נַעֲרָה

n.f. girl, damsel;—abs. נ׳ Ju 19:3 + 22 times, also Qr Gn 24:14 + 20 times Gn Dt (נַעֲרָה Kt in Pent. only Dt 22:19, v. infr.); pl. abs. נְעָרוֹת 1 S 9:11 +, cstr. נַעֲרוֹת Est 4:4; sf. נַעֲרוֹתָיו Ru 2:22; 3:2, נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ Gn 24:61; Ex 2:5, etc.;— girl, damsel; נ׳ קְטַנָּה little girl only 2 K 5:2, cf. v 4, perhaps = young daughters Jb 40:29; elsewhere = young woman 1 S 9:11; especially as marriageable, Gn 24:14, 16, 28, 55, 57; 34:3, 12 (all J), Dt 22:15(×2), 16, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26(×2), 29; 1 K 1:3, 4; Est 2:4, 7, 8, 9, 12(×2), 13; specif. virgin נ׳ בְּתוּלָה Ju 21:12; Dt 22:23, 28; 1 K 1:2; Est 2:2, 3 (cf. Dt 22:15b, 20); נ׳ מְאֹרָשָׂה betrothed girl Dt 22:25, 27; young widow Ru 2:6; 4:12; of a concubine Ju 19:3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, a prostitute Am 2:7. of female attendants, maids (always pl.), Gn 24:61 (J), Ex 2:5 (E), 1 S 25:42; Pr 9:3; 27:27; 31:15; Est 2:9(×2); 4:4, 16; gleaner(s) Ru 2:5, 8, 22, 23; 3:2.— נער Kt in Pent. as fem. (Qr נַעֲ֯רָ is prob. not original; it is not found in Sam. Pent., and fpl. נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ occurs Gn Ex; cf. Ges§§ 2 n., 17 c.