עָלוּם
(only in plural as abstract) adolescence; figuratively, vigor
Definition
The Hebrew noun עָלוּם (ʻâlûwm) refers to the period of youth or adolescence, specifically denoting the vigor and strength associated with young adulthood. It appears only in the plural form, abstractly representing the state or quality of being youthful. In Job 20:11 and Job 33:25, the word emphasizes the physical vitality of youth, which can be fleeting or restored. In Psalm 89:45, it describes the cutting short of a king's youthful prime, while Isaiah 54:4 uses it metaphorically, urging Israel to forget the 'shame of your youth,' linking the term to a past period of vulnerability or disgrace.
Biblical Usage
This word is used four times in the Old Testament, exclusively in poetic books (Job, Psalms, Isaiah). It consistently describes the abstract quality of youthful vigor. In Job, it highlights the transient nature of physical strength (Job 20:11) or its potential restoration (Job 33:25). In Psalm 89:45, it is used in a lament over the loss of royal vitality. Isaiah 54:4 employs it figuratively, contrasting past shame with future hope. The usage is always in contexts reflecting on life stages, loss, restoration, or covenantal relationship.
Etymology
The word עָלוּם is derived from the root עָלַם (ʻālam, H5956), meaning 'to hide' or 'conceal.' It is a passive participle used in a denominative sense related to עֶלֶם (ʻelem, H5958), meaning 'young man.' Thus, the etymology suggests a sense of being 'hidden' or in the early, not-yet-fully-revealed stage of life—the concealed beginnings of adulthood. This connection underscores youth as a time of latent potential and developing strength.
Semantic Range
This word enriches the biblical understanding of human life stages and God's interaction with them. It highlights the impermanence of human vigor (as in Job), pointing to dependence on God as the true source of strength and renewal. In Isaiah 54:4, the theological move from the 'shame of your youth' to future glory illustrates God's redemptive power to transform past weakness into covenantal promise. Understanding this Hebrew term deepens appreciation for passages dealing with restoration, hope, and the lifecycle within God's plan.
In ancient Israelite culture, youth (עָלוּם) was not just an age but a social category associated with physical prime, capacity for work or battle, and marriageability. Its contrast with 'shame' in Isaiah 54:4 may reflect cultural views where the disgrace or vulnerability of early years could linger as a social memory. The poetic use of this abstract plural emphasizes the valued, yet vulnerable, quality of youthful strength, a common theme in Wisdom literature reflecting on life's transitions.
נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — a more common term for a boy, youth, or servant, focusing on age or status rather than abstract vigor. בָּחוּר (bāḥûr, H970) — a young man, often in the prime of life for military service, emphasizing maturity and strength more than עָלוּם's focus on the state of youth itself.
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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