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Hebrew noun (feminine) · H519

אָמָה

amahaw-maw'

maidservant

56 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: ʼâmâh

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H519is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 14 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 40
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H519

a maidservant or female slave

The King James renders it: (hand-) bondmaid(-woman), maid(-servant).

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

amah is rendered "maidservant". It stands 56 times in the Hebrew text, across fourteen books.

  • Ten of the uses stand in 1 Samuel, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 20:17Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
  • The Greek text spells it forty different ways.

The first use

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

Genesis 20:17וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יו

The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.

Where the word stands

The word stands in fourteen of the 39 Old Testament books.

The other 25 Old Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • maidservant your14
  • and female servant your6
  • female slave his4
  • the slave woman3
  • to maidservant your3
  • and female servant his2
  • and female servants their2
  • maidservant his2
  • the maidservants2
  • a female slave1
  • and a female slave1
  • and female servant my1

and 15 more, 56 uses in all

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

אָמָןamanartisanUses1

All 56, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

40 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ4
  • אֲמָת֖וֹ3
  • אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔3
  • אֲמָתוֹ֙2
  • אֲמָֽתְךָ֙2
  • אֲמָתֶ֑ךָ2
  • אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃2
  • וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙2
  • וַאֲמָתוֹ֙2
  • וַאֲמָתְךָ֖2
  • וַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ2
  • לַאֲמָתְךָ֖2

and 28 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singular16HNcfsc/Sp2ms
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singular8HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
  • noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular6HNcfsc/Sp3ms
  • preposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singular4HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
  • the definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine singular3HTd/Ncfsa
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine plural2HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular2HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
  • conjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singular2HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
  • the definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine plural2HTd/Ncfpa
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singular1HC/Ncfpc/Sp1bs
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine plural1HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singular1HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs

Genesis

seven uses
  • Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

    Genesis 20:17

    • וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יוveamhotavconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: and female slaves his
  • and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”

    Genesis 21:10

    • הָאָמָ֥הhaamahthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: the slave woman
    • הָאָמָ֣הhaamahthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: the slave woman
  • But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.

    Genesis 21:12

    • אֲמָתֶ֔ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: slave woman your
  • But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”

    Genesis 21:13

    • הָאָמָ֖הhaamahthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: the slave woman
  • Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”

    Genesis 30:3

    • אֲמָתִ֥יʾamatinoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: maidservant my
  • So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.

    Genesis 31:33

    • הָאֲמָהֹ֖תhaamahotthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine pluraltagged: the maidservants

Exodus

nine uses
  • Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. And when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to retrieve it.

    Exodus 2:5

    • אֲמָתָ֖הּʾamatahnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: maid her
  • but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.

    Exodus 20:10

    • וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֜֙vaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your
  • You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

    Exodus 20:17

    • וַאֲמָתוֹ֙vaamatoconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant his
  • And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

    Exodus 21:7

    • לְאָמָ֑הleamahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: to a female slave
  • If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.

    Exodus 21:20

    • אֲמָתוֹ֙ʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: female slave his
  • If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

    Exodus 21:26

    • אֲמָת֖וֹʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: female slave his
  • And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

    Exodus 21:27

    • אֲמָת֖וֹʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: female slave his
  • If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.

    Exodus 21:32

    • אָמָ֑הʾamahnoun · feminine singulartagged: a female slave
  • For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident.

    Exodus 23:12

    • אֲמָתְךָ֖ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: female slave your

Leviticus

three uses
  • Whatever the land yields during the Sabbath year shall be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you,

    Leviticus 25:6

    • וְלַאֲמָתֶ֑ךָvelaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and to female slave your
  • Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them.

    Leviticus 25:44

    • וַאֲמָתְךָ֖vaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female slave your
    • וְאָמָֽה׃veamahconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: and a female slave

Deuteronomy

eight uses
  • but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do.

    Deuteronomy 5:14

    • וַ֠אֲמָתֶךָvaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your
    • וַאֲמָתְךָ֖vaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your
  • You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

    Deuteronomy 5:21

    • וַאֲמָתוֹ֙vaamatoconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant his
  • And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.

    Deuteronomy 12:12

    • וְאַמְהֹתֵיכֶ֑םveamhoteikhemconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: and female servants your
  • Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,

    Deuteronomy 12:18

    • וַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָvaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your
  • then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.

    Deuteronomy 15:17

    • לַאֲמָתְךָ֖laamatekhapreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: to maidservant your
  • and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.

    Deuteronomy 16:11

    • וַאֲמָתֶךָ֒vaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your
  • And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.

    Deuteronomy 16:14

    • וַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָvaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and female servant your

Judges

two uses
  • but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—

    Judges 9:18

    • אֲמָתוֹ֙ʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: female slave his
  • even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”

    Judges 19:19

    • וְלַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָvelaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and for maidservant your

Ruth

two uses
  • “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

    Ruth 3:9

    • אֲמָתֶ֔ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
    • אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your

1 Samuel

ten uses
  • And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”

    1 Samuel 1:11

    • אֲמָתֶ֗ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
    • אֲמָתֶ֔ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
    • לַאֲמָתְךָ֖laamatekhapreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: to maidservant of your
  • Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”

    1 Samuel 1:16

    • אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.

    1 Samuel 25:24

    • אֲמָֽתְךָ֙ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
    • אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

    1 Samuel 25:25

    • אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

    1 Samuel 25:28

    • אֲמָתֶ֑ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”

    1 Samuel 25:31

    • אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ סʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • She arose, then bowed facedown and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

    1 Samuel 25:41

    • אֲמָֽתְךָ֙ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your

2 Samuel

five uses
  • As soon as David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”

    2 Samuel 6:20

    • אַמְה֣וֹתʾamhotnoun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: maidservants of
  • and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”

    2 Samuel 6:22

    • הָֽאֲמָהוֹת֙haamahotthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine pluraltagged: the maidservants
  • Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.

    2 Samuel 14:15

    • אֲמָתֽוֹ׃ʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant his
  • For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’

    2 Samuel 14:16

    • אֲמָת֖וֹʾamatonoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant his
  • When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.

    2 Samuel 20:17

    • אֲמָתֶ֔ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your

1 Kings

three uses
  • Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

    1 Kings 1:13

    • לַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙laamatekhapreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: to maidservant your
  • “My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

    1 Kings 1:17

    • לַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָlaamatekhapreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: to maidservant your
  • So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom.

    1 Kings 3:20

    • וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙vaamatekhaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: and maidservant your

Ezra

one use
  • in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.

    Ezra 2:65

    • וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙veamhoteihemconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: and female servants their

Nehemiah

one use
  • in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.

    Nehemiah 7:67

    • וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙veamhoteihemconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: and female servants their

Job

two uses
  • My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.

    Job 19:15

    • וְ֭אַמְהֹתַיveamhotaiconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: and female servants my
  • If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,

    Job 31:13

    • וַאֲמָתִ֑יvaamaticonjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: and female servant my

Psalms

two uses
  • Turn to me and have mercy; grant Your strength to Your servant; save the son of Your maidservant.

    Psalms 86:16

    • אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your
  • Truly, O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have broken my bonds.

    Psalms 116:16

    • אֲמָתֶ֑ךָʾamatekhanoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: maidservant your

Nahum

one use
  • It is decreed that the city be exiled and carried away; her maidservants moan like doves, and beat upon their breasts.

    Nahum 2:7

    • וְאַמְהֹתֶ֗יהָveamhoteihaconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: and maidservants its

The letters

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESH gloss (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →