Daughter

I should not think it necessary to offer any observation upon this name, if considered in natural alliances only. But there is a great sweetness in it, when read in Scripture in allusion to the church. It is very blessed to perceive, that as the Lord Jesus fills all relations to his church, and is, in one and the same moment, her everlasting Father, her Husband, and Brother, and Friend, so the church is to Jesus, his daughter, his sister, his spouse, his beloved, his fair - one, and the only one of her mother. (Ps. xlv. 9, 10. Song vi. 9.) Howfrequently do we find the Lord speaking of his church under the endeared character of daughter. For the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt." (Jer. 8. 21.) Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee!" (Zech. ix. 9. with Matt. Xxi. 5.)

In the Scriptures the word daughter is used in a variety of senses, some of which are unknown to our own language, or have only become known through familiarity with Scriptural forms of speech. Besides its usual and proper sense of—

A daughter sent or adopted, we find it used to designate.

A uterine sister, niece, or any female descendant (Gen 20:12; Gen 24:48; Gen 28:6; Gen 36:2; Num 25:1; Deu 23:17).

Women, as natives, residents, or professing the religion of certain places, as ’the daughter of Zion’ (Isa 3:16); ’daughters of the Philistines’ (2Sa 1:20); ’daughter of a strange God’ (Mal 2:11).

Metaphorically, small towns are called daughters of neighboring large cities, to which they belonged, or from which they were derived, as ’Heshbon and all the daughters [Auth. Vers. villages] thereof’ (Num 21:25); so Tyre is called the daughter of Sidon (Isa 23:12), as having been originally a colony from thence; and hence also the town of Abel is called ’a mother in Israel’ (2Sa 20:19); and Gath is in one place (comp. 2Sa 8:1; 1Ch 18:1) called Gath-Ammah, or Gath the mother town, to distinguish it from its own dependencies, or from another place called Gath. See other instances in Num 21:32; Jdg 11:26; Jos 15:45, etc.

The people collectively of any place, the name of which is given; as ’the daughter (i.e. the people) of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee’ (Isa 37:22; see also Psa 45:13; Psa 137:8; Isa 10:30; Jer 46:19; Lam 4:22; Zec 9:9).

Respecting the condition of daughters in families, see articles Woman and Marriage.

Daughter. The word is used, in Scripture, not only for daughter, but for granddaughter or other female descendant. Gen 24:48. It is used of the female inhabitants of a place or country, Gen 6:2; Luk 23:28, and of cities in general, Isa 10:32; Isa 23:12, but more specifically, of dependent towns or hamlets, while to the principal city, the correlative "mother" is applied. Num 21:25. "Daughters of music," that is, singing birds, Ecc 12:4, refers to the power of making and enjoying music.

Daughter used also for granddaughter, or female descendant (Gen 31:43; Gen 27:46). "Daughter of Zion," "daughter of Jerusalem" (Isa 37:22); i.e., Zion or Jerusalem and her inhabitants, personified poetically as an abstract collective feminine. Hengstenberg takes "daughter of Zion" or Zion, "daughter of Jerusalem" or Jerasalem (compare Psa 9:14). "Daughters of music," (Ecc 12:4): songs and instrumental performances sound low to the old (2Sa 19:35); otherwise the voice and ear, the organs which produce and enjoy music. Analogy favors the former view. As the principal city is termed "mother," so its dependent villages are called "daughter towns" (Jos 15:45, Hebrew).

(בִּת, bath, for בֶּנֶת, fem. of בֵּן, son; θυγατήρ), a word used in Scripture in a variety of senses, some of which are unknown to our own language, or have only become known through familiarity with scriptural forms of speech. SEE BEN-. Besides its usual and proper sense of

(1.) a daughter, born or adopted, we find it used to designate

(2.) a Uterine sister, niece, or any female descendant (Gen 20:12; Gen 24:48; Gen 28:6; Gen 36:2; Num 25:1; Deu 23:17).

(3.) Women, as natives, residents, or professing the religion of certain places, as “the daughter of Zion” (Isa 3:16); “daughters of the Philistines” (2Sa 1:20); “daughter of a strange god” (Mal 2:11); daughters of men,” i.e. carnal women (Gen 6:2), etc.

(4.) Metaphorically small towns are called daughters of neighboring large cities — metropoles, or mother cities — to which they belonged or from which they were derived, as “Heshbon and all the daughters [Auth. Vers. villages] thereof” (Num 21:25); so Tyre is called the daughter of Sidon (Isa 22:12), as having been originally a colony from thence; and hence also the town of Abel is called “a mother in Israel” (2Sa 20:19); and Gath is in one place (comp. 2Sa 7:1; 1Ch 18:1) called Gath- Ammah, or Gath the mother town, metropolis, to distinguish it from its own dependencies, or from another place called Gath. SEE VILLAGE. Comp. other instances in Num 21:32; Jdg 11:26; Jos 15:45, etc.

