Biblical Hebrew words for the heart and inner life

Name: Lashon
Price range: $$

Grace, conscience, shrewdness, clinging, turning back. What the Hebrew says about the inside of a person.

tamrurimתַּמְרוּרִים
bitterness (bitter weeping)
קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל־בָּנֶיהָ
“A voice is heard in Ramah, lament, weeping of bitterness: Rachel weeping for her children. (Jeremiah 31:15)”
kesil(keciyl)כְּסִיל
fool (the stubborn one who repeats his folly); Orion
כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל־קֵאוֹ כְּסִיל שׁוֹנֶה בְאִוַּלְתּוֹ
“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. (Proverbs 26:11)”
tushiyyah(tushiyah)תּוּשִׁיָּה
sound sense
עִמּוֹ עֹז וְתוּשִׁיָּה לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּה׃
“With him are strength and sound sense; the misled and the misleader are his. (Job 12:16)”
sak(saq)שַׂק
sackcloth; sack
וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלֹתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל־בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים
“Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned his son many days. (Genesis 37:34)”
davaq(davak)דָּבַק
to stick, to cling
וַתִּשֶּׂאנָה קוֹלָן וַתִּבְכֶּינָה עוֹד וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ וְרוּת דָּבְקָה בָּהּ׃
“They lifted up their voices and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. (Ruth 1:14)”
kelayotכְּלָיוֹת
kidneys — the seat of conscience and one's innermost feelings
אֲבָרֵךְ אֶת־יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר יְעָצָנִי אַף־לֵילוֹת יִסְּרוּנִי כִלְיוֹתָי
“I bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my kidneys instruct me. (Psalm 16:7)”
machazeh(mahazeh)מַחֲזֶה
a vision, something seen in a prophetic trance
נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי־אֵל, אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה, נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם׃
“The word of one who hears the sayings of God, who sees a vision (machazeh) of Shaddai, fallen down with eyes uncovered. (Numbers 24:4)”
chen(hen)חֵן
favor, grace, charm
וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה.
“But Noah found chen in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis 6:8)”
teshuvah(teshuva)תְּשׁוּבָה
return, repentance
שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם.
“Return to me, and I will return to you (Malachi 3:7)”
arumעָרוּם
shrewd, canny, sharp-eyed
פֶּתִי יַאֲמִין לְכָל־דָּבָר וְעָרוּם יָבִין לַאֲשֻׁרוֹ
“The simple man believes every word, but the shrewd man understands where he is stepping." — Proverbs 14:15”

Yaacov, native Jerusalemite

Want to go further with a teacher?

A real 30-minute lesson, one to one — Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Yiddish or Aramaic. No card required.

Study 1-on-1 with Yaacov

Prefer a small group? Eight-week groups

tamrurimתַּמְרוּרִים

kesil(keciyl)כְּסִיל

tushiyyah(tushiyah)תּוּשִׁיָּה

sak(saq)שַׂק

davaq(davak)דָּבַק

kelayotכְּלָיוֹת

machazeh(mahazeh)מַחֲזֶה

chen(hen)חֵן

teshuvah(teshuva)תְּשׁוּבָה

arumעָרוּם

Want to go further with a teacher?

More Biblical Hebrew words by topic