Lexical Summary qereb: midst, inner part, inward part, among, within Original Word: קֶרֶב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance among, before, bowels, unto charge, eat up, heart, him, in, From qarab; properly, the nearest part, i.e. The center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition) -- X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, + eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X within self. see HEBREW qarab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition inward part, midst NASB Translation among (62), body (1), devoured* (2), entrails (20), heart (1), herself (1), inner thought (1), inside (1), inward feelings (1), inward part (1), inward thought (1), inwardly (2), middle (2), midst (81), within (35), within our land (2), within their land (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs קֶ֫רֶב227 noun [masculine] inward part, midst; — ׳ק absolute Exodus 29:13 + (only 3); construct Genesis 45:6 +; suffix קִרְבִּי Joshua 9:7 +, 3 feminine plural קִרְבֶֹּנָה Genesis 41:21, בֶֹּנָה- Genesis 41:21 (Ges§ 91i. Köii.1488 N.I), etc.; plural only (suffix) קְרָבַי Psalm 103:1; — usually with preposition (׳בְּק143t. ׳מִקּ43t.); — 1 a. inward part of human body, physical sense, ׳בְּק within one's body Genesis 25:22 (J), compare Genesis 18:12 (J), 1 Samuel 25:37; Jeremiah 23:9; Job 20:14 ("" בְּמֵעָיו), compare Isaiah 19:1 (of nation personified) into his body Psalm 109:18 (simile); as seat of life (וַ)תָּשָׁב נֶפֶשׁהַֿיּלֶד עַלקִֿרְבּוֺ 1 Kings 17:21,22, compare (of idol) Habakkuk 2:19 (see also 2). b. = belly, of kine ׳אֶלקֿ Genesis 41:21; Genesis 14:21 c. of city (׳בְּק within it, ׳מִקּ etc.) Genesis 18:24; Judges 18:7; Amos 3:9 + 18:t compare Isaiah 25:11 חוּצוֺת ׳בְּק Isaiah 5:25. d of house Psalm 101:2; Psalm 101:7; temple Psalm 48:10; מוֺעֲ דֶ֑ךָ ׳בְּק Psalm 74:4. e. of land (earth) Genesis 45:6; Genesis 48:16; Amos 2:3; Isaiah 5:8; Isaiah 24:13 ("" בְּתוֺח הָעַמִּים), + 10 t. (׳בְּק ׳מִקּ). f. of a number of person, ׳כְּק in the midst, among, ׳מִקּ from among: especially (1) people (96 t.; 80 t. as singular collective, 15 t. plural Amos 7:8; Genesis 24:3; Exodus 23:25; Deuteronomy 31:17; Jeremiah 46:21; 1 Samuel 4:3; Joshua 7:12; Judges 10:16 +, ׳יִשׂ ׳בְּק Deuteronomy 17:10 +, ׳בְּק ׳בֵּית יִשׂ Amos 7:10 הַכְּנַעֲנִי ׳בְּק Judges 1:32,33; Judges 3:5, גּוֺי ׳מִקּ Deuteronomy 4:34 etc (2) ) הַמַּחֲנֶה׳(מִק ׳בְּק Joshua 1:11; Numbers 14:44 6t. (3) אֶחָיו ׳בְּק Deuteronomy 18:2; 1 Samuel 16:13, and (׳מִק) Deuteronomy 17:15; Deuteronomy 18:18. (4) עַמֶּיהָ ׳מִקּ Exodus 31:14 (II.עַם) (5) אֹיְכֶיךָ ׳בְּק Psalm 110:2 compare (of wicked) Psalm 55:16 חֲכָמִים ׳בְּק Proverbs 15:31. (6) אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁמֹּט ׳בְּק Psalm 82:1 -7הַמִּלְחָמָה ׳בְּק 1 Kings 20:39 into the midst of the battle, the thick of the fight; צָרָה ׳בְּק Palam 1Ki 138:7. (8) of nations, הַגּוֺיִם ׳בְּק Deuteronomy 29:15, הָעַמִּים Lamentations 3:45, compare Joshua 24:17; Micah 5:6; Micah 5:7. g. חוקך ׳מִקּ Psalm 74:11 (Qr חֵיקְךָ) thy hand from within thy bosom, (anthropomorphism of ׳י; see I כלה Pi`el 2 c). h. of a period of time,שָׁנִים ׳בְּק Habakkuk 3:2 (twice in verse) 2 of inward part of man; a. as seat of thought and emotion : ׳בְּק 1 Kings 3:28; Jeremiah 4:14; Jeremiah 9:7; Proverbs 26:24; Psalm 62:5; Psalm 94:19; "" בְלֵב Proverbs 14:33, עַללֵֿב Jeremiah 31:33; seat of לֵב Psalm 39:4; Psalm 55:5; Psalm 109:22; Lamentations 1:20; of רוּחַ Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Zechariah 12:1; Isaiah 26:6; Psalm 51:12, compare Isaiah 19:3,14; לִבִּי ׳בְּק Psalm 36:2 (read לִבּוֺ Vrss Hup Now Che Bae and others) b. as faculty of thought and emotion, sujb. (no perp.) Isaiah 16:11 ("" מֵעַי) Psalm 64:7 ("" לֵב) Psalm 5:10; כָּלקְֿרָבַי Psalm 103:1 (only here plural; "" נַפְשִׁי); — Psalm 49:12 read קִבְרָם ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ7, or קְבָרִם, Ew Gr Ol Bi Che Bae and others (for קִרְבָּם) 3 technical term in P of entrails of sacrificial animals (Di Leviticus 1:9,13; Leviticus 3:3 (twice in verse); Leviticus 3:9 (twice in verse); Leviticus 3:14 (twice in verse); Leviticus 4:8 (twice in verse); Leviticus 4:11; Leviticus 7:3; Leviticus 8:16,21,25; Leviticus 9:14. Topical Lexicon Core Semantic Fields קֶרֶב (qéreḇ) denotes “the inside” in three concentric arenas: the interior of the body, the seat of thoughts and emotions, and the center or midst of a social group, land, or event. The word’s concrete sense of “internal organs” readily expands to the figurative “inner life” and to the spatial “midst,” so that the heart of a person and the heart of a nation are both described with the same term. Approximately two-hundred-twenty-seven occurrences testify to its breadth and theological weight. Physical Interior In early narrative and legal texts קֶרֶב describes literal anatomy: • Exodus 29:13 “Take all the fat that covers the entrails…” Such usage anchors sacrificial ritual in the reality of bodily life; the innards are offered to God because “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). The term can also mark the womb (Ruth 1:11; Isaiah 48:9), highlighting God’s sovereignty over conception and birth. Inner Person and Emotions From the physical “inside” the word moves naturally to the moral and psychological “inside.” Psalm 51:6 confesses, “Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” Joy (Psalm 103:1), pain (Lamentations 1:20), turmoil (Psalm 55:4-5), and deceit (Jeremiah 9:5) can all reside in the קֶרֶב. Because God “tests the mind and the heart” (Psalm 7:9), the integrity of the believer’s inner life is indispensable to covenant faithfulness. The Midst of the Community קֶרֶב frequently marks the center of corporate life. Deuteronomy repeats the expression “in your midst” to underscore Israel’s obligation to purge idolatry (Deuteronomy 13:5), care for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 24:14), and maintain ceremonial purity (Deuteronomy 23:14). The same vocabulary can describe national crisis: “There will be an outcry in the midst of Egypt” (Isaiah 19:2). Whether blessing or judgment, what happens “in the midst” defines the identity of the people. Divine Presence Perhaps the most theologically charged usage is God’s declaration to dwell “in the midst” of His covenant community: • Exodus 25:8 “Make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them.” The tabernacle and temple visualize this promise, with the Holy of Holies at the