Lexical Summary meeh: Belly, inward parts, bowels, womb Original Word: מֵעֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance belly, bowels, heart, womb From an unused root probably meaning to be soft; used only in plural the intestines, or (collectively) the abdomen, figuratively, sympathy; by implication, a vest; by extens. The stomach, the uterus (or of men, the seat of generation), the heart (figuratively) -- belly, bowels, X heart, womb. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition internal organs, inward parts, belly NASB Translation abdomen (1), body (4), bowels (4), children* (1), feelings (1), heart (4), inward parts (1), offspring* (1), own (1), soul (2), spirit (2), stomach (4), stomachs (1), within (1), womb (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מֵעֶה] noun masculineIsaiah 16:11 only plural internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic מְעָא, מַעֲיָא, 1 literally: a. וַיִּשְׁמֹּךְ מֵעָיו אַ֫רְצָה 2 Samuel 20:10 and he poured out his inward parts on the ground (through a wound); compare ׳מַחֲלֵה מ2Chronicles 21:15,18, ׳יָָֽצְאוּ מ 2 Chronicles 21:15; 2 Chronicles 21:19. b. as digestive organs, but without precision, nearly = stomach, belly, Job 20:14; Ezekiel 3:3 ("" בֶּטֶן), Ezekiel 7:19 ("" נֶפֶשׁ; both with מָלֵא), Numbers 5:22; so of fish that swallowed Jonah Jonah 2:1; Jonah 2:2. 2 source of procreation: אשׁר יצא ׳מִמּ (said of offspring) Genesis 15:4 (JE), 2 Samuel 7:12 ("" זַרְעֲךָ), 2 Samuel 16:11; ׳צֶאֱצָאֵי מ Isaiah 48:19 ("" id.); ׳מִיצִיאֵי מ2Chronicles 32:21. 3 = womb, שְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִח יִמָּרֵ֑דוּ Genesis 25:23 (J; "" בֶּטֶן), compare Isaiah 49:1 ("" id.), Psalm 71:6 ("" id.), Ruth 1:11. 4 in General = inwards, inward part, ׳לִבִּי ֗֗֗ נָמֵס בְּתוֺךְ מ Psalm 22:15, compare ׳תּוֺרָֽתְךָ בְּתוֺךְ מ Psalm 40:9. 5 figurative = seat of emotions: pity, Isaiah 16:11 ("" קֶרֶב); of God's compassion, Jeremiah 31:20 ("" רחם; in both subject of verb הָמוּ); הֲמוֺן מֵעֶיךָ Isaiah 63:15 ("" רַחֲמֶיךָ); distress, Jeremiah 4:19 (twice in verse) ("" לֵב, מֵעַי חֳמַרְמָרוּ Lamentations 1:20 ("" לֵב), Lamentations 2:11 ("" כָּבֵד liver); מֵעַי רֻתְּחוּ Job 30:27 (dubious, see Bu); love, מֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו Songs 5:4. 6 the external belly, מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן Songs 5:14. Topical Lexicon Overview of the Term Strong’s Hebrew 4578 speaks of the bodily cavity that houses the viscera, yet Scripture repeatedly employs the word for the seat of deep emotion, covenantal lineage, and spiritual discernment. Approximately thirty-two Old Testament occurrences span narrative, poetry, wisdom, and prophecy, enabling a rich theology of the “inward parts.” Literal Usage in Old Testament Narrative 1. Lineage and Covenant Promises. The term is pivotal to Abrahamic and Davidic promises: “one who comes from your own body will be your heir” (Genesis 15:4), and “I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body” (2 Samuel 7:12). The physical “belly” guarantees physical posterity through which redemptive history advances. Figurative Usage: Seat of Emotions and Intellect 1. Agonized Sorrow. “My bowels are in torment” (Lamentations 2:11), “My anguish, my anguish!” (Jeremiah 4:19), and “my inward parts trembled” (Habakkuk 3:16) portray visceral distress under divine judgment. Theological Significance: God Knows the Inward Parts Me’eh language underscores that God’s concern transcends external ritual. He searches and shapes what lies beneath. The promise of the New Covenant—Torah written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33)—is anticipated whenever the Old Testament locates law, joy, or sorrow in the bowels. Consequently, worship devoid of inner integrity is unacceptable (cf. Isaiah 1:11–17). Messianic and Prophetic Dimensions 1. Royal Lineage. The promise that Messiah would arise from David’s “body” certifies the historical lineage of Jesus of Nazareth, anchoring Gospel claims in concrete Old Testament wording. Implications for Worship and Spiritual Formation 1. Integrity. Believers must allow the Spirit to “search … the inmost being” (Proverbs 20:27), surrendering hidden motives to divine scrutiny. Related New Testament Themes The Pauline “inner man” (Ephesians 3:16) and the Johannine “rivers of living water” flowing from the believer’s koilia (John 7:38) mirror the Old Testament me’eh. Both Testaments agree: the gospel penetrates to, and flows out from, the deepest recesses of human existence. Conclusion Strong’s 4578 reveals that Scripture views the human person holistically—body, emotion, intellect, and spirit intertwined in the “inward parts.” From the cradle of covenant offspring to the anguish of prophetic intercession, me’eh vocabulary calls God’s people to integrity, compassion, and hope rooted in His all-searching, all-saving presence. Forms and Transliterations בְּֽמֵעַ֔י בְּֽמֵעַ֔יִךְ בְּמֵעָ֛יו בְּמֵעָ֣יו בִּמְעֵ֣י במעי במעיו במעיך וּמֵעֵיהֶ֖ם וּמֵעֶ֣יךָ וּמֵעַ֖י ומעי ומעיהם ומעיך מִמְּעֵ֖י מִמְּעֵ֣י מִמְּעֵ֥י מִמֵּעֶ֑יךָ מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ מִמֵּעַ֖י מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ מֵעֶ֑יךָ מֵעֶ֖יךָ מֵעֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעֶ֛יךָ מֵעַ֔י מֵעַ֖י מֵעַ֣י מֵעַ֣י ׀ מֵעַ֨י ׀ מֵעַי֙ מֵעָ֔יו מֵעָ֥יו מֵעָֽי׃ מֵעָיו֙ ממעי ממעיך מעי מעי׃ מעיו מעיך bə·mê·‘a·yiḵ bə·mê·‘āw bə·mê·‘ay bəmê‘āw bəmê‘ay bəmê‘ayiḵ bemeAi bemeAv bemeAyich bim‘ê bim·‘ê bimEi mê‘āw mê‘ay mê‘āy mê‘eḵā mê·‘āw mê·‘ay mê·‘āy mê·‘e·ḵā meAi meAv meEicha mim·mê·‘a·yiḵ mim·mê·‘ay mim·mə·‘ê mim·mê·‘e·ḵā mimeAi mimeAyich mimeEi mimeEicha mimmê‘ay mimmê‘ayiḵ mimmə‘ê mimmê‘eḵā ū·mê·‘ay ū·mê·‘ê·hem ū·mê·‘e·ḵā ūmê‘ay ūmê‘êhem ūmê‘eḵā umeAi umeEicha umeeiHemLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 15:4 HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃ NAS: will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir. KJV: but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. INT: who will come body he shall be your heir Genesis 25:23 Numbers 5:22 Ruth 1:11 2 Samuel 7:12 2 Samuel 16:11 2 Samuel 20:10 2 Chronicles 21:15 2 Chronicles 21:15 2 Chronicles 21:18 2 Chronicles 21:19 2 Chronicles 32:21 Job 20:14 Job 30:27 Psalm 22:14 Psalm 40:8 Psalm 71:6 Songs 5:4 Songs 5:14 Isaiah 16:11 Isaiah 48:19 Isaiah 49:1 Isaiah 63:15 Jeremiah 4:19 Jeremiah 4:19 32 Occurrences |
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; — on form compare LagBN 156 BaZMG xiii. 1888, 345); — plural [מֵעִים] construct מְעֵי