BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Leb (Heart) — Meaning & Usage in the Hebrew Bible
Lêb (H3820) is the Hebrew word for 'heart,' functioning as the center of a person's inner life — emotions, will, and understanding — not merely the physical organ.
Meaning of the word
לֵב (lêb) literally refers to the physical heart, but in biblical Hebrew it serves primarily as a metaphor for the inner person. The lexicon defines it as 'the heart' and notes that it is used 'figuratively very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.' When the Old Testament speaks of the heart, it points to whatever shapes a person's choices, loyalties, and moral direction.
The word covers emotion (grief, affection, courage), volition (consent, willingness, rebellion), and thought (imagination, understanding, wisdom). The KJV usage list captures this range: expressions like 'stiff-hearted' describe stubbornness, 'broken-hearted' describes despair, and 'merry heart' describes gladness. Hebrew anthropology did not sharply divide mind and emotion as modern Western categories do; the heart is where all three converge.
Finally, לֵב can refer to the 'midst' of something physical, since the heart sits at the center of the body. The KJV phrase-list includes 'midst' and 'themselves,' reflecting this locative sense. In nearly every passage, however, the term carries its inner-life meaning.
Usage in Scripture
לֵב appears about 448 times across roughly 420 verses, making it one of the most frequent nouns in the Hebrew Bible. It is conspicuous in the Primeval History of Genesis: Genesis 6:5–6 describe humanity whose every thought of the heart is evil, and God who is 'grieved at his heart.' In Genesis 8:21, God speaks 'in his heart' about the persistence of human evil. These passages ground the heart in moral assessment — God's and humanity's.
The word also drives the patriarchal narratives. Abraham 'said in his heart' about the promised son (Gen 17:17), and Esau nursed hatred 'in his heart' toward Jacob (Gen 27:41). In Gen 31:20, Jacob left 'unawares' (literally 'stole the heart of') Laban, and in Gen 34:3, Shechem's 'soul clave' and his 'heart' was drawn to Dinah. In Gen 42:28, the brothers' 'heart failed them,' and in Gen 45:26, Jacob's 'heart fainted.' These show the heart as the seat of fear, longing, surprise, and resolve — never merely the pump that moves blood.
The KJV phrase-list extends further: 'regard,' 'wisdom,' 'courage,' and 'understanding' all trace back to לֵב, since the Hebrews located reasoning in the heart rather than the head. Readers should therefore translate לֵב as 'heart,' but understand it as the whole inner self — the place where a person decides, feels, and believes.
The word in detail
- H3820 לֵב (lêb) — 'heart.' The BDB-derived lexicon defines it as 'the heart; also used figuratively very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.' Though it can mean the physical organ, its biblical use is overwhelmingly as the seat of the inner life. KJV translates it variously as 'heart,' 'mind,' 'midst,' 'courage,' and 'wisdom,' confirming its wide semantic range.
Example verses
- Genesis 6:5 Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The heart is where moral evaluation begins — every human intention is traced back to it.
- Genesis 6:6 And it grieved him at his heart. Even God is described as responding 'at his heart,' showing לֵב applies to the divine inner life as well as the human.
- Genesis 8:21 God said in his heart. Speech 'in the heart' is private, decisive reasoning — the heart as the place of inner counsel and resolve.
- Genesis 24:45 Before I had done speaking in my heart. Abraham's servant frames private prayer as speaking 'in his heart,' underscoring the heart as the site of unspoken thought addressed to God.
Common questions
Is לֵב ever just the physical heart?
Yes, but rarely. The broader biblical sense is the inner self — feelings, will, and understanding. Most readers should hear 'heart' in the Hebraic sense of the whole person within.
Why does the KJV translate לֵב as 'mind' or 'understanding' in places?
Because Hebrew locates thinking in the heart, not the head. When a verse highlights reasoning or wisdom, translators may surface 'mind'; when it highlights feeling or resolve, 'heart' is clearer.
How frequent is לֵב in the Hebrew Bible?
Approximately 448 occurrences across about 420 verses, making it one of the most common nouns in the Old Testament.