בְּתוּלָה (be.tu.lah)
be.tu.lah
virgin
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 45 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun betulah refers to a virgin, defined by its separation from sexual intercourse with men. Its root sense implies being set apart or secluded, which explains why it describes both physical purity and social status. In legal texts like Deuteronomy 22, the term establishes a woman’s marital eligibility and honor, while in narrative passages such as Genesis 24:16, it simply notes that Rebekah had not yet known a man.
Beyond individual women, betulah carries significant figurative weight. It is used to personify cities or nations as young women, emphasizing their vulnerability or former glory. Isaiah addresses Jerusalem as "the virgin daughter of Zion" (Isaiah 37:22), and Jeremiah laments over "the virgin of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:13). This metaphor highlights how the fate of the community is tied to its collective integrity.
The word also extends to brides, linking the state of virginity with the joy of marriage. In Joel 1:8, the prophet calls on priests to lament because the bridegroom has been cut off from his chamber, using betulah to evoke the sudden loss of marital hope. Translators often render it as "maid" or "virgin," capturing both the literal condition and the cultural value placed on this stage of life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word betulah points to a state of being set apart, describing a young woman who has not yet known sexual intimacy. In its literal sense, it marks a specific stage of life and social standing in ancient Israel. This term appears in legal codes to protect honor and in narratives to highlight the vulnerability or purity of individuals like Rebekah or Tamar.
Beyond individual women, betulah carries deep poetic weight. Prophets use it to personify cities like Zion or Babylon, treating nations as young women whose fate reflects their collective integrity. When Isaiah calls Jerusalem 'the virgin daughter,' he evokes both her former glory and her current pain, showing how personal and communal identities are intertwined in Scripture.
Understanding this word helps us see the value placed on dignity and covenant faithfulness in biblical times. It reminds readers that human worth is not defined by utility but by inherent dignity before God. Whether describing a bride or a besieged city, the term invites reflection on how we treat the vulnerable and honor those who are set apart for specific purposes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 45 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a virgin8×
- [the] virgin of7×
- O virgin of5×
- young women3×
- virgins3×
- the/ virgins3×
- young women/ my2×
- the/ virgin2×
- and/ young woman2×
- young woman1×
- virgins/ her1×
- virgin[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּתוּלַ֖ת5×
- בְּתוּלַת֙4×
- בְּתוּלַ֣ת3×
- בְתוּלָ֔ה3×
- בְּתוּלֹתַ֥/י2×
- בְּתוּלָה֙2×
- בְּתוּלָ֔ה2×
- בְּתוּל֖וֹת2×
- לִ/בְתוּלַ֖ת1×
- כִּ/בְתוּלָ֥ה1×
- וּ֝/בְתוּלֹתָ֗י/ו1×
- וּ/בְתוּלָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 24:16
The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
This verse establishes the baseline definition by explicitly stating Rebekah had not known a man, linking physical status with her role in God's providential plan.
-
Isaiah 37:22
this is the word which Yahweh has spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.
Here the term personifies Jerusalem, using the image of a virgin to express the city's defiant yet wounded relationship with its enemy.
-
Deuteronomy 22:19
They shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a virgin of Israel. She shall be his wife. He may not put her away all his days.
The law uses this status to mandate financial restitution and marital protection for a woman whose honor was falsely attacked.
-
Psalms 78:63
Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.
The psalmist uses the absence of wedding songs for virgins to vividly depict the total devastation of Israel's defeat.