Almah (עַלְמָה ‘almā, plural: עֲלָמוֹת ‘ălāmōṯ), from a root implying the vigour of puberty, is a Hebrew word meaning a young woman sexually ripe for marriage.[1] Despite its importance to the account of the virgin birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, scholars agree that it refers to a woman of childbearing age but that it has nothing to do with whether she is a virgin or not.[2][3][1] It occurs nine times in the Hebrew Bible.[4]
- ^ a b Childs 2001, p. 66.
- ^ Sweeney 1996, pp. 161–162.
- ^ Williamson 2018, p. 152.
- ^ Byrne 2009, p. 155.