A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Heart

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3820

לֵב

lev — heart

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

519 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3824

לֵבָב

le.vav — heart

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage Aramaic equivalent: le.vav (לְבַב "heart" H3825)

222 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G2588

καρδία

kardia — heart

καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, 1. the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.). 2. In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a); (a) of the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5; (b) of the seat of spiritual life: Mat.5:8, Mrk.7:19, Luk.1:51, Act.5:3, Rom.10:9, 10 Eph.6:5, al.; pl., Mat.9:4, Mrk.2:6, al.; opposite to στόμα, χείλεα, πρόσωπον, Mat.15:8, Mrk.7:6, Rom.10:8, 9 2Co.5:12; περιτομὴ καρδίας, Rom.2:29; ἐκ κ., Rom.6:17, 1Pe.1:22; ἀπὸ τῶν κ., Mat.18:35; ἐν ὅλῃ (ἐξ ὅλης), Mat.22:37, Mrk.12:30" (LXX) ; γινώσκειν (ἐρευνᾶν, δοκιμάζειν) τὰς κ., Luk.16:15, Rom.8:27, 1Th.2:4; to think, etc., ἐν τ. κ., Mat.9:4, Mrk.2:6, Luk.12:45, Rom.10:6; συνιέναι (νοεῖν) τῇ κ., Mat.13:15, Jhn.12:40; ἐπαχύνθη ἡ κ., Mat.13:15 (LXX); πωροῦν τὴν κ., Jhn.12:40; κ. εὐθεῖα, Act.8:21; πονηρά, Heb.3:12; ἀμετανόητος, Rom.2:5; εἶναι (ἔχειν) ἐν τῇ κ., 2Co.7:3, Php.1:7; ὀδύνη τῇ κ., Rom.9:2. 3. Of the central or innermost part of anything (of the pith of wood, Arist.): τ. γῆς, Mat.12:40 (Cremer, 343ff.). (AS)

149 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H559

אָמַר

a.mar — to say

1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

4050 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H68

אֶ֫בֶן

e.ven — stone

: stone 1) stone (large or small) 1a) common stone (in natural state) 1b) stone, as material 1b1) of tablets 1b2) marble, hewn stones 1c) precious stones, stones of fire 1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon 1e) weight 1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal 1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice 1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines 1i) (simile) 1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness 1i2) strength, firmness, solidity 1i3) commonness 1j) (metaph) 1j1) petrified with terror 1j2) perverse, hard heart

222 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5087

τίθημι

tithēmi — to place

τίθημι, [in LXX for שִׁית ,נתן ,שׂוּם, etc. ;] 1. causative of κεῖμαι, (a) to place, lay, set: Luk.6:48, Rom.9:33, al.; of laying the dead to rest, Mrk.15:47, Luk.23:55, Jhn.11:34, Act.7:16, al.; before ἐπί, with genitive, Luk.8:16, Jhn.19:19, al.; id. with accusative, Mrk.4:21, 2Co.3:13, al.; ὑπό, Mat.5:15, al.; παρά, Act.4:35, 37. Mid., to have put or placed, to place for oneself: of putting in prison, Act.4:3, 5:18, 25, al.; of giving counsel, βουλήν, Act.27:12; of laying up in one's heart, Luk.1:66 21:14 ( 1Ki.21:12); (b) to put down, lay down: of bending the knees, τ. γόνατα, to kneel, Mrk.15:19, Act.7:60, al.; of putting off garments, Jhn.13:4; of laying down life, τ. ψυχήν, Jhn.10:11, 15 17, 18 13:37, 38 15:13, 1Jn.3:16; of laying by money, παρ ̓ ἑαυτῷ, 1Co.16:2; of setting on food, Jhn.2:10; metaphorically, of setting forth an idea in symbolism, Mrk.4:30. 2. to set, fix, establish: ὑπόδειγμα, 2Pe.2:6. 3. to make, appoint: Mat.22:44, Mrk.12:36, Luk.20:43, Act.2:35, Rom.4:17, al. Mid., to make, set or appoint for oneself: Act.20:28, 1Co.12:28, 1Th.5:9, 1Ti.1:12, al.; before ἵνα, Jhn.15:16 (cf . ἀνα-, προσ-ανα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἀντι-δια-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, συν-επι-, κατα-, συν-κατα-, μετα-, παρα-, περι-, προ-, προσ-, συν-, ὑπο-τίθημι). (AS)

