Genesis 20:3
Footnote:
701 | Hebrew בעלת בעל, beulat baal. Beulat is a passive participle verb that functions as an “attributive adjective”. Beulat means one-who-is-owned in the feminine. The text thus says, “owned of an owner.” The common Hebrew noun for “virgin” is bethulah, Strong’s #1330. Bethulah stems from a root meaning, “separate” and thus is taken to mean “unowned”. Baal literally means “owner, lord” and not “husband”. See Strong’s #1166 and #1167. Baal and Beulat share the same root in the same way the words for “man” and “woman” do (ish and ishah). See also Exodus 21:3,22; Deuteronomy 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:4; 2 Samuel 11:26; Joel 1:8; Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 31:11,23,28; Esther 1:17,20; Hosea 2:18. |