(5.) The people collectively of any place, the name of which is given, as “the daughter (i.e. the people) of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee” (Isa 37:22; see also Psa 45:13; Psa 137:8; Isa 10:30; Jer 46:19; Lam 4:22; Zec 9:9). This metaphor is illustrated by the almost universal custom of representing towns under the figure of a woman.

(6.) The word “daughter,” followed by a numeral, indicates a woman of the age indicated by the numeral, as when Sarah (in the original) is called “the daughter of ninety years” (Gen 17:17).

(7.) The word “daughter” is also applied to the produce of animals, trees, or plants. Thus, “daughter of the she-ostrich,” (supposed) for “female ostrich” (Lev 11:16); Joseph is called “a fruitful bough whose daughters (branches) run over the wall” (Gen 49:22). See further in Gesenius and Furst, s.v. בת.

The condition of daughters, that is, of young women, in the East, their employments, duties, etc., may be gathered from various parts of Scripture, and seems to have borne but little resemblance to that of young women of respectable parentage among ourselves. Rebekah drew and fetched water; Rachel kept sheep, as did the daughters of Jethro, though he was a priest, or a prince, of Midian. They superintended and performed domestic services for the family; Tamar, though a king’s daughter, baked bread; and the same of others. We have the same occupations for the daughters of princes in the ancient poets, of which Homer is an unquestionable evidence. SEE CHILD; SEE EDUCATION; SEE WOMAN; SEE MARRIAGE. The original terms rendered “daughter-in-law” are in the Hebrews כִּלָּהkallah’; Sept. and New Test. νύμφη, both literally meaning a bride (as elsewhere rendered), and applied to a son’s wife.

Besides the ordinary meaning of this word it is used also for grand-daughter or female descendant in general, Luk 1:5; also as belonging to a race or country, or to Zion or Israel, Gen 27:46; Num 25:1; 2Ki 19:21; Luk 23:28. The term is also applied to towns and villages associated with some city, as may be seen in the margin of Num 21:25.

DAUGHTER (θυγάτηρ).—The word ‘daughter’ is used in various sense in the Gospels: (1) in the literal sense, Mat 9:18; Mat 10:35, Mar 5:35; Mar 6:22; Mar 7:29, Luk 8:42; (2) as a term of kind address, Mat 9:22, Mar 5:34, Luk 8:48; (3) collectively for the inhabitants of a city, Mat 21:5, Joh 12:15 (cf. Zec 9:9); (4) as a term of address to the female inhabitants of a city, Luk 23:28; (5) in the Hebrew sense of descendant, Luk 1:5; Luk 13:16.

The diminutive θυγάτριον is found twice in the Gospel of Mark (Mar 5:23; Mar 7:25). Like all diminutives, it is a term of endearment.

Henry E. Dosker.

DAUGHTER.—See Family.

dô´tẽr (בּת, bath; θυγάτηρ, thugátēr): Used in Scriptures in several more or less distinct senses: (a) for daughter in the ordinary, literal sense (Gen 46:25; Exo 1:16); (b) daughter-in-law (Rth 2:2); (c) grand-daughter or other female descendant (Ex 21; Luk 1:5; Luk 13:16); (d) The women of a country, or of a place, taken collectively (Luk 23:28), of a particular religion (Mal 2:11); (e) all the population of a place, taken collectively, especially in Prophets and poetic books (Psa 9:14; Isa 23:10; Jer 46:24; Mat 21:5); (f) used in familiar address, “Daughter, be of good comfort” (Mat 9:22 the King James Version; Mar 5:34; Luk 8:48); (g) women in general (Pro 31:29); (h) The personification of towns or cities, as of the female sex (Isa 47:1; Eze 16:44, Eze 16:46; compare Nah 3:4, Nah 3:7), especially of dependent towns and villages (Psa 48:11; Num 21:25 margin; Jdg 1:27 margin); (i) in Hebrew idiom for person or thing belonging to or having the characteristics of that with which it is joined, as “daughter of ninety years,” of Sarah, ninety years old (Gen 17:17); “daughters of music,” singing birds, or singing women (Ecc 12:4); daughters of a tree, i.e. branches; daughter of the eye, i.e. the pupil.

Daughters were not so highly prized as sons, not being usually mentioned by name. A father might sometimes sell his daughter as bondwoman (Exo 21:7); though not to a foreigner (Exo 21:8); daughters might sometimes inherit as did sons, but could not take the inheritance outside of the tribe (Num 36:1-12).

See Family.

Isa 10:32 (b) This term is used to represent the Jewish people, particularly those of Jerusalem. The word is also used to describe the descendants or the adherents of other nations. (See also Jdg 11:40; Psa 48:11; Eze 16:57, etc).

2Co 6:18 (b) This term is applied to those women who are GOD’s children who live and work as their Father desires them to do. They are not only related to the Father because of salvation, but they resemble their Father in their life of separation.

1Pe 3:6 (b) This name is given to the descendants of Abraham who enjoyed the faith of Abraham, and practiced it. (See also Luk 13:16).