לֵב
heart
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
Every verse where H3821 appears — 1 distinct verse across 1 book. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Daniel 1 verse
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
The Hebrew noun לב centers on the idea of “heart.” A scarce word — 1 verse in all of the Hebrew Bible. The word gravitates to Daniel (100%). A true hapax — its single appearance is Daniel 7:28. It shares a root with לב and לבה. For the data behind this summary, explore the sense tree and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H3821 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 1
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 1 distinct verse.
- 1 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 1 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #6,101
- by frequency
- Rank #6,101 (rank 6,101 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 1 occurrence in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Daniel 1 verse 100%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 1 distinct verse.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 1 verse · 100%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 2 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Heart 1×
- American Standard Version†: Heart 1×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Myself 1×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Heart 1×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H3821 across 1† tagged occurrence — most commonly:
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H3821 across 1† tagged occurrence — most commonly:
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H3821 across 1† tagged occurrence — most commonly:
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H3821 across 1† tagged occurrence — most commonly:
22 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 22 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- I. seldom of things, בְּלֶב־יָם in the midst of the sea Ex 15:8 Pr 23:34; 30:19; בְּלֵב יַמִּים ψ 46:3; Ez 27:4, 25, 26, 27; 28:2, 8 בלב האלה 2 S 18:14; בְּלֵב אֹיְבֵי in the midst of the enemies of ψ 45:2 (v. BrMP in loco; AV RV al. in the heart of). e.g. Exodus 15:8
- II. elsewhere of men:
- 1. the inner man in contrast with outer לבי ובשׂרי ירננו my heart and my flesh cry out ψ 84:3; ‖ מעים ψ 22:15 Je 4:19, the inner for outer מעים Je 49:22; as within the breast על לב Ex 28:3, 29, 30(×2) (P); מלב 2 K 9:24; בלב ψ 37:15 2 S 18:14; סְגוֹר לִבָּם Ho 13:8; antithesis with בָּשָׂר Pr 14:30 Ec 2:3; head Is 1:5, face Ez 14:3, 4, 7; arm Ct 8:6; hands Ez 22:14; bones ψ 102:5; eyes 1 K 9:3 (= 2 Ch 7:16) Je 22:17; ear Pr 22:17; 23:12; mouth ψ 55:22; lips Is 29:13; אֲנִי יְשֵׁינָה וְלִבִּי עֵר I slept but my heart waked Ct 5:2. e.g. Psalms 84:3
- 2. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will, with occasional emphasis of one or the other by means of certain verbs: † בכל לב 1 K 8:23 (= 2 Ch 6:14) ψ 9:2; 119:2, 10, 34, 58, 69, 145; 138:1 Pr 3:5 Je 3:10; 24:7; †עם לב 2 Ch 24:4 (see לבב 2); † כלב 2 S 7:21 (= 1 Ch 17:19) Je 3:15; תַּעֲלֻמוֹת לֵב secrets of the heart ψ 44:22; לֵב מְלָכִים אֵין חֵקֶר the heart of kings is unsearchable Pr 25:3; הַיֹּצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם ψ 33:15 etc. e.g. 1 Kings 8:23
- 3. specific reference to mind:
- a. †מִלֵּב of one’s own mind Nu 16:28; 24:13 (JE) 1 K 12:33; Ne 6:8; Ez 13:2, 17; †חֲסַר לֵב destitute of mind Pr 6:32; 7:7; 9:4, 16; 10:13, 21; 11:12; 12:11; 15:21; 17:18; 24:30; לִבּוֹ חָסֵר Ec 10:3; אֵין לֵב Je 5:21 Ho 7:11; לב אין Pr 17:16; קנה לב get a mind Pr 15:32; 19:8; כֹּחַ לב power of mind Jb 36:5; רֹחַב לב breadth of mind 1 K 5:9, גנב לב 2 S 15:6; Gn 31:20 (E? see לבב 3 a). e.g. Numbers 16:28
- b. knowledge, c. †ידע Dt 29:3; Pr 14:10; 22:17; Ec 1:17; 7:22, 25; 8:5, 16; Je 24:7; ראה ψ 66:18 Ec 1:16; חָכַם לב mind is wise Pr 23:15; †לֵב חָכָם wise mind 1 K 3:12; Pr 16:23; Ec 8:5; †חֲכַם לֵב Ex 31:6; 35:10; 36:1, 2, 8 (P) Pr 10:8; 11:29; 16:21; †חַכְמֵי לֵב Ex 28:3 (P) Jb 37:24; †חכמת לב Ex 35:25, 35 (P); לב חכמים Ec 7:4; 10:2; לב כסילים Pr 12:23; 15:7 Ec 7:4; 10:2; c. חכמה Ex 36:2 (P) 1 K 10:24 (= 2 Ch 9:23) Pr 2:10; 17:16; Ec 2:3; †לֵב נָבוֹן intelligent mind Pr 14:33; 15:14; 18:15; with הבין Pr 8:5; תְּבוּנָה Pr 2:2; שָׂ֑כֶל Jb 17:4 etc. e.g. Deuteronomy 29:3
- c. thinking, reflection, c. חשׁב ψ 140:3 Pr 16:9; מחשׁבות Gn 6:5 (J) ψ 33:11 Pr 6:18; 19:21 cf. Gn 8:21 (J); הגה muse, study Pr 15:28; 24:2; Is 33:18; 59:13; הגיון ψ 19:15; הָגוּת ψ 49:4; †שׂם לב set the mind, consider Is 41:22; Ez 44:5, c. לְ 1 S 9:20; Ez 40:4; 44:5; אֶל Ex 9:21 (J) 1 S 25:25; 2 S 18:3(×2) Jb 2:3; 34:14; עַל Jb 1:8; † שׁת לב ψ 62:10; Pr 22:17; 24:32, c. לְּ Ex 7:23 (JE) 1 S 4:20; 2 S 13:20; ψ 48:14; Pr 27:23; Je 31:21 אֶל Jb 7:17. e.g. Psalms 140:3
- d. memory †השׁיב אל לב call to mind Is 44:19; La 3:21; על לב Is 46:8; †עלה על לב come into mind (occur to one) Is 65:17; Je 3:16; 7:31; 19:5; 32:35 (cf. Acts 7:23), so בא על לב 2 Ch 7:11; †שׂם על לב lay to heart Is 42:25; 47:7; 57:1, 11; Je 12:11 Mal 2:2(×2) Dn 1:8; אל לב 2 S 13:33; 19:20 כתב על לב Je 31:33; קשׁר על לב Pr 6:21; † לוּחַ לֵב tablet of the memory Pr 3:3; 7:3 Je 17:1; נִשְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵת מִלֵּב I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind ψ 31:13. e.g. Isaiah 44:19
- 4. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will; †הכין לב set the mind 2 Ch 12:14 ψ 10:17; 78:8; Jb 11:13; †נכון לב ψ 57:8(×2) (= 108:2) 78:37; 112:7; †נתן לב לְ Ec 1:13, 17; 7:21; 8:9, 16; Pr 23:26 Dn 10:12; † נתן אל לב Ec 7:2; 9:1; Ne 2:12; 7:5 differ from Ec 7:2; 9:1 (the ‘heart’ here not being the subject’s). בלב Ex 35:34 (P) Ezr 7:27 Ec 3:11; †אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ whose heart stirred him up Ex 35:21; 36:2 cf. 35:26 (all P); †נְדִיב לֵב willing of mind Ex 35:5, 22 (P) 2 Ch 29:31 cf. Ex 25:2; 35:29 (P): †אחרי נטה לב inclined to follow Ju 9:3 ψ 119:112; Pr 2:2; †הטה לב 1 K 11:3 ψ 119:36; 141:4 cf. 2 S 15:13:—גְּדֹלִים חִקְקֵי־לֵב great resolves of heart Ju 5:15 etc. e.g. 2 Chronicles 12:14
- 5. spec. ref. to conscience, וַיַּךְ לֵב דָּוִד אֹתוֹ and David’s heart (conscience) smote him 1 S 24:6; מִכְשׁוֹל לֵב offence of conscience 1 S 25:31; cf. Ec 7:22. e.g. 1 Samuel 24:6
- 6. spec. ref. to moral character, God tries the heart ψ 17:3 Je 12:3; sees the heart and reins Je 20:12, tries them ψ 7:10 Je 11:20, refines them ψ 26:2; searches the heart and tries the reins Je 17:10. e.g. Psalms 17:3
- a. ישֶׁר־לִבִּי Jb 33:3; †יִשְׁרֵי לֵב ψ 7:11; 11:2; 32:11; 36:11; 64:11 (all c. דָּוִד in title), 94:15; 97:11; †לֵב שָׁלֵם 1 Ch 28:9; 29:9 Is 38:3 (all originally לבב, see לבב 6 a); נִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵב broken of heart ψ 34:19 Is 61:1; לֵב־נִשְׁבָּר ψ 51:19; שְׁבוּרֵי לֵב ψ 147:3; לֵב נִדְכָּאִים Is 57:15; לֵב טָהוֹר clean heart ψ 51:12; †לֵב חָדָשׁ new heart Ez 18:31; 36:26 (prob. also 11:19 for אֶהָד see Co) etc. e.g. Job 33:3
- b. לֵב רָע evil heart Pr 26:23; חַנְפֵי־לֵב godless in heart Jb 36:13; עקּשׁ(י) לב perverse in heart Pr 11:20; 17:20; †תַּרְמִת לִבָּם deceit of their heart Je 14:14; 23:26; בלב ולב with a double heart ψ 12:3 etc. e.g. Proverbs 26:23
- c. seat of pride Pr 21:4; Je 48:29; 49:16; Ho 13:6; Ob 3 גְּבַהּ־לֵב Pr 16:5; גֹּבַהּ לב 2 Ch 32:26; †גָּבַהּ לֵב 2 Ch 17:6; 26:16; 32:25 ψ 131:1; Pr 18:12; Ez 28:2, 17. e.g. Proverbs 21:4
- d. the heart is uncircumcised Je 9:25 Ez 44:7, 9 and hardened: † חזּק לב Ex 4:21; 10:20, 27 (E), 9:12; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17 (P), Jos 11:20 (D2 ?); †יֶהֱזַק לֵב Ex 7:13, 22; 8:15; 9:35 (P); חִזְּקֵי־לֵב Ez 2:4; † הקשׁה לב Ex 7:3 (P) Pr 28:14; קְשֵׁי־לֵב Ez 3:7; הכביד לב Ex 8:11, 28; 9:34; 10:1 (J); כָּבֵד לב Ex 7:14; 9:7 (J); כּבּד לב 1 S 6:6; הַשְׁמֵן לֵב־הָעָם הַזֶה make the heart of this people fat Is 6:10 (?); † שְׁרִ(י)רוּת לֵב Dt 29:18 ψ 81:13 after Je 3:17; 7:24; 9:13; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; 23:17; †לב האבן the heart of stone Ez 11:19; 36:26 etc. e.g. Jeremiah 9:25
- 7. for the man himself, † אמר בלב Gn 17:17 (P), 27:41 (JE), 1 K 12:26 Est 6:6 ψ 10:6, 11, 13; 14:1 (= 53:2) 35:25; 74:8; Ec 2:1, 15; 3:17, 18; Is 47:10; Ob 3; Zc 12:5; אֶל־לב Gn 8:21 (J) 1 S 27:1; † דבּר בלב Ec 2:15; אֶל־לב Gn 24:45 (J); עַל לב 1 S 1:13 (?); עִם לב Ec 1:16; נְאֻם־פֶּשַׁע לָרָשָׁע בְּקֶרֶב לִבִּי ψ 36:2. e.g. Genesis 17:17
- 8. as seat of appetites, סְעַד לב stay the heart (with bread) Gn 18:5 (J) Ju 19:5 ψ 104:15. e.g. Genesis 18:5
- 9. as seat of the emotions and passions:
- a. of joy and gladness, in various combinations of †טוב, Ju 16:25; 18:20; 19:6, 22; Ru 3:7; 1 S 25:36; 2 S 13:28;1 K 8:66 (= 2 Ch 7:10) 21:7; Est 1:10; 5:9; Pr 15:15 Ec 7:3; 9:7; 11:9; Is 65:14; various combinations of † שׂמח, Ex 4:14 (J) 1 Ch 16:10 (= ψ 105:3) ψ 4:8; 16:9; 19:9; 33:21; Pr 15:13, 30; 17:22; 27:9, 11 Ec 2:10(×2); 5:19; Ct 3:11; Is 24:7; Zc 10:7; שׂושׂ ψ 119:111; Is 66:14; La 5:15; עלץ 1 S 2:1; עלז ψ 28:7 Zp 3:14; רנן Jb 29:13; גיל ψ 13:6 Pr 24:17 Zc 10:7; of desire, ψ 21:3; 37:4; † דבּר עַל לֵב speak unto the heart (kindly) Gn 34:3; 50:21 (JE) Ju 19:3; 2 S 19:8; 2 Ch 30:22; Is 40:2; Ho 2:16; Ru 2:13. e.g. Judges 16:25
- b. of trouble 2 K 6:11; Is 65:14, sorrow Ne 2:2; Pr 14:13, pain ψ 55:5, vexation Ec 11:10, trembling Dt 28:65 (?) 1 S 28:5, faintness La 5:17; it is wounded ψ 109:22, dies within one out of fear 1 S 25:37 etc.; † לב נמס the heart melteth (in fear) 2 S 17:10 ψ 22:15 Ez 21:12; Na 2:11. e.g. 2 Kings 6:11
- 10. seat of courage: יַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ let thine heart take courage ψ 27:14; אַמִּיץ לִבּוֹ Am 2:16; אַבִּירֵי לֵב stout-hearted ψ 76:6; Is 46:12; לִבּוֹ יָצוּק כְּמוֹ־אֶבֶן his heart as firm as a stone Jb 41:16; לִבּוֹ כְּלֵב הָאַרְיֵה his heart as the heart of the lion 2 S 17:10; cf. אֶת־לִבּוֹ מָצָא 2 S 7:27, מְלָאוֹ לִבּוֹ לְ׳ Est 7:5 (cf. Ec 8:11). e.g. Psalms 27:14
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. v. sub לבב infr.
II. לֵב599 n.m. Pr 23:15 (†f. Pr 12:25, from influence of נֶפֶשׁ v. De Now) inner man, mind, will, heart, abs. and cstr. לֵב Gn 8:21 + 239 times; לֶב־ Ex 15:8 + 15 times; sf. לִבִּי Gn 24:45 + 102 times; לִבְּךָ Ex 9:14 + 28 times; לִבֶּ֑ךָ Ju 19:6 + 25 times; לִבֵּךְ Is 47:7 + 7 times; לִבּוֹ Gn 6:5 + 93 times; לִבָּהּ Ju 19:3 + 7 times; לִבֵּנוּ Is 41:22 + 5 times; לִבְּכֶם Gn 18:5 + 2 times; לִבָּם Gn 42:28 + 56 times; לִבָּן Ex 35:26; לִבְּהֶן Ez 13:17; pl. לִבּוֹת ψ 7:10 Pr 15:11 + 3 times Pr.; sf. לִבֹּתָם Is 44:18; לִבּוֹתָם ψ 125:4—inner part, midst:
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from לב (lêb) (H3820) — heart.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
לֵב
- [innermost,] heart, bosom; thought, inclination, mind &c. Sot. I, 5 היה לִבָּהּ נאה if her bosom was handsome (inciting the senses). Shebu. 26ᵃ לִבְּךָ אנסך thy heart has carried thee away against thy will, i.e. you were under the impression that you told the truth. Nidd. 3ᵇ, a. fr. לִבּוֹ נוקפו, v. נָקַף I. Men. 79ᵇ, a. e. לב ב"ד מתנה עליהן the authorities (in receiving materials for offerings) accept them with a condition at heart (that they may dispose at their discretion of what has not been used for sacrifices).—לבו גס, v. גּוּס I.—Midr. Till. to Ps. IX, 1 לבו עליו his heart is against him, he bears him a grudge.—Zeb. 21ᵃ להוציא מִלִּבָּן של צדוקים to remove (the false opinion) out of the heart of the Sadducees, i.e. to demonstrate, by practice, the rejection of their opinion; Ḥag. 23ᵃ (Ms. M. מפני הצדוקים); Yoma 2ᵃ (Ms. M. מפני הצ׳, v. Par. III, 7). Gen. R. s. 87, end (in a gloss) להוציאה מלבן של הבריות in order to remove (the bad opinion about) her out of the hearts of men, i.e. to save her reputation.—Ned. 20ᵇ, v. גָּרוּשׁ; a. v. fr.—Trnsf. a) the marrow of trees, the sap-wood. Meg. 14ᵃ; Succ. 45ᵇ as the palm-tree אין לו אלא לב אחד וכ׳ has only one ‘heart’ (sap-cells only in the stem but none in the branches), so has Israel one heart directed to his Father &c.—b) centre, central portion. Lev. R. s. 30, end לולב לִבָּהּ של וכ׳ a Lulab which is the central stalk of the palm tree, v. לוּלָב.—Pl. f. לִבּוֹת. Midr. Till. to Ps. VII ממה שאתה בוחן ל׳ וכ׳ from the fact that thou examinest hearts and reins &c.—V. לֵבָב.
לֵב ²
- Targ. Gen. VI, 5. Targ. I Chr. XII, 38; a. fr.—Ab. Zar. 55ᵃ לִבִּי ולִבָּךְ ידע myself and thyself are convinced &c. Midr. Till. to Ps. VII (ref. to תשמרם, ib. XII, 8) נטר אורייתא בלִבְּהוֹן וכ׳ guard the Law in their hearts. Midr. Till. to Ps. XXVIII, end (ref. to Gen. XXXVII, 4) מה דבל׳ הוי בפומא as they thought so did they speak, but there (II Sam. XIII, 22) מה דבל׳ לא בפומא he did not speak out what was in his heart; Gen. R. s. 84 די בלִיבְּהוֹן בפומהון; די בלִיבֵּיה בליביה what was in his heart remained there. Snh. 35ᵃ [read:] נהי דפומא כתבין ל׳ דאינשי אינשי although they (the secretaries) record the word of mouth (the vote of each judge), the heart (the impressiveness of the argument), once forgotten, remains forgotten (cannot be recalled several days after; v. Rashi in Rabb. D. S. a. l. note). Ḥull. 59ᵃ, a. fr.—אַלִּ׳ ריקנא on an empty stomach; a. v. fr.—אַלִיבָּא ד־ (אַלִּיבֵּיה), v. אַלִּיבָּא.—Pl. לִבַּיָּא, לִיבַּ׳, לְבָבַיָּא, לִבְבַיָּא, לִבְבִין, לִבְבֵי, לִי׳. Targ. Prov. XXVII, 19 לִבַּיָּא (ed. Lag. לִבֵּיהוֹן). Targ. Jer. XII, 3. Targ. II Esth. V, 1; a. fr. e.g. Genesis 37:4
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H3821, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Compare all same-root words → They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 1 verse that also exists in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 1 Hebrew verse it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
