reek: monon gar ouk horontos en ta ginomena
kai phantazomenou kai pollen echontos huper ton eiremenon plerophorian,
ton gar hemeteron ophthalmon ekeinoi saphesteron ta me horomena
eblepon.]--The article in [Hebrew: helmh] cannot refer to _the_ virgin
_known_ as the mother of the Saviour; for, besides the passage before
us, it is only Micah v. 2 (3) which mentions the mother of the Saviour,
and it is our passage only which speaks of her as a _virgin_. In
harmony with [Hebrew: hnh], the article in [Hebrew: helmh] might be
explained from the circumstance that the Virgin is present to the
inward perception of the Prophet--equivalent to "the virgin there." But
since the use of the article in the _generic_ sense is so general, it
is most natural to understand "the virgin" as forming a contrast to the
married or old woman, and hence, in substance, as here equivalent to
_a_ virgin. To this view we are led also by the circumstance that, in
the parallel passage, Mic. v. 2 (3) [Hebrew: ivldh] "a bearing woman"
is used without the article.--[Hebrew: elmh] is, by old expositors,
commonly derived from [Hebrew: elM] in the signification "to conceal" A
virgin, they assume, is called a _concealed_ one, with reference to the
customs of the East, where the virgins are obliged to lead a concealed
life. Thus it was understood by _Jerome_ also: "_Almah_ is not applied
to girls or virgins generally, but is used emphatically of a hidden and
concealed virgin, who is never accessible to the look of males, but who
is with great care watched by the parents." But all parties now rightly
agree that the word is to be derived from [Hebrew: elM], in the
signification, "to grow up." To offer here any arguments in proof would
be a work of supererogation, as they are offered by all dictionaries.
But with all that, _Luther's_ remark is even now in full force: "If [Pg
45] a Jew or a Christian can prove to me that in any passage of
Scripture _Almah_ means 'a married woman,'I will give him a hundred
florins, although God alone knows where I may find them." It is true
that [Hebrew: elmh] is distinguished from [Hebrew: btvlh], which
designates the virgin state as such, and in this signification occurs
in Joel i. 8. also where the bride laments over her bridegroom whom she
has lost by death. Inviolate chastity is, in itself, not implied in the
word. But certain it is that [Hebrew: elmh] designates an unmarried
person in the first years of youth; and if this be the