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רַחֲמָה

𐤓𐤇𐤌𐤄

rachămâh

H7361 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רחם to have compassion, to show mercy, to bear in the womb

Definition

A young woman, especially one of marriageable age; sometimes used more generally for a female child or maiden. The term may also carry connotations of youthfulness or physical maturity, depending on the context. Unlike terms directly tied to social status, such as 'virgin' (בתולה, betulah) or 'married woman' (אשה, ishah), רַחֲמָה emphasizes age and gender rather than social or marital status.

Semantic Range

female child, maiden, young woman, feminine personal name

Root / Etymology

From the root ר-ח-ם (רָחַם), which primarily means 'to have compassion, show mercy,' but can also refer to the womb (רֶחֶם, rechem). רַחֲמָה is a feminine form derived by pattern, likely emphasizing 'female' in the sense of one born from the womb—i.e., a female offspring or daughter. The direct semantic development from 'womb' to 'maiden' involves the concept of biological femininity and the capacity for childbearing, but the precise lexical transition is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רַחֲמָה is attested rarely in the Hebrew Bible—principally in poetic or genealogical contexts (e.g., Ezekiel 23:4)—and does not carry consistent technical or legal meanings like בתולה (betulah, 'virgin') or נערה (na'arah, 'young girl/maiden'). In Ezekiel, רַחֲמָה is a personal name, paralleling אהליבה (Oholibah), and is personified as a maiden. In later Hebrew, this noun does not remain productive. English translations render it variously as 'maiden,' 'damsel,' or by the name 'Rahamah,' but these choices often reflect translation tradition more than distinct lexical nuance. Its meaning should be distinguished from terms referring to marital status or explicit virginity. There is no evidence that רַחֲמָה carried connotations of ethnicity, geographic identity, or religious affiliation in its biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of רַחַם; a maiden; damsel.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רחם (r-ḥ-m) — to have compassion, show mercy, bear in the womb

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3395 יְרֹחָם He-will-be-shown-compassion
H3396 יְרַחְמְאֵל to El-will-show-compassion
H3819 לֹא רֻחָמָה Not-shown-compassion
H7348 רְחוּם Rechum
H7349 רַחוּם compassionate

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7361-01 רַחֲמָתַ֨יִם֙ rachamatayim HNcfda two maidens two young women 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7361-01 Judges 5:30 רַחֲמָתַ֨יִם֙ rachamatayim HNcfda two maidens two young women
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