literal and symbolic center. Later prophets reaffirm the reality: “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty Savior” (Zephaniah 3:17). The intimacy of divine presence carries both comfort and accountability: holiness is demanded because the Holy One resides within (Deuteronomy 23:14). Covenant Faithfulness and Judgment The same centrality that confers blessing also intensifies judgment when sin festers. “Disaster will come upon you; you will not know from where it rises, and calamity will fall upon you in an instant” (Isaiah 47:11). Ezekiel announces that sword, famine, and pestilence will strike “in the midst” of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:12). Removing sin from the center becomes a recurring prophetic burden. Prophetic and Eschatological Hope The future hope of a purified, restored people is likewise framed with קֶרֶב: • Jeremiah 31:33 “I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” Divine indwelling shifts from tabernacle to heart, prefiguring the new covenant ministry of the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:27). Wisdom and Instruction Proverbs connects internal disposition to outward conduct: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being” (Proverbs 20:27). Internalized wisdom safeguards life (Proverbs 4:21-22) and guards against adultery (Proverbs 7:5). By urging truth and mercy to be bound “around your neck” and written “on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3), the sage roots righteousness in the קֶרֶב. Messianic Foreshadowing Psalm 40:6-8 (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10) places messianic obedience “within” the Servant: “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” The incarnate Son dwells “in the midst” of humanity (John 1:14), fulfills the promise of God’s presence (Matthew 1:23), and stands “in the midst of the lampstands” to shepherd His churches (Revelation 1:13). Practical Ministry Implications 1. Personal holiness: Because God’s throne is established in the believer’s heart (1 Corinthians 3:16), ministers call believers to cultivate purity in the קֶרֶב. Intercanonical Connections The Greek ἔντος (“within”) and μέσος (“midst”) carry forward the resonance of קֶרֶב. Jesus warns the Pharisees that greed and wickedness are “within” (Luke 11:39) and promises that “where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). Paul prays that Christ may dwell “in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17), sealing the trajectory from the tabernacle’s center to the church’s inner life. In sum, קֶרֶב unites body and soul, individual and community, present and eschaton. It invites believers to welcome the Lord at the deepest level, to keep His Word at the center, and to manifest His holy presence to the ends of the earth. Forms and Transliterations בְּ֝קֶ֗רֶב בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֔ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֙ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֣ בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם בְּקִרְבִּ֑י בְּקִרְבִּ֔י בְּקִרְבִּ֗י בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ בְּקִרְבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבֵּ֑נוּ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בְּקִרְבֶּ֔ךָ בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃ בְּקִרְבָּ֑הּ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ בְּקִרְבָּ֔ם בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃ בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ בְּקִרְבּ֖וֹ בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ בְּקֶ֖רֶב בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ בְּקֶ֣רֶב בְּקֶ֤רֶב בְּקֶ֥רֶב בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ בְקִרְבְּךָ֙ בְקִרְבִּ֖י בְקִרְבִּ֗י בְקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ בְקִרְבֵּ֣נוּ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ בְקִרְבָּהּ֙ בְקִרְבּ֜וֹ בְקֶ֤רֶב בְקֶֽרֶב־ בקרב בקרב־ בקרבה בקרבה׃ בקרבו בקרבו׃ בקרבי בקרבי׃ בקרבך בקרבך׃ בקרבכם בקרבם בקרבם׃ בקרבנו הַקֶּ֔רֶב הַקֶּ֖רֶב הַקֶּ֗רֶב הַקֶּ֥רֶב הַקֶּֽרֶב׃ הַקֶּרֶב֒ הקרב הקרב׃ וְהַקֶּ֥רֶב וְקִרְבִּ֖י וְקִרְבּ֖וֹ וְקִרְבּ֥וֹ וְקֶ֥רֶב וּ֝בְקִרְבָּ֗ם וּ֝בְקִרְבּ֗וֹ וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ וּבְקֶ֥רֶב ובקרב ובקרבו ובקרבם והקרב וקרב וקרבו וקרבי מִֽקִּרְבְּכֶֽם׃ מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ מִקִּרְבֵּ֗ךְ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָ מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ מִקִּרְבָּ֑הּ מִקִּרְבָּ֔ם מִקִּרְבּ֣וֹ מִקִּרְבּֽוֹ׃ מִקֶּ֖רֶב מִקֶּ֙רֶב֙ מִקֶּ֣רֶב מִקֶּ֥רֶב מקרב מקרבה מקרבו מקרבו׃ מקרבך מקרבך׃ מקרבכם׃ מקרבם קְ֝רָבַ֗י קִרְבֶּ֔נָה קִרְבֶּ֗נָה קִרְבָּ֤ם קִרְבָּ֪ם קִרְבּ֖וֹ קִרְבּֽוֹ׃ קִרְבּוֹ֙ קרבו קרבו׃ קרבי קרבם קרבנה bə·qe·reḇ ḇə·qe·reḇ ḇə·qe·reḇ- bə·qir·bāh ḇə·qir·bāh bə·qir·bām bə·qir·be·ḵā bə·qir·bə·ḵā ḇə·qir·bə·ḵā bə·qir·bə·ḵem bə·qir·bê·nū ḇə·qir·bê·nū bə·qir·bêḵ ḇə·qir·bêḵ bə·qir·bî ḇə·qir·bî bə·qir·bōw ḇə·qir·bōw beKerev bekirBah bekirBam bekirBech bekirbeCha bekirbeChem bekirBenu bekirBi bekirBo bekirbov bəqereḇ ḇəqereḇ ḇəqereḇ- bəqirbāh ḇəqirbāh bəqirbām bəqirbêḵ ḇəqirbêḵ bəqirbeḵā bəqirbəḵā ḇəqirbəḵā bəqirbəḵem bəqirbênū ḇəqirbênū bəqirbî ḇəqirbî bəqirbōw ḇəqirbōw hakkeRev haq·qe·reḇ haqqereḇ keraVai kirBam kirBenah kirBo mikKerev mikkirBah mikkirBam mikkirBech mikkirBecha MikkirbeChem mikkirBo miq·qe·reḇ miq·qir·bāh miq·qir·bām miq·qir·be·ḵā miq·qir·bə·ḵā miq·qir·bə·ḵem miq·qir·bêḵ miq·qir·bōw miqqereḇ miqqirbāh miqqirbām miqqirbêḵ miqqirbeḵā miqqirbəḵā miqqirbəḵem miqqirbōw qə·rā·ḇay qərāḇay qir·bām qir·be·nāh qir·bōw qirbām qirbenāh qirbōw ū·ḇə·qe·reḇ ū·ḇə·qir·bām ū·ḇə·qir·bōw ūḇəqereḇ ūḇəqirbām ūḇəqirbōw uveKerev uvekirBam uvekirBo vehakKerev vekerev vekirBah vekirBech vekirbeCha vekirBenu vekirBi vekirBo wə·haq·qe·reḇ wə·qe·reḇ wə·qir·bî wə·qir·bōw wəhaqqereḇ wəqereḇ wəqirbî wəqirbōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 18:12 HEB: וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַחֲרֵ֤י NAS: laughed to herself, saying, KJV: laughed within herself, saying, INT: laughed Sarah to herself saying After Genesis 18:24 Genesis 24:3 Genesis 25:22 Genesis 41:21 Genesis 41:21 Genesis 45:6 Genesis 48:16 Exodus 3:20 Exodus 8:22 Exodus 10:1 Exodus 12:9 Exodus 17:7 Exodus 23:21 Exodus 23:25 Exodus 29:13 Exodus 29:17 Exodus 29:22 Exodus 31:14 Exodus 33:3 Exodus 33:5 Exodus 34:9 Exodus 34:10 Exodus 34:12 Leviticus 1:9 227 Occurrences |
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