96 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5590

ψυχή

psuchē — soul

ψυχή, -ῆς, ἡ, [in LXX very frequently for נֶפֶשׁ, sometimes for לֵבַב ,לֵב, etc. ;] 1. breath (Lat. anima), breath of life, life (Hom., al.; in Arist., of the vital principle): Mat.6:25, Mrk.3:4 10:45, Luk.12:22, Jhn.10:11, Act.20:10, 24 2Co.1:23, Php.2:30, 1Th.2:8, al. 2. the soul, (a) as the seat of the will, desires and affections: Mat.26:38, Mrk.12:30" (LXX) 14:34, Luk.1:46, Jhn.10:24, Act.14:2, Php.1:27, al.; ἐκ ψυχῆς, from the heart, heartily: Eph.6:6, Col.3:23; (b) as a periphrasis for person or self (frequently in translation from Semitic originals, see M, Pr., 87; Robinson, Gospels, 113ff.; but also frequently in cl., see LS, see word II, 2; Edwards, Lex., App. A.): Mat.11:29, Mrk.8:36, Act.2:41, Rom.2:9, 1Pe.3:20, al.; πᾶσα ψ., Act.2:43 3:23" (LXX), Rom.13:1; ψ. ζῶσα (ζωῆς), 1Co.15:45, Rev.16:3; (with) as the object of divine grace and eternal salvation: Heb.13:17, Jas.1:21 5:20, 1Pe.1:9, 22 2:11 4:19, 3Jo.2. SYN.: see: νοῦς, πνεῦμα, ψυχικός, and cf. ICC on 1Th.5:23, Lft., Notes, 88f. (AS)

92 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8210

שָׁפַךְ

sha.phakh — to pour: pour

: pour 1) to pour, pour out, spill 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pour, pour out 1a2) to shed (blood) 1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed 1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to be poured out 1d2) to pour out oneself

75 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H553

אָמֵץ

a.mats — to strengthen

1) to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard 1a) (Qal) to be strong, brave, bold 1b) (Piel) to strengthen, secure (for oneself), harden (heart), make firm, make obstinate, assure 1c) (Hithpael) to be determined, to make oneself alert, strengthen oneself, confirm oneself, persist in, prove superior to 1d) (Hiphil) to exhibit strength, be strong, feel strong

41 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7503

רָפָה

ra.phah — to slacken

1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sink down 1a2) to sink, drop 1a3) to sink, relax, abate 1a4) to relax, withdraw 1b) (Niphal) idle (participle) 1c) (Piel) to let drop 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake 1d2) to let go 1d3) to refrain, let alone 1d4) to be quiet 1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack

41 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5090

נָהַג

na.hag — to lead

1) to drive, lead, guide, conduct 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to drive, lead on, drive away, drive off 1a2) to behave itself (fig.) (of heart) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to drive away, lead off 1b2) to lead on, guide, guide on 1b3) to cause to drive

31 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H974

בָּחַן

ba.chan — to test

1) to examine, try, prove 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to examine, scrutinise 1a2) to test, prove, try (of gold, persons, the heart, man of God) 1b) (Niphal) to be tried, proved 1c) (Pual) to make a trial

27 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G2836

κοιλία

koilia — belly/womb/stomach

κοιλία, -ας, ἡ (κοῖλος, hollow), [in LXX chiefly for בֶּטֶן, מֵעֶה, קֶרֶב, Deu.7:13, 2Ki.7:12, Gen.41:21, al.; also (Job.3:11 10:18 31:15 38:8) for רֶחֶם ;] 1. the belly (stomach or intestines or both): Mat.12:40 15:17, Mrk.7:19, Luk.15:16, Rom.16:18, 1Co.6:13, Php.3:19, Rev.10:9-10. 2. (As often in LXX) the womb: Luk.1:41-42, 44 2:21 11:27 23:29, Jhn.3:4; ἐκ κ. μητρός (cf. Psa.22:11, Job.1:21, al.), Mat.19:12, Luk.1:15, Act.3:2 14:8, Gal.1:15. 3. Metaphorical (as Heb. בֶּטֶן, cf. Job.15:35, Pro.20:27, Sir.19:12), of the heart: Jhn.7:38.† (AS)

22 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8378

תַּאֲוָה

ta.a.vah — desire

1) desire 1a) desire, wish, longings of one's heart 1a1) lust, appetite, covetousness (bad sense) 1b) thing desired, object of desire

20 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1937

ἐπιθυμέω

epithumeō — to long for

ἐπιθυμέω, -ῶ (θυμός), [in LXX chiefly for אָוָה pi., hithp.; also for חָמַד, etc. ;] to set one's heart upon, desire, lust after, covet: absol., Jas.4:2, Rom.7:7 13:9" (LXX), 1Co.10:6 (of. 4Ma.2:6); before κατά (against, in opposition to), Gal.5:17; prop. (as in cl.) with genitive, Act.20:33, 1Ti.3:1; in late Gk. also with accusative (M, Pr., 65), Mat.5:28 (Rec. αὐτῆς; T omits; cf. Exo.20:17, Mic.2:2, Wis.16:3, al.); with inf., Mat.13:17, Luk.15:16 16:21 17:22, 1Pe.1:12, Rev.9:6; with accusative and inf., Heb.6:11; as in Hebrew, ἐπιθυμία ἐπεθύμησα, Luk.22:15.† SYN.: ὀρέγω (cf. Field, Notes, 204), θέλω (DCG. i, 453) (AS)

16 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7390

רַךְ

rakh — tender

1) tender, soft, delicate, weak 1a) tender, delicate (of flesh) 1b) weak of heart, timid 1c) soft (of words) 1c1) gentle words (subst)

15 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5582

סָעַד

sa.ad — to support

1) to support, sustain, stay, establish, strengthen, comfort 1a) (Qal) to support, sustain 1a1) to sustain, stay (of heart) 1a2) to support, uphold (of throne) Aramaic equivalent: se.ad (סְעַד "to support" H5583)

12 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G4698

σπλάγχνον

splagchnon — affection/entrails

σπλάγχνον, -ου, τό mostly (in NT always) in pl., σπλάγχνα, -ων, τά, [in LXX: Pro.12:10 (רַחַם, elsewhere rendered by οἰκτιρμοί, Psa.25:6 40:12 and by ἔλεος, Isa.47:6), Pro.26:22 (בֶּטֶן), Wis.10:5, Sir.30:7, 2Ma.9:5 (6), al. ;] the inward parts (heart, liver, lungs, etc.; Lat. viscera): Act.1:18. Metaphorical, of the seat of the feelings and of the feelings themselves (in Gk. poets, of anger, anxiety, etc.), the heart, affections (the characteristic LXX and NT reference of the word to feelings of kindness, benevolence and pity, is found in π.; see MM, xxiii; cf. Lft. on Php.1:8): 2Co.6:12 7:15, Phm 7 12 20, 1Jn.3:17; σ. οἰκτιρμοῦ, Col.3:12; σ. καὶ οἰκτιρμοὶ, Php.2:1; σ. ἐλέους θεοῦ; ἡμῶν, Luk.1:78; σ. Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, Php.1:8.† (AS)

11 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H535

אָמַל

a.mal — to weaken

1) to be weak, to droop, to languish, to be exhausted 1a) (Qal) pass participle (of the heart) 1a1) to be weak 1a2) to droop 1b) (Pulal) 1b1) to be or grow feeble 1b2) to languish

11 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G3960

πατάσσω

patassō — to strike

πατάσσω [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for נָכָה hi., also for נָגַף, etc. ;] 1. in Hom., intrans., to beat (of the heart). 2. Trans. = πλήσσω, to strike, smite: absol., ἐν μαχαίρᾳ, Luk.22:49; with accusative of person(s), Mat.26:51, Luk.22:50; with accusative of thing(s), Act.12:7; of a deadly blow, Mat.26:31, Mrk.14:27, Act.7:24. Metaphorical, of disease: Act.12:23, Rev.11:6 19:15.† (AS)

10 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. “Heart” and “soul” are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word “soul” could not be substituted for “heart.” The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). It is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and character (Matt. 12:34; 15:18; comp. Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14), before a man can willingly obey God. The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13). “Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things.”

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Heart in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →