Lexical Definition

‎אַלְמָנָה‎ ʼalmânâh (al-maw-naw') widow ^H:N-F
feminine of ‎אַלְמָן‎

desolate house (palace), widow.

• a widow
• also a desolate place

1) widow

See Greek: χήρα

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אַלְמָנָה‎₅₄ noun feminine widow (Mishna id., Assyrian almattu Dl in Zim^{BP 114}) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ Gen 38:11 +; no construct; plural ‎אַלְמָנוֺת‎ Exod 22:23* +; plural suffix ‎אַלְמְנוֺתָיו‎ Job 27:18, etc. — widow 1Kgs 17:20 ‎׳‎‎אִשָּׁה אַ‎ 2Sam 14:5 (|| ‎וַיָּ֫מָת אִישִׁי‎) 1Kgs 7:14; 1Kgs 11:26; 1Kgs 17:9; 1Kgs 17:10; Gen 38:11 (J; living in father's house) compare Lev 22:13 (H; || ‎גְּרוּשָׁה‎); Lev 21:14 (H), where widow forbidden as wife of high priest, like ‎גְּרוּשָׁה‎, ‎חֲלָלָה‎, ‎זֹנָה‎ compare Ezek 44:22 (3 t. in verse) (id. of all priests, except widow of priest); Num 30:10* (P; of widow's vow, || ‎גְּרוּשָׁה‎); ‎נְשֵׁיכֶם אַלְמָנוֺת‎ = ye shall be slain Exod 22:23* (|| ‎בְּנֵיכֶם‎ ‎יְתֹמִים‎) compare Ps 109:9; Jer 15:8; Jer 18:21; Ezek 22:25, also Lam 5:3 (simile); of those snatched away by pestilence ‎אַלְמְנוֺתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּינָה‎ Job 27:15 by sword, id., Ps 78:64 ᵐ5 We read ‎אַלְמָנוֺת חַיּוֺת‎ 2Sam 20:3 (see ‎אַלְמָנוּת‎ below) of imprisoned concubines; figurative of Jerusalem Lam 1:1 Babylon Isa 47:8 especially widow as helpless, exposed to oppression & harsh treatment (often || ‎יָתוֺם‎, & ‎גֵּר‎); Isa 1:23; Isa 10:2; Job 22:9; Job 24:3; Job 31:16; Ps 94:6; Mal 3:5 harshness forbidden, & care for them enjoined Exod 22:21* (E) Deut 14:29; Deut 16:11; Deut 16:14; Deut 24:17; Deut 24:19; Deut 24:20; Deut 24:21; Deut 26:12; Deut 26:13; Deut 27:19; Isa 1:17; Jer 7:6; Jer 22:3; Zech 7:10, compare Job 29:13 under especially care of God Deut 10:18; Jer 49:11; Prov 15:25; Ps 68:6*; Ps 146:9 once of severity of judgment in not sparing widow Isa 9:16*. (‎׳‎‎אַל‎ Isa 13:22 see below ‎אַרְמוֺן‎; Ezek 19:7 see ib. & also below ‎מעון‎.)

Brown-Driver-Briggs References