עָגַן
to debar, i.e. from marriage
Definition
The Hebrew verb עָגַן (ʻâgan) means to restrain, detain, or debar, specifically in the context of preventing a woman from remarrying. Its sole biblical occurrence is in Ruth 1:13, where Naomi laments that she cannot provide new husbands for her daughters-in-law, saying, 'would you therefore refrain from marrying?' (NASB). The sense is one of causing a delay or imposing a restriction that prevents the normal progression into marriage. It carries a connotation of enforced waiting or being held back from a rightful social and relational status.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ruth 1:13. It appears in the context of Naomi's dialogue with her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, as she urges them to return to their homeland after the deaths of their husbands. Naomi uses the word to express her inability to provide them with new husbands from her own family, thus 'debarring' them from the hope of levirate marriage. The usage is deeply personal and emotional, highlighting a social and familial obligation she feels she cannot fulfill.
Etymology
The word is considered a primitive root in Hebrew. While its exact derivation is uncertain, it is related to the concept of anchoring or fixing in place. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic, suggest meanings related to being slow, lingering, or tarrying. This supports the biblical usage of causing a delay or creating a restraint from proceeding, particularly in the marital context.
Semantic Range
This word, though used only once, enriches the theological theme of God's providence in the Book of Ruth. Naomi's feeling that she 'debars' Ruth and Orpah from marriage stands in stark contrast to God's unseen hand, which ultimately provides Ruth with a husband and redeemer in Boaz, making her an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. It highlights human limitation and despair versus divine faithfulness and covenant-keeping, even in situations of perceived hopelessness and social restriction.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, this term directly relates to the practice of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), where a brother of a deceased man was obliged to marry his widow. Naomi's use of the word reflects the immense social and economic pressure to secure a woman's future through marriage. A widow without sons or a prospect for remarriage was vulnerable. Her statement acknowledges a cultural failure to provide this security, making Ruth's loyal choice to stay with Naomi an act of great faith and risk.
עָצַר (ʻâtsar, H6113) — to restrain or hold back more generally, not specifically marital. מָנַע (mânaʻ, H4513) — to withhold or deny something. כָּלָא (kâlâʼ, H3607) — to shut up, restrain, or withhold.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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