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אַלְמֹן

𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤍

ʼalmôn

H489 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אָלַם to be silenced, to be speechless, to be unable to speak

Definition

A state or condition of being bereft, specifically the status of widowhood—the experience or legal-social state of a woman after the death of her spouse. The term emphasizes loss and the resultant social and legal implications rather than the broader sense of grief.

Semantic Range

widowhood, state of being bereft of a spouse, legal status of a widow, condition of loss following the death of a husband

Root / Etymology

The term derives from the Hebrew root אָלַם (ʼ-l-m), whose basic meaning is 'to be or become silent, speechless, or unable to speak.' אַלְמֹן is a noun formation from this root, and by extension in Hebrew usage, refers to the state of being 'bereft' or 'rendered silent,' specifically the condition of a woman after her husband's death (widowhood). The etymological connection suggests a state of forced silence or isolation experienced by widows in ancient Near Eastern society.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אַַלְמֹן appears only rarely as a noun meaning 'widowhood' and is more often found as an adjective in forms like אַלְמָנָה ('widow,' a woman whose husband has died). The masculine form, אַלְמָן, is rarely used to describe a widower, reflecting the distinct social and legal status of widows in Israelite society. The root concept ('to be silenced or made speechless') underscores the vulnerability and marginalization that could accompany widowhood in the ancient world, where widows often had limited rights or protections. In legal and prophetic literature of the First Temple and early Second Temple periods, protection of widows (along with orphans and resident foreigners) is an important ethical concern. English translations that render אַלְמֹן as 'widowhood' or 'bereavement' adequately capture the basic sense, but may miss the deeply social and legal specificity the Hebrew carries. The term does not carry the broader sense of generic bereavement or grief—its focus is on the specific state of having lost a spouse (primarily by women).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָלַם as in אַלְמָן; bereavement; widowhood.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אלם (ʾ-l-m) — to be silent, to be speechless, to be unable to speak

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H193 אוּל bound entry-hall of
H197 אוּלָם in the entrance hall
H198 אוּלָם bound entrance-hall of
H199 אוּלָם bound entrance-hall of
H481 אָלַם those who silence

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H489-01 וְ/אַלְמֹ֑ן vealemon HC/Ncmsa and widowhood widowhood 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H489-01 Isaiah 47:9 וְ/אַלְמֹ֑ן vealemon HC/Ncmsa and widowhood widowhood
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