5958. elem

Lexicon

elem: Youth, young man

Original Word: עֶלֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `elem
Pronunciation: eh'-lem
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-lem)
Definition: Youth, young man
Meaning: something kept out of sight, a lad

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

young man, stripling

From alam; properly, something kept out of sight (compare almah), i.e. A lad -- young man, stripling.

see HEBREW alam

see HEBREW almah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a young man
NASB Translation
youth (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עֶ֫לֶם noun masculine young man; — ׳ע absolute 1 Samuel 20:22, הָעָ֑לֶם 1 Samuel 17:56; ׳ע; probably also 1 Samuel 17:42; 1 Samuel 16:12 (for ᵑ0 עִם) Gr Krenkel^{ZAW ii (1882), 309} Bu HPS.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root עָלַם (alam), meaning "to conceal" or "to hide."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The corresponding Greek term in the Septuagint and New Testament that aligns with the concept of a young man or lad is νεανίας (neanias), Strong's Greek Number G3495. This Greek term similarly denotes a young man, often used in contexts that emphasize youthfulness and the characteristics associated with it, such as strength and inexperience.

Usage: The word עֶלֶם (elem) appears in the Hebrew Bible to describe a young man or lad, often in contexts where youth or inexperience is highlighted. It is used in a few specific instances, emphasizing the characteristics of youthfulness or the state of being hidden or concealed.

Context: • The term עֶלֶם (elem) is relatively rare in the Hebrew Scriptures, appearing in contexts that underscore the qualities of youth or the notion of being hidden. In 1 Samuel 20:22, the word is used to describe a young man, highlighting his role in a narrative involving secrecy and concealment. The use of עֶלֶם (elem) in this context aligns with its root meaning of being hidden or concealed, as the young man is part of a covert communication between Jonathan and David.
• The concept of youth in the ancient Near Eastern context often carried connotations of vigor, potential, and sometimes naivety. The use of עֶלֶם (elem) in the biblical text may reflect these cultural understandings, portraying young men as individuals who are not yet fully visible or established in society.
• The term also appears in the context of the Song of Solomon (Song of Songs 1:3), where it is used to describe young women, indicating a broader application of the root concept of youth and hiddenness, possibly in terms of modesty or potential.

Forms and Transliterations

הָעָֽלֶם׃ העלם׃ לָעֶ֔לֶם לעלם hā‘ālem hā·‘ā·lem haAlem lā‘elem lā·‘e·lem laElem

Englishman's Concordance

1 Samuel 17:56
HEB: מִי־ זֶ֖ה הָעָֽלֶם׃ ס
NAS: whose son the youth is.
KJV: thou whose son the stripling [is].
INT: whose he the youth

1 Samuel 20:22
HEB: כֹּ֤ה אֹמַר֙ לָעֶ֔לֶם הִנֵּ֥ה הַחִצִּ֖ים
NAS: I say to the youth, Behold,
KJV: But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows
INT: I say to the youth Behold arrow

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5958
2 Occurrences

hā·‘ā·lem — 1 Occ.
lā·‘e·lem — 1 Occ.