mad, mad'-'n: Used in the King James Version in the sense of a girl or young female; of an unmarried woman or virgin, and of a female servant or handmaid. Thus, it translates several Hebrew words:
(1) The more generic word is na`arah, "girl," feminine form of the common na`ar, "boy" (1Sa 9:11;2Ki 5:2,4;Es 2:4,7 ff;Job 41:5;Am 2:7) In several places masculine form na`ar, with feminine form of verb rendered "damsel" (Ge 24:14,16,28,55;34:3,12;De 22:15); compare he pais (Lu 8:51,54); see also paidiske, diminutive (Sirach 41:22;Mr 14:66,69;Lu 12:45; korasion, Septuagint for na`arah, "maid," inMt 9:24f withJob 6:12f; Susanna verses 15,19).
(2) The Hebrew `almah, also rendered "maid," refers to a woman of marriageable age (Ex 2:8;Pr 30:19), whether married or not, whether a virgin or not. The same word is translated "virgin" in several places (Ge 24:43the King James Version; So 13; 6:8;Isa 7:14).
(3) The word bethulah, a common Hebrew word for "virgin," a chaste woman Septuagint parthenos), is frequently rendered "maid" and "maiden" (Ex 22:16;Jud 19:24;2Ch 36:17;Ps 78:63;148:12;Jer 51:22;La 5:11;Eze 9:6;44:22;Zec 9:17; compareDe 22:14,17, having "the marks (tokens) of virginity"); bethulim, rendered "maid." SeeVIRGIN.
(4) Two Hebrew words covering the idea of service, handmaid, handmaiden, and in numerous passages so rendered:
(a) 'amah, translated "maid" (Ge 30:3;Ex 2:5;21:20,26;Le 25:6;Ezr 2:65;Job 19:15;Na 2:7);
(b) shiphchah, "a family servant," "a handmaid," so rendered in numerous passages ("maid," "maiden,"Ge 16:2ff; 29:24,29; 30:7,9,10,12,18;Isa 24:2;Ps 123:2;Ec 2:7). In the King James Version they are variously translated "maid," "handmaid," etc.
(5) The rather rare word habra, "favorite slave," is rendered "maid" in Judith 10:2,5; 13:9; 16:23; Additions to Esther 15:2,7.
(6) doule, "female slave," in the King James Version Judith 12:49 (the Revised Version (British and American) "servant").
Maidservant means simply a female slave in the different positions which such a woman naturally occupies. They were the property of their masters; sometimes held the position of concubines (Ge 31:33); daughters might be sold by their fathers into this condition (Ex 21:7). It is regrettable that no uniform translation was adopted in the King James Version. And in the Revised Version (British and American) compare Tobit 3:7; Judith 10:10; Sirach 41:22.
"Maidservants" replaces "maidens" of the King James Version inLu 12:45. CompareJob 31:13.
Edward Bagby Pollard