Jump to: ATS • ISBE • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms Topical Encyclopedia The term "thigh" in the Bible is often used both literally and symbolically, appearing in various contexts throughout the Scriptures. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, the thigh was considered a symbol of strength and power, as well as a place of vulnerability. This duality is reflected in the biblical text.1. Literal Use: The thigh is mentioned in several passages in a literal sense, often in relation to physical descriptions or actions. For example, in Genesis 32:25, during Jacob's wrestling with the angel, it is noted, "When the man saw that He could not overpower Jacob, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled." Here, the dislocation of Jacob's thigh signifies a moment of divine intervention and transformation. 2. Oaths and Covenants: The thigh is also associated with the making of oaths and covenants. In Genesis 24:2-3, Abraham instructs his servant, "Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling." This act of placing a hand under the thigh was a solemn gesture, signifying the seriousness and binding nature of the oath. 3. Symbol of Reproduction and Legacy: The thigh is sometimes used as a euphemism for the reproductive organs, symbolizing progeny and legacy. In Genesis 46:26, the phrase "all the persons belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all" uses the Hebrew term "yarek," often translated as "thigh," to denote descendants. 4. Judgment and Punishment: The thigh is occasionally mentioned in contexts of judgment or punishment. In Numbers 5:21-22, the ritual of the bitter water for a suspected adulteress includes a curse that her "thigh will waste away and her abdomen will swell." This reflects the cultural understanding of the thigh as a place of vulnerability and the seat of one's strength being compromised as a form of divine judgment. 5. Symbolic Imagery: In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, the thigh can be part of symbolic imagery. Revelation 19:16 describes the victorious Christ, stating, "And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." This imagery emphasizes Christ's ultimate authority and power, