Chapter VI."Divinity of Virginity. The womb of a ...
/.../clement/two epistles concerning virginity/chapter vi divinity of virginity.htm

Thesaurus

Virginity (12 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. VIRGIN, VIRGINITY. ... For "tokens of virginity"
("proofs of chastity") see the commentary on Deuteronomy 22:15;. ...
/v/virginity.htm - 15k

Tokens (11 Occurrences)
... things, and brings up an evil name on her, and says, "I took this woman, and when
I came near to her, I didn't find in her the tokens of virginity;" (WEB JPS ...
/t/tokens.htm - 9k

Proof (38 Occurrences)
... things, and brings up an evil name on her, and says, "I took this woman, and when
I came near to her, I didn't find in her the tokens of virginity;" (See NIV). ...
/p/proof.htm - 18k

Shameful (27 Occurrences)
... things, and brings up an evil name on her, and says, "I took this woman, and when
I came near to her, I didn't find in her the tokens of virginity;" (WEB ASV ...
/s/shameful.htm - 15k

Whoredoms (34 Occurrences)
... committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were
their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. ...
/w/whoredoms.htm - 17k

Display (30 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:17 and behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying,'I
didn't find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;' and yet these are the ...
/d/display.htm - 15k

Daughter's (6 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:17 and behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying,'I
didn't find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;' and yet these are the ...
/d/daughter's.htm - 8k

Caressed (3 Occurrences)
... played the prostitute in Egypt; they played the prostitute in their youth; there
were their breasts pressed, and there was handled the bosom of their virginity...
/c/caressed.htm - 7k

Accused (29 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:17 and behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying,'I
didn't find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;' and yet these are the ...
/a/accused.htm - 15k

Companions (58 Occurrences)
... She said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months,
that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and ...
/c/companions.htm - 23k

Bible Concordance

Virginity (12 Occurrences)

Luke 2:36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

1 Corinthians 7:36 But if any one think that he behaves unseemly to his virginity, if he be beyond the flower of his age, and so it must be, let him do what he will, he does not sin: let them marry.
(DBY)

1 Corinthians 7:37 But he who stands firm in his heart, having no need, but has authority over his own will, and has judged this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he does well.
(DBY)

Leviticus 21:13 "'He shall take a wife in her virginity.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 22:14 and accuses her of shameful things, and brings up an evil name on her, and says, "I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn't find in her the tokens of virginity;"
(WEB JPS ASV YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 22:15 then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the young lady's virginity to the elders of the city in the gate;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 22:17 and behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying,'I didn't find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;' and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity." They shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 22:20 But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Judges 11:37 She said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Judges 11:38 He said, "Go." He sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and mourned her virginity on the mountains.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 23:3 and they played the prostitute in Egypt; they played the prostitute in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there was handled the bosom of their virginity.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY YLT)

Ezekiel 23:8 Neither has she left her prostitution since the days of Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they handled the bosom of her virginity; and they poured out their prostitution on her.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY YLT)

Subtopics

Virginity

Virginity Before Marriage

Related Terms

Tokens (11 Occurrences)

Proof (38 Occurrences)

Shameful (27 Occurrences)

Whoredoms (34 Occurrences)

Display (30 Occurrences)

Daughter's (6 Occurrences)

Caressed (3 Occurrences)

Accused (29 Occurrences)