International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Handmaid
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Handmaid Subjects in this Topic: hand´maÌ„d: Which appears often in the Old Testament, but seldom in the New Testament, like bondmaid, is used to translate two Hebrew words (ש×פחה, shiphhÌ£aÌ„h, and ×מה, 'aÌ„maÌ„h) both of which normally mean a female slave. It is used to translate the former word in the ordinary sense of female slave in ; ; , ; ; , ; ; to translate the latter word in ; ; . It is used as a term of humility and respectful self-depreciation in the presence of great men, prophets and kings, to translate the former word in ; ; ; ; , ; it translates the latter word in the same sense in ; ; , , , ; ; , ; . It is also used to express a sense of religious humility in translating the latter word only, and appears in this sense in but three passages, ; ; . In the New Testament it occurs 3 t, in a religious sense, as the translation of δουÌλη, douÌleÌ„, “a female slave†(, ; ), and twice (, ) as the translation of παιδιÌσκη, paidıÌskeÌ„, the King James Version “bondmaid.â€