Original Word: אַלְמָן
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: alman
Pronunciation: al-mahn
Phonetic Spelling: (al-mawn')
KJV: forsaken
NASB: forsaken
Word Origin: [prolonged from H481 (אָלַם - mute) in the sense of bereavement]

1. discarded (as a divorced person)

forsaken

Prolonged from 'alam in the sense of bereavement; discarded (as a divorced person) -- forsaken.

see HEBREW 'alam

Word Origin
from alam
Definition
widowed
NASB Translation
forsaken (1).

אַלְמָן adjective forsaken, of Israel Jeremiah 51:5 (followed by מֵאֱלֹהִים).

Overview

The noun אַלְמָן depicts a “widower” or one left without spouse, yet in Jeremiah 51:5 it is employed in the negative to affirm that Israel and Judah are not in such a bereaved state with respect to their God. The single occurrence stands as a vivid metaphor of covenant faithfulness.

Biblical Setting and Usage

Jeremiah 51 is part of the prophet’s sweeping oracle announcing the downfall of Babylon. In verse 5 the Spirit-inspired writer proclaims, “For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of Hosts, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel” (Jeremiah 51:5). The term translated “forsaken” (אַלְמָן) pictures the terror of widowhood applied to a nation; its negative form (“have not been widowed”) forcefully reminds the exiles that the LORD remains their covenant partner even while disciplining them.

Imagery of Widowhood and Covenant Faithfulness

1. Widowhood and abandonment often describe Zion’s misery (Isaiah 54:4; Lamentations 1:1), stressing loss and helplessness.
2. Jeremiah 51:5 reverses that imagery for the remnant: though judged, they are not widowed; the LORD has not died, departed, or defaulted.
3. This promise anticipates later prophetic hope that God will again “betroth” His people to Himself (Hosea 2:19–20) and culminates in the New Testament portrayal of Christ as Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15; Revelation 19:7).

Historical Background of Jeremiah 51

• Date: Late in Jeremiah’s ministry, on the eve of Babylon’s collapse (circa 539 B.C.).
• Audience: Jewish exiles tempted to believe divine favor had ended.
• Message: Babylon’s power is temporary; God’s covenant is permanent. Israel’s land is “full of guilt,” but guilt does not cancel election (compare Romans 11:29).

Theological Themes

1. Divine Presence amid Discipline – Exile is corrective, not terminal.
2. Sovereign Faithfulness – God safeguards His promises despite national unfaithfulness (Genesis 15:18; 2 Timothy 2:13).
3. Hope for Restoration – The non-widowed status anticipates return (Jeremiah 29:10–14; Ezra 1:1–4).
4. Typology of Marriage – Human marriage reflects the enduring union of God and His people; widowhood language magnifies the horror of separation and the glory of reunion.

Ministry Implications

• Pastoral Encouragement – Believers experiencing loss or discipline can cling to the truth that God has not abandoned them (Hebrews 13:5).
• Counseling Widows and Widowers – Jeremiah’s imagery offers sensitive language for grief while pointing to the steadfast “husband” of the church.
• Preaching and Teaching – The single word אַלְמָן furnishes a gateway to proclaim the whole-Bible theme of covenant marriage and the gospel hope that “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39).

Christological Perspective

The Old Testament assurance that God is no widower foreshadows Christ, the Bridegroom who secures everlasting union through His death and resurrection (Ephesians 5:25–27). At the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6–9), the imagery reaches its consummation: never a widower, never a widow, but an eternal covenant kept.

אַלְמָ֨ן אלמן ’al·mān ’almān alManInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts