נַעֲרָה (H5291) — Hebrew Lexicon

נַעֲרָה

𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤄

naʻărâh

H5291 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A female child or young woman; specifically, a girl from childhood through adolescence, including the period of sexual maturity but prior to marriage. In certain contexts, the term can also refer more narrowly to a young woman of marriageable age, or to a female servant or attendant.

Semantic Range

girl, young woman, maiden, unmarried female, adolescent girl, female attendant, female servant (in some contexts)

Root / Etymology

From the root נער (נ־ע־ר), meaning 'to be young, to grow up, to shake off.' The feminine form נַעֲרָה is derived from the root with the specific sense of a female youth. The root at its core denotes 'youthfulness' or 'youngness.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite society and throughout biblical literature, נַעֲרָה describes girls in various stages of youth, ranging from early childhood to adolescence and into young adulthood, often with the primary connotation of 'unmarried' and sometimes implying readiness for marriage. In legal and narrative sources (e.g., Deuteronomy 22), נַעֲרָה refers to a young woman, sometimes specifying a virgin (נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה, 'a maiden, a virgin girl'). The distinction from יַלְדָּה (child, girl) is important: נַעֲרָה is older and potentially marriageable, whereas יַלְדָּה refers to a younger girl. In contrast to שִׁפְחָה (female servant/slave), נַעֲרָה focuses on age and status, not servitude, though it may sometimes refer to a girl in service. The LXX often renders נַעֲרָה as παρθένος ('virgin, maiden') or κόρη ('girl'), and medieval/early modern translations frequently use 'damsel' or 'maiden,' which now carry archaic or narrowed connotations. Usage remains relatively consistent across the biblical periods but can sometimes reflect differences in marital status and social context. Modern English 'girl' or 'young woman' best captures its scope; 'maid' or 'damsel' are outdated and can mislead about social status.

Translation Consistency

primary "young woman" 45 occurrences

Covers the full typical range (female child through adolescent and marriageable unmarried female) in natural, modern English. More neutral and accurate than 'girl' for older adolescents and preferable to archaic 'maiden'; it also fits contexts where the term denotes a young female attendant or servant.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):

"young-women" (2x) "young women" (2x) "young-woman" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of נַעַר; a girl (from infancy to adolescence); damsel, maid(-en), young (woman).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

נער (Naarah) — to be young, to be youthful, to act as a young person

Root נער to be young, to grow up, youthful

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5271	נָעוּר	in his youths
H5286	נָעַר	they roared
H5287	נָעַר	Shake yourself off
H5288	נַעַר	in the young male
H5289	נַעַר	the youth
H5290	נֹעַר	in the youth-period
H5292	נַעֲרָה	young woman
H5293	נַעֲרַי	Youthful-One
H5294	נְעַרְיָה	Yah Is Youth
H5295	נַעֲרָן	Naaran
H5296	נְעֹרֶת	the shaken flax-tow

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H5291-03`	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman	21
`H5291-11`	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	young woman	young woman	young woman	9
`H5291-05`	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman	8
`H5291-02`	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman	6
`H5291-15`	נַעֲרֹתֶ֔י/הָ	naaroteyha	`HNcfpc/Sp3fs`	her maidens	her young women	her young women	3
`H5291-16`	נְעָר֔וֹת	nearot	`HNcfpa`	young women	young women	young women	3
`H5291-19`	וְ/הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖ה	vehanaarah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the young woman	and the young woman	and the young woman	3
`H5291-07`	לַֽ/נַּעֲרָֽה	lanaarah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the young woman	to the young woman	to the young woman	2
`H5291-09`	לְ/נַעֲרוֹתֶֽי/ךָ	lenaaroteykha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms`	for your maidservants	for your young women	for your young women	2
`H5291-10`	ל/נער	lnr	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the girl	to a young girl	to a young woman	2
`H5291-14`	נַ֣עֲרוֹתָ֔י/ו	naarotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his maidens	his young women	his young women	2
`H5291-17`	נער	nr	`HNcfsa`	young	young woman	young woman	2
`H5291-23`	וְ/נַעֲרֹתֶ֥י/הָ	venaaroteyha	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and her attendants	and her young-women	and her young-women	2
`H5291-01`	בְּ/נַעֲר֥וֹת	benaarot	`HR/Ncfpc`	with the young women	in young women of	with the young women	1
`H5291-04`	הַ/נְּעָר֔וֹת	hanearot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	young women	the young women	the young women	1
`H5291-06`	לַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֑	lanaara	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the girl	to the young woman	to the young woman	1
`H5291-08`	לְ/נַעֲרֹתֶֽי/הָ	lenaaroteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	to her maidens	to her young women	to her maidens	1
`H5291-12`	נַעֲר֨וֹת	naarot	`HNcfpc`	maidens	young women of	young women attendants of	1
`H5291-13`	נַעֲרֹתָֽ/י	naarotay	`HNcfpc/Sp1cs`	my maids	my young women	my young women	1
`H5291-18`	וְ/הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗	vehanaara	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	And the girl	young woman	the young woman	1
`H5291-20`	וְ/לַֽ/נַּעֲרָה֙	velanaarah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	but to the young woman	and to the young-woman	and to the young-woman	1
`H5291-21`	וְ/נַעֲרָ֜ה	venaarah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and young woman	and a young woman	and a young woman	1
`H5291-22`	וְ/נַעֲרֹתַ֖/י	venaarotay	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs`	and my maidens	my young women	and my maidens	1
`H5291-24`	ו/ל/נער	vlnr	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	but to the girl	and to a young woman	and to a young woman	1

Occurrences in Scripture

76 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H5291-02`	Genesis 24:14	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-18`	Genesis 24:16	וְ/הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗	vehanaara	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	And the girl	young woman	the young woman
`H5291-02`	Genesis 24:28	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-02`	Genesis 24:55	הַ/נַּעֲרָ֥	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-06`	Genesis 24:57	לַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֑	lanaara	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the girl	to the young woman	to the young woman
`H5291-23`	Genesis 24:61	וְ/נַעֲרֹתֶ֗י/הָ	venaaroteyha	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and her young women	and her young-women	and her young-women
`H5291-02`	Genesis 34:3	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-02`	Genesis 34:3	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָֽ	hanaara-2	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-02`	Genesis 34:12	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖	hanaara	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-23`	Exodus 2:5	וְ/נַעֲרֹתֶ֥י/הָ	venaaroteyha	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and her attendants	and her young-women	and her young-women
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:15	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:15	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:15	ה/נער	hnr-2	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:15	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֛ה	hanaarah-2	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:16	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:16	הַֽ/נַּעַרָ֖ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:19	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-10`	Deuteronomy 22:20	ל/נער	lnr	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the girl	to a young girl	to a young woman
`H5291-07`	Deuteronomy 22:20	לַֽ/נַּעֲרָֽה	lanaarah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the young woman	to the young woman	to the young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:21	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:21	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֜ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-17`	Deuteronomy 22:23	נער	nr	`HNcfsa`	young	young woman	young woman
`H5291-11`	Deuteronomy 22:23	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	young woman	young woman	young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:24	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:24	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:25	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:25	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָה֙	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-24`	Deuteronomy 22:26	ו/ל/נער	vlnr	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	but to the girl	and to a young woman	and to a young woman
`H5291-20`	Deuteronomy 22:26	וְ/לַֽ/נַּעֲרָה֙	velanaarah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	but to the young woman	and to the young-woman	and to the young-woman
`H5291-10`	Deuteronomy 22:26	ל/נער	lnr	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to the girl	to a young girl	to a young woman
`H5291-07`	Deuteronomy 22:26	לַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖ה	lanaarah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to the young woman	to the young woman	to the young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:27	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:27	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָה֙	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-17`	Deuteronomy 22:28	נער	nr	`HNcfsa`	young	young woman	young woman
`H5291-11`	Deuteronomy 22:28	נַעֲרָ֤ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	woman	young woman	a young woman
`H5291-05`	Deuteronomy 22:29	ה/נער	hnr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Deuteronomy 22:29	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:3	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the young woman	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:4	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֔ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the girl	the young woman	of the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:5	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֜ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:6	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָה֙	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:8	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֗ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the girl	the young woman	the young woman
`H5291-03`	Judges 19:9	הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֡ה	hanaarah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the girl	the young woman	of the young woman
`H5291-11`	Judges 21:12	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	young	young woman	young woman
`H5291-16`	1 Samuel 9:11	נְעָר֔וֹת	nearot	`HNcfpa`	young women	young women	young women
`H5291-15`	1 Samuel 25:42	נַעֲרֹתֶ֔י/הָ	naaroteyha	`HNcfpc/Sp3fs`	of her young women	her young women	her young women
`H5291-11`	1 Kings 1:2	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	young woman	young woman	a young woman
`H5291-11`	1 Kings 1:3	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	a young woman	young woman	young woman
`H5291-19`	1 Kings 1:4	וְ/הַֽ/נַּעֲרָ֖ה	vehanaarah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	the young woman	and the young woman	and the young woman
`H5291-11`	2 Kings 5:2	נַעֲרָ֣ה	naarah	`HNcfsa`	a girl	young woman	young woman

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