Virgin, Virginity
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Virgin, Virginity in the Bible?
The Hebrew term 'bethulah' and the Greek 'parthenos' denote a young woman of marriageable age, often implying sexual inexperience but primarily functioning as a legal status regarding marital eligibility and social standing within the patriarchal framework of the ancient Near East.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding these terms as markers of social status rather than purely biological states clarifies the rhetorical weight of prophetic literature, such as Isaiah 7:14, where the sign serves as a political reassurance of continuity rather than a literal prediction of biological anomaly.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.