What is a handmaid?

Question

Hagar was a handmaid,Ruth was a Handmaid,and Mary was a handmaid.
So what did these three woman have in common?

I have an additional question to add to this but would like to have some light shed on this part of my question first,so if possible please use scripture and verse I will look it up, and thank you all in advance.

PS. Hope to hear your input on my second question as well, and I will provide scripture for its basis.

Answer 1

Slave.

Hagar was Abraham's slave, Ruth joined to Boaz as his slave (and by adoption, became family) - and Mary was the "slave of God" (Handmaid of the Lord)

Answer 2

Female servant. Some bond-slaves and some free women.

Hagar was bond-slave and served as a handmaid to Sarai (later Sarah, Abraham's wife).

Ruth is not a handmaid that I can find. She was not a bond-slave.

Mary - And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. She was not a bond-slave.

Ruth and Mary are in the lineage of Jesus. Hagar is not.

Luke 1:38 - And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:48 - For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Acts 2:18 - And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Answer 3

a handmaid is a personal maid, rather that one that waits on the whole household.

Hagar was Sarah's personal maid, when Ruth call herself a Handmaid to Boaz, she was telling him she was his servant, and not anyone else's, and the same goes for Mary to God.

Answer 4

Handmaid indicates a woman that is bound to a family.

In respect to Hagar - she was bound to Abraham thru her son, Ishmael.

Brown-Driver Brigg's Hebrew Definitions tells us:

BDB Definition:
1) maid, maid-servant, slavegirl
1a) maid, maid-servant (as belonging to a mistress)
1b) of address, speaker, humility (figuratively)
Part of Speech: noun feminine

Strong's shows us:

shiphchâh
shif-khaw'
Feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see H4940); a female slave (as a member of the household): - (bond-, hand-) maid (-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.

This word is used of women in bondage that normally are not released from the bondage - meaning that they don't make the personal choice to join within the family to become a 'bond servant'. But they can if they are released. Hagar was released. As seen within scripture, Ishmael and Isaac joined together to and buried their father, Abraham (Gen. 25) and that Ishmael, even though the promise did not come thru him, was indeed counted as part of the family.

Ruth was called what is translated 'handmaiden' - but it is a different word in the Hebrew than the one used for Hagar:

BDB Definition:
1) maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine
1a) of humility (figuratively)

Strong's states:

'âmâh
aw-maw'
Apparently a primitive word; a maidservant or female slave: - (hand-) bondmaid (-woman,) maid (-servant).

This word is used of those that are within the promises of God. While a Hebrew could be a 'slave' to another Hebrew, it was not forever - there was always the redemption found within the passing of time (7 years if not mistaken) where they were again, free.

Ruth came from another country by choice and bound herself to her mother-in-law thru her husband. She followed all that she was taught. Thru her the line of the messiah is traced because of her faithfulness and because Boaz made the choice to follow the teachings from God.

Mary was a 'handmaiden'.

Thayer points out about the word:

doulē
Thayer Definition:
1) a female slave, bondmaid, handmaid
Part of Speech: noun feminine

A bond servant is one that makes the choice of becoming part of a family. It is a personal choice that they make to bind them to a particular family.

Part of the root words come from Greek words that indicate a personal choice, a binding, to join with, to knit to, by choice and literally live for the other. Such is reflected in the root words from the Greek translated 'handmaiden' for Mary.

All have in common being part of another because of choice. None refused. All were willing. All were part of the family. All had children. All experienced a blessing from God.

Answer 5

A handmaid is an unmarried personal female servant.

Answer 6

A handmaid is a servant. personal maid or female servant something whose essential function is to serve or assist .
Some scriptures that refer to handmaindens are:
Genesis 33:6
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
Genesis 33:5-7 (in Context) Genesis 33 (Whole Chapter)
Ruth 2:13
Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
Ruth 2:12-14 (in Context) Ruth 2 (Whole Chapter)
Luke 1:48
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Luke 1:47-49 (in Context) Luke 1 (Whole Chapter)
Acts 2:18
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
The ladies of today consider themselves handmaidens of the Lord, that is willing servants and followers.

Answer 7

A handmaid is a servant

Answer 8

handmaid - means to be a servant with humble characteristics.

Answer 9

well there is a head waitress and then there is a handmaid. i prefer the waitres

Answer 10

A woman servant or attendant.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/handmaid

I think you're referring to them being married off?