Body parts as metaphors

A brief comparison of heart idioms in biblical Hebrew and modern English:

Some notes toward a study of LEB/LEBAB in biblical Hebrew:

A chart comparing the usages of “heart” (leb) in Hebrew and English:

A small table contrasting ancient and modern majority language (English, for e.g.) framing of concepts (some of which are body images):

Extracted text from Heart.ppt:

H.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol EnglishH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mindH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soulH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneysH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz wombH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso boneH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right handH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right hand yad power, control (military / political) mano handH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right hand yad power, control (military / political) mano hand panay presence cara faceH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right hand yad power, control (military / political) mano hand panay presence cara face af anger nariz noseH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right hand yad power, control (military / political) mano hand panay presence cara face af anger nariz nose dam life (movement) sangre bloodH.W. Wolff Body parts used as metaphors Hebrew Meaning Espaol English leb intention corazn, mente heart, mind nefesh throat, apetite, life, person alma soul kilyot fear riiones kidneys rahom compassion, love vientre, matriz womb etzem identity hueso bone jamin strength, south mano derecha right hand yad power, control (military / political) mano hand panay presence cara face af anger nariz nose dam life (movement) sangre blood ruach power, wisdom, (of God) espritu spiritUsages of heart (leb) in Hebrew and English Hebrew (English) Used to Convey hot anger lifted up pride hard hard stubbornness (Eng.-cruelty) pure pure single-minded (Eng.-good) turn heart / cause to turn heart commit to / convince (feel) good intoxicated sustain physical recovery (from hunger/thirst) smitten guilty to be upon ones heart lonely for / thinking about steal steal gain loyalty of (Eng.-make fall in love)) go after be loyal to, follow Sometimes the same metaphors occur in English, but with a different meaning.Usages of heart (leb) in Hebrew and English Hebrew English Used to Convey astonish, faint, go out, melt (like wax) freeze/stand still/stop / heart failure fear/shock /panic cast down, hinder, break, die, turn to stone lose heart, sink, disheartened discouragement, giving up grieve sick relational sadness set (to), ponder in heart take to heart consider, think about, reflect strong, stout brave, lion-hearted bravery sing leap, sing joy ravish steal infatuation with all/whole half/whole heartedly, a lot of heart, heart not in it commitment /desire, lack of same be upon, write on heart by heart memorize after one's own heart (usually Gods) after one's own heart in conformity to the desires or nature of trembling, fearful of heart faint-hearted timid, cowardly, fearful(Hebrew) English Used to Convey hard, cold, of stone, no heart lacking in compassion or pity pure honest, sincere heavy worry, sadness soft, tender compassion, tenderness warm/kind/good-hearted kind, sympathetic have a /have no heart compassion/lack of compassion throb romantic love break relational love - sadness from bottom of heart depth of feeling heart in hand repentant, humble big heart, youre all heart generous heartburn specific physical pain (cf. Heb. heart is hot=anger) take heart be encouraged, made brave heart to heart candid, frank heart-struck grief, dismay, remorse large/big-hearted generous all heart generous (usually sarcastic) false-hearted deceitful, treacherous chicken-hearted cowardly warm the (cockles of) heart cheer, gladden heart-warming causing gladness or pleasure pluck at heart-strings, make heart bleed make sad eat one's heart out long for, desire (unfulfilled) heart in one's mouth excited anticipation heart rending causing anguish or deep distress or sympathy bleeding heart considered to be overly and impractically sympathetic lonely hearts missing romantic companionship heart of hearts innermost self at heart / get to the heart core, important part (in Hebrew, done with bone) from the bottom of the heart sincerely, with conviction and emotional force wearing one's heart on one's sleeve oversensitive, thin-skinned heart in hand repentant, humble set one's heart on desire, emotionally focus full heart overcome with emotion to one's heart's content as much as desired cross one's heart vow, solemn promise lives in ones heart be ever-present in the mind/attention, commitment (context is often where the commitment cannot be expressed openly)One never finds in Hebrew, for example, as in Mayan languages, that the heart hurts (= love), or is delicious (= happiness). It is the fact that love and heart rarely combine in any text (e.g. as with you have ravished my heart in Song of Songs) to mean emotional attachment that is significant. RSV Heart and Mind EXO 36:2 (leb) heart and (leb) heart 1SA 2:35 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1KG 8:48 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1CR 22:19 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1CR 28:9 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2CR6:38 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 26.2 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart PSA 64.6 (kereb) interior and (leb) heart PRO 14.33 (leb) heart and (kereb) interior JER 11.20 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart JER 17.10 (leb) heart and (kilyot) kidneys JER 20.12 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart With another parallel term, heart is usually translated mind, and the parallel term (e.g. kidneys, soul, interior, even heart again) is translated heart.PSA 73:21 (leb) heart and (kilyot) kidneys PSA 94:19 (kereb) interior and (nefesh) soul PSA 108:1 (leb) heart and (kabod) glory ISA 16:11 (mayeh) bowels and (kereb) interior LAM 1:20 (mayeh) bowels and (kereb) interior LAM 2:11 (mayeh) bowels and (kabod) glory RSV Heart (mind) and soul When in Hebrew heart and kidneys are together, it is kidneys that is translated by heart, and heart (leb) rendered as soul. If bowels occurs with another term, bowels is translated as soul. Deu 6.5 Mrk 12.30 Mrk 12.33 Luk 10.27 Mat 22.37 Love ( ) the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God ...and love () God Love () the Lord your God Love () the Lord your GodDeu 6.5 Mrk 12.30 Mrk 12.33 Luk 10.27 Mat 22.37 Love ( ) the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God ...and love () God Love () the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God with all your heart ( ) with all your heart () with all the heart () with all your heart () with all your heart ()Deu 6.5 Mrk 12.30 Mrk 12.33 Luk 10.27 Mat 22.37 Love ( ) the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God ...and love () God Love () the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God with all your heart ( ) with all your heart () with all the heart () with all your heart () with all your heart () with all your soul ( ) with all your soul () with all your soul () with all your soul ()Deu 6.5 Mrk 12.30 Mrk 12.33 Luk 10.27 Mat 22.37 Love ( ) the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God ...and love () God Love () the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God with all your heart ( ) with all your heart () with all the heart () with all your heart () with all your heart () with all your soul ( ) with all your soul () with all your soul () with all your soul () and with all your mind () with all the understanding () and with all your strength () and with all your mind ()Deu 6.5 Mrk 12.30 Mrk 12.33 Luk 10.27 Mat 22.37 Love ( ) the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God ...and love () God Love () the Lord your God Love () the Lord your God with all your heart ( ) with all your heart () with all the heart () with all your heart () with all your heart () with all your soul ( ) with all your soul () with all your soul () with all your soul () and with all your mind () with all the understanding () and with all your strength () and with all your mind () and with all your strength ( ) and with all your strength () and with all your strength () and with all your mind () Thoughts Emotions Hebrew (heart/mind) - some emotions, but not love?

• (soul) desire, person

 Thoughts Emotions Hebrew (heart/mind) - some emotions, but not love?

• (soul) desire, person Greek (mind) (heart)
• (soul) desire
  (heart)

 Thoughts Emotions Hebrew (heart/mind) - some emotions, but not love?

• (soul) desire, person Greek (mind) (heart)
• (soul) desire
  (heart) English/Espaol mind - thoughts heart - love

Extracted text from Culture_and_Translation.pdf:

Heart in Hebrew Hebrew (leb) English (heart) used to convey hot - anger lifted up - pride astonish - shock hard, (heavy?) - stubbornness

• hard meanness, stinginess
• soft, tender compassion, tenderness
• have/have no heart compassion/lack of compassion
• throb romantic love
• break relational love
• bottom of heart depth of feeling
• heart in hand repentant, humble
• youre all heart generous
• big heart generous

cast down lose heart discouragement strong, stout brave, lion- bravery die heavy worry, discouragement sing leap joy grieve sick relational sadness faint/melt freeze/stand still/stop fear/shock melt sink discouragement ravish steal infatuation ponder in heart take to heart consider, think about, become sad

all/whole half/whole commitment DEU 4:9 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 4:29 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 6:5 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 10:12 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 11:13 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 11:18 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 13:3 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 26:16 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 28:65 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 30:2 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 30:6 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul DEU 30:10 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul JOS 22:5 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1KI 2:4 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2KI 23:3 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2KI 23:25 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2CH 15:12 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2CH 34:31 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 13:2 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 16:9 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 24:4 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 73:21 (leb) heart and (kilyot) kidneys PSA 84:2 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 94:19 (kereb) inner (self) and (nefesh) soul PSA 108:1 (leb) heart and (kabod) glory (inner self) PRO 2:10 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PRO 24:12 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PRO 27:9 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul ISA 16:11 (mayeh) bowels and (kereb) inner (self) JER 32:41 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul LAM 1:20 (mayeh) bowels and (kereb) inner (self) LAM 2:11 (mayeh) bowels and (kabod) glory (inner self) RSV heart and soul When (RSV) heart and kidneys are paired, it is kidneys which are rendered heart, and heart is rendered as soul. If bowels are paired with another term, bowels are rendered as soul. Hebrew  RSV heart and mind

Hebrew EXO 36:2 (leb) heart and (leb) heart 1SA 2:35 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1KI 8:48 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1CH 22:19 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 1CH 28:9 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul 2CH 6:38 (leb) heart and (nefesh) soul PSA 26.2 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart PSA 64.6 (kereb) inner (self) and (leb) heart PRO 14.33 (leb) heart and (kereb) inner (self) JER 11.20 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart JER 17.10 (leb) heart and (kilyot) kidneys JER 20.12 (kilyot) kidneys and (leb) heart When paired with another parallel term (RSV), heart is often translated mind, and the parallel term (e.g. kidneys, soul, inner self, even heart) is translated heart.

Extracted text from Heartlist.ppt:

Reference Idiom in Hebrew Used to convey Gen 20.5,6 have a full heart clear conscience *Gen 31.26 steal heart deceive *Exo 14.5 change heart change mind *Lev 19.17 hate in heart hold a grudge *Lev 26.36, Job 37.1 faint heart/h. tremble fear, loss of hope Lam 1.22 *Lev 26.41 uncircumcised heart rebellious *Lev 26.41 humble heart humility *Num 15.39, 2Ch 7.16(after your) heart (and eyes) lust, desire, attention *Deu 1.28, Ezk 21.12 melt heart fear/discouragement *Deu 2.30 obstinate heart stubborn *Deu 4.9 depart from heart forget *Deu 4.39, Isa 65.17 bring back to/come up on h. remember, come to mind *Deu 5.29 heart to be (this way) to feel (a certain way) *Deu 6.5, Psa 86.12 all (your) heart fully, completely *Deu 6.6, 11.18 be/ put upon heart memorize
*Deu 8.14, 2Ch 25.19 heart (be) lifted up pride, self-confidence *Deu 15.7 hard heart selfish/stubborn *Deu 15.9, 1Kng 10.2 (a word) with (your) heart a thought / thoughts, plans *Deu 15.10 sad heart sadness *Deu 17.17 heart turns aside change loyalty *Deu 19.6 heart is hot anger *Deu 20.3/8 timid / weak heart fearful, afraid, timid *Deu 28.28 bewilderment of heart confusion *Deu 30.6, Jer 4.4 circumcise hearts make/become loyal/obedient *Jos 14.7 a word just as with my heart and honest report *Jdg 19.8, Psa 104.15 sustain heart physical (spiritual?) nourishment *Jdg 19.9 glad of heart happiness 1Sa 25.37 heart dies discouraged (or possibly a stroke?) 2Sa 13.28; 25.36 good h. / h. glad (with wine) intoxicated 2Sa 15.13, Ezk 20.16 heart go/walk after follow (a leader, idol) *1Kg 8.17, 18 with the heart plan, desire, want to do something *1Kg 8.38 plague of heart sorrow *1Kg 8.58 incline heart make obedient *2Kg 10.15 my h. with your h. loyal, true to someone *2Kg 22.19 soft heart repentant *Job 12.3 I have a heart like you I am as smart/know as much as you Job 12.24 remove heart make foolish / senseless *Job 27.6 h. does not reproach my conscience is clear *Psa 4.5 speak in your heart think deeply Psa 12.3 with a heart and a heart insincere *Psa 15.2 speak truth in heart sincere *Psa 25.17 troubles of heart worries *Psa 31.25 heart be strong courage Psa 34.19; 107.2 broken-hearted, h. stumbles discouraged, sad Psa 37.15; 45.6 sword/arrows enter heart literal - physical
Psa 46.3 in heart of sea in midst of sea *Psa 73.26 rock of my heart my strength *Psa 84.6 highways in their heart desire to make pilgrimage *Psa 86.11 unite my heart keep me faithful *Psa 90.12 bring a heart of wisdom become wise *Psa 95.10 go astray of heart disloyal, unfaithful *Psa 101.5; 9.8 greatness / wide of h. proud, arrogant Psa 102.5 stricken/withered heart physically (spiritually?) weak Psa 108.2 steadfast heart confidence Psa 112.8 supported heart dependable Psa 199.32 enlarge heart teach, increase understanding Psa 119.36 turn heart commit to, convince people Psa 119.70, Isa 6.10 h. gross like fat / make fat dull-witted / make minds dull *Pro 6.25 desire beauty in heart lust Pro 9.16, Hos 7.11 lacking in heart / no h. stupid, lacking understanding, sense Pro 22.11, *Psa 24.4 pure heart single-minded/sincere? Pro 24.12 weigh heart read mind Pro 27.23, Job 1.8 set heart / on/to/from (NP) pay attention, observe, consider Ecc 8.11, Isa 35.4 heart (is full of) haste eager / anxious Ecc 9.1, Jer 12.11 give to/set on heart think about, ponder, take seriously Sng 4.9 steal/ravish heart (?) infatuation Sng 5.2 h. awake (while sleeping) dreaming *Isa 21.4 heart has wandered mind reels, head spins Isa 29.13 h. sent far away do not think of (God) Isa 38.3, *1Kg 8.61 complete (shalom) h. loyalty, faithfulness Isa 57.15, *Psa 69.33 revive heart restore confidence, encourage Jer 3.15, Isa 3.15 according to my own h. obedient, in agreement with Jer 4.9 heart will perish lose courage Jer 4.19 walls of h. groan heart pounds (physical) Jer 24.7 give (someone else) h. give desire for something Jer 30.21 pledge h. to do something dare to do something Lam 2.19, *Psa 62.9 pour out h. like water give vent to feelings *Ezk 3.10 take in (your) heart consider carefully
Ezk 11.19 heart of stone stubbornness Ezk 11.19 heart of flesh obedience Ezk 14.4 bring up x to heart give loyalty to Ezk 22.14 heart endure courage last Dan 1.8;10.12 set heart to (verb phrase) decide, resolve to do something *Dan 11.25 stir up strength and h. boldness, courage *Dan 11.28 heart is upon determined, resolved Amo 2.16 heart among the mighty brave Hos 4.11 take away heart take away understanding Hos 10.2 slippery heart deceitful *Nah 2.8 beat on hearts beat breasts (physical-symbol of sorrow) 1Ch 29.9 complete heart willingness 2Ch 11.16; 12.14 give/establish heart decide 2Ch 30.22, Hos 2.16 speak to heart encourage, try to win affection

Asterisk means the term is LEBAB, not LEB

LEB 601 times in the OT LEBAB 252 times in the OT

When in English one would understand the context to imply a physical situation (e.g. Psa 102.5, Jdg 19.8), the ancient context may well be understood as a spiritual one.

There are a number of inherent problems in such a chart. The list should really be exhaustive of course. The Hebrew column should be in Hebrew (but that makes it much less accessible). Also, the column giving the English meaning (used to convey) is fairly interpretive, obviously, but that is unavoidable. Finally, the chart has all kinds of network connections (LEB/LEBAB differences/similarities, uses in different books, similar ideas expressed by different idioms, etc.), and it would be nice to show these somehow.

Extracted text from Heart-extended.docx:

Usages of heart (leb) in Hebrew and English Hebrew (English) Used to Convey

hot
anger lifted up

pride hard hard stubbornness (Eng.- cruel, mean) pure pure single-minded (Eng.- sincere, good) turn heart / cause to turn heart
commit to / convince (feel) good
intoxicated sustain

physical recovery (from hunger/thirst) smitten

guilty to be upon ones heart
lonely for / thinking about steal steal gain loyalty of (Eng.- make fall in love) go after

be loyal to, follow

Note: in three cases the same idiom exists in Hebrew and English, but with different meanings. This is not a complete list. A fuller list (Hebrew idioms only) can be found in the PowerPoint titled Heartlist. 

Hebrew English Used to Convey astonish, faint, go out, melt (like wax) freeze/stand still/stop / heart failure fear/shock /panic cast down, hinder, break, die lose heart, sink, disheartened discouragement, giving up grieve sick relational sadness set (to), ponder in heart take to heart consider, think about, reflect strong, stout brave, lion-hearted bravery sing leap joy ravish steal infatuation
with all/whole half/whole heartedly, a lot of heart, heart not in it commitment /desire, lack of same be upon, write on heart by heart memorize after one's own heart (usually Gods) after one's own heart in conformity to the desires or nature of trembling, fearful of heart faint-hearted timid, cowardly, fearful

Here the idioms differ, but the meanings are the same. 

(Hebrew-) English- Used to Convey hard, cold, of stone, no heart lacking in compassion or pity pure honest, sincere
heavy worry, sadness soft, tender compassion, tenderness warm/kind/good-hearted kind, sympathetic have a /have no heart compassion/lack of compassion throb romantic love break relational love - sadness from bottom of heart depth of feeling heart in hand repentant, humble big heart, youre all heart generous heartburn specific physical pain (cf. Heb. heart is hot=anger) take heart be encouraged, made brave
heart to heart candid, frank heart-struck grief, dismay, remorse large/big-hearted generous all heart generous (usually sarcastic) false-hearted deceitful, treacherous chicken-hearted cowardly warm the (cockles of) heart cheer, gladden heart-warming causing gladness or pleasure pluck at heart-strings, make heart bleed make sad eat one's heart out long for, desire (unfulfilled) heart in one's mouth excited anticipation heart rending causing anguish or deep distress or sympathy bleeding heart considered to be overly and impractically sympathetic lonely hearts missing romantic companionship heart of hearts innermost self at heart / get to the heart core, important part (in Hebrew, done with bone) from the bottom of the heart sincerely, with conviction and emotional force wearing one's heart on one's sleeve oversensitive, thin-skinned heart in hand repentant, humble set one's heart on desire, emotionally focus full heart overcome with emotion
to one's heart's content as much as desired cross one's heart vow, solemn promise lives in ones heart be ever-present in the mind/attention, commitment (context is often where the commitment cannot be expressed openly)

That I know of, there is no Hebrew equivalent to any of these English idioms.

Extracted text from BibTerms.docx:

Term/concept Ancient biblical framing Modern majority language framing congregation, church: , people united by commitment people in a building, building nation: ,
people united by relation/language/culture bounded geographical area, people governed by political entity sacrifice: , offering to God/gods (often burnt) altruism at personal cost love: ,
commitment, loyalty, faithfulness feelings of warmth and attraction heart (metaphor): , center of intentionality (will) center of emotion (love) soul: ,
inner life, self, desire invisible aspect of self that lives on after death (=spirit) spirit: ,
principle of animation (from God) invisible aspect of self that lives on after death (=soul) holy: ,
tabu, belonging (set apart) to God morally good, special righteousness: , fulfillment of social obligation adherence to a norm or set of norms(often written) dog: ,
symbol of uncleanness (except in Tobit) pet, in some cultures, food