Body Part Metaphors in Biblical Hebrew by David Steinberg

There are a number of words for body parts in the Hebrew Bible which are used with metaphorical meanings quite different from the metaphorical meanings of the same body parts in English. Indeed, because of the nature, and subjects covered, of biblical literature the vast majority of the mentions of words for internal body parts, e.g. (לב=heart) do not refer to the physical organ but are metaphors. In fact, due once again to the subject matter of the Hebrew Bible, the only words for internal organs frequently used to mean, literally, those organs are the animal organs important in sacrifice e.g.

This can make translation tricky as it may lead to unidiomatic or misleading translations.

In Biblical Hebrew, לב= heart can have these meanings and is commonly, is used to mean:

As can be seen from Table 1, the biblical Hebrew equivalent of the English idiom heart and mind, is כּליות ולב i.e. kidneys (= English heart) and heart (= English mind).

As an example of a problem raised by the wide semantic range of לב= heart we could consider the familiar story about God saying “I will harden his (Pharaoh’s) heart” Perhaps this might mean any of the following:

As a final note, the word , which has about the same range of meanings in Modern Hebrew as the word brain has in Modern English, in the Bible is only used once (Job 21:24) where it clearly means bone marrow as a metaphor for prosperity.

Some Metaphorical Meanings in the Hebrew Bible	Some Examples	King James Version 1611	Revised Standard Version[2] 1952	Comments
Seat of emotion
	Lam. 2:11	my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth	my soul is in tumult
	Ps 7:6 vs 5 in English	and lay mine honour in the dust.	and lay my soul in the dust.
	Ps 16:9	my glory rejoiceth	my soul rejoices
	Ps 30:13 Vs 12 in English	To the end that my glory may sing	that my soul may praise thee
	Ps 57:9 Vs 8 in English	my glory; awake	Awake, my soul!
	Ps 108:2 Vs 8 in English	even with my glory	Awake, my soul!
Seat of vital force	Ps. 22:27 Vs 26 in English	your heart shall live for ever	May your hearts live for ever!
	Is 1:5	the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.	The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint
	Jr. 4:18	it reacheth unto thine heart.	it has reached your very heart
seat of feelings	Gn. 6:6	And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.	And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart	NJV Heart was saddened
	Ex. 4:14	he will be glad in his heart	glad in his heart	NJV Will be happy to see you
	Dt. 28:65	but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:	the LORD will give you there a trembling heart, and failing eyes, and a languishing soul;	NJV Anguished heart
	Ju. 16:25	when their hearts were merry	And when their hearts were merry
	Ju. 19:22	as they were making their hearts merry	As they were making their hearts merry
	2 K 6:11	the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled	And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled
	Ps. 45:2 Vs 8 in English	My heart is inditing a good matter:	My heart overflows with a goodly theme
	Ps 119:70	Their heart is as fat as grease	their heart is gross like fat
Inclination, disposition	Gn. 6:5	every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.	every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.	NJV Every plan devised by his mind
	Gn. 8:21	the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground	LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground	NJV Said to himsef
	Ex. 4:21	I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go	I will harden his heart	NJV Stiffen his heart
	Ex. 35:21	every one whose heart stirred him up	every one whose heart stirred him	NJV every one whose spirit moved him
	La. 3:33 Heb. Lit. he does not afflict from his heart	he doth not afflict willingly	he does not willingly afflict
	1 Sam. 10:26	whose hearts God had touched.	with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.
	Neh. 3:38 English 4:6 Heb. Lit. the people had heart to do	for the people had a mind to work	For the people had a mind to work.
	Jer 3:16	neither shall it come to mind	It shall not come to mind
	2 K 23:3	to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart	to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart
	1 K 8:23	thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart	thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart
	1 K 9:3	I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually	I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there
Determination, courage	Gn 42:28	their heart failed them, and they were afraid	At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling	NJV their hearts sank
	1 Sam 17:32	Let no man's heart fail because of him	Let no man's heart fail because of him
	Ezk 21:12 English 21:7	every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble	every heart will melt and all hands will be feeble
	Jb 23:16	For God maketh my heart soft	God has made my heart faint
	Qoh 8:11	Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil	Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil.
Attention, consideration, reason	Gn. 31:20 Hebrew lit. Jacob stole Laban’s heart	And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.	And Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
	Ex 9:14	For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants	For this time I will send all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your servants	NJV upon your person
	Ex 31:6 Lit. in the heart, of all those wise of heart, I have put wisdom	in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom	I have given to all able men ability	NJV I have granted skill to all who are skillful
	Pr. 10:8	The wise in heart will receive commandments	The wise of heart will heed commandments
	Dt 29:3 English 29:4	the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive	the LORD has not given you a mind to understand	NJV not given you a mind to understand
	1 S 4:20 lit. she did not put/set her heart	But she answered not, neither did she regard it.	But she did not answer or give heed.
	Jb 7:17	that thou dost set thy mind upon him,	thou dost set thy mind upon him,
	Jr 5:21 Hebrew lit. people without heart	without understanding	senseless people
	Pr 6:32	ut whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding	He who commits adultery has no sense
	Pr 17:16	Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?	Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind?
	Pr 28:26	He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool	He who trusts in his own mind is a fool
Mind in general	Gn 8:21 Hebrew lit. God said to his heart	the LORD said in his heart	the LORD said in his heart	NJV the LORD said to himself
	Ju 16:17	he told her all his heart	And he told her all his mind
	Ps 14:1	The fool hath said in his heart	The fool says in his heart
	Ps 12:3 Vs 2 in English בלב ולב	with a double heart do they speak	with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
Conscience	1 S 24:6 English 24:5	David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt	And afterward David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
	2 S 24:10	And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.	But David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people.
	1 S 25:31 more literally - my lord you will not have any qualm of conscience or stumbling block of heart (i.e. grounds for remorse) regarding blood shed	That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord	no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood
	Is 59:13	speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.	speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
Inside, middle	Ex 15:8	The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.	the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea
Organized strength of	Jr 30:21 Hebrew lit. “pledge his heart in bond”	who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me	who would dare of himself to approach me
Seat of conscience, joy, grief, etc.
	Jr. 12:2 Hebrew lit. far from their kidneys	far from their reins.	far from their heart
	Jr. 17:10 לב ... כּליות	search the heart, I try the reins	search the mind and try the heart
	Jr. 20:12 כּליות ולב	seest the reins and the heart	who seest the heart and the mind
	Ps 7:10 Vs 9 in English לבות וכּליות	God trieth the hearts and reins.	thou who triest the minds and hearts
	Ps 16:7	my reins also instruct me in the night seasons	in the night also my heart instructs me
	Ps 26:2 כּליותי ולבי	try my reins and my heart	test my heart and my mind.
	Ps 73:21 לבבי וכּליותי	Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins	When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
Seat of emotions	Is 16:11	Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.	Therefore my soul moans like a lyre for Moab, and my heart for Kir-he'res.
	Je 31:20	my bowels are troubled for him	Therefore my heart yearns for him
	Is 63:15	the sounding of thy bowels	The yearning of thy heart
	Je 4:19	My bowels	My anguish
	La 1:20 Hebrew lit. my bowels are in a ferment	mine heart is turned within me	my heart is wrung within me

Word + Literal=Physical Meaning	Some Metaphorical Meanings in the Hebrew Bible	Some Examples	King James Version 1611	Revised Standard Version 1952
כּבד= 1liver variant כּבוד homonym of word meaning honour	Seat of emotion
		Lam. 2:11	my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth	my soul is in tumult; my heart is poured out in grief
		Ps 7:6 vs 5 in English	and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.	trample my life to the ground, and lay my soul in the dust.
		Ps 16:9	my glory rejoiceth	my soul rejoices
		Ps 30:13 Vs 12 in English	To the end that my glory may sing	that my soul may praise thee
		Ps 57:9 Vs 8 in English	my glory; awake	Awake, my soul!
כּליות =kidneys 2	Seat of conscience, joy, grief, etc.
		Jr. 12:2 Hebrew lit. far from their kidneys	far from their reins.	far from their heart
		Jr. 17:10 לב ... כּליות	search the heart, I try the reins	search the mind and try the heart
		Jr. 20:12 כּליות ולב	seest the reins and the heart	who seest the heart and the mind
		Ps 7:10 Vs 9 in English לבות וכּליות	God trieth the hearts and reins.	thou who triest the minds and hearts
		Ps 16:7	my reins also instruct me in the night seasons	in the night also my heart instructs me
		Ps 26:2 כּליותי ולבי	try my reins and my heart	test my heart and my mind.
		Ps 73:21 לבבי וכּליותי	Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins	When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
=3bowels/intestines מעים	Seat of emotions	Is 16:11	Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.	Therefore my soul moans like a lyre for Moab, and my heart for Kir-he'res.
		Je 31:20	my bowels are troubled for him	Therefore my heart yearns for him
		Is 63:15	the sounding of thy bowels	The yearning of thy heart
		Je 4:19	My bowels	My anguish
		La 1:20 Hebrew lit. my bowels are in a ferment	mine heart is turned within me	my heart is wrung within me

Writers of the Hebrew Bible were reluctant to name sexual organs and bodily functions. There would certainly be simple, unambiguous, words in spoken Biblical Hebrew for male and female external genital organs and for moving the bowels. However, the authors or editors ensured that these did not appear in the Bible

Word + Literal=Physical Meaning	Some Metaphorical Meanings in the Hebrew Bible	Some Examples	King James Version 1611	Revised Standard Version 1952	Comments
1 Foot רגל= Variant – only plural attested מרגלות	Foot רגל= is sometimes a euphemism for genitals To cover the feet is the usual euphemism for urinating	Ex. 4:25[4]	Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off her son’s foreskin, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.	Then Zippo'rah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin, and touched Moses' feet with it, and said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!"	NAB feet
		Ju. 3:24	Surely he covereth his feet	He is only relieving himself
		1 Sam.:24:4 English 24.3 Lit. Saul went in to cover his feet	Saul went in to cover his feet	Saul went in to relieve himself.
		Is. 6:2 “feet” in this passage may refers genitals	with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet	with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet	NAB feet
		Is 7:20 hair of feet is euphemism For pubic hair	hair of the feet[5]	the hair of the feet	NAB Hair between the legs
		Ru. 3:7 It might have meant either that Ruth uncovered his genitals or that she literally uncovered his feet[6]	she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.	Then she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and lay down
בשׂר=flesh 2	Pubic region	Gen 17:11	And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your…	You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins
בשׂר=flesh 2	Pubic region	Ex. 28:42	to cover their nakedness	to cover their naked flesh
ידע = know 3 Other meanings - notice hear of, take care of, understand	To have sexual intercourse with
	To have sexual intercourse with	Gen. 19:8	I have two daughters which have not known man	I have two daughters who have not known man
4. wing, skirt= כּנף	Euphemism for nakedness meaning pudenda	Dt. 23:1 English 22:30	A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt.	A man shall not take his father's wife, nor shall he uncover her who is his father's.
4. wing, skirt= כּנף	Euphemism for nakedness meaning pudenda	Dt. 27:20	Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt	Cursed be he who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered her who is his father's.
מבושׁ =shame 5[7]	Male sex organ	Deut. 25:11	putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets	puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts	NAB private parts
.6 nakedness= ערוה	Sexual shame	La 1:8	all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness	all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness	NAB Think her vile
		Lev 18:6	None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness	None of you shall approach any one near of kin to him to uncover nakedness	NAB To have sexual intercourse with her
		Dt. 23:15 English 23:15	that he see no unclean thing in thee	that he may not see anything indecent among you, and turn away from you.	NAB Anything indecent
		Gn 42:9	Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.	You are spies, you have come to see the weakness of the land.
7. female external genital organs=פּת	Word is of uncertain meaning. Meaning is either: (a) socket used as euphemism for pudenda or (b) pudenda used for socket in the same way we refer to a female plug or (c) forehead or the like.	Is 3:17	secret parts	Secret parts	NAB and NJV heads

En passant, I could mention that urinating against the wall (1 Sam. 25:22) is a term used to single out men (as opposed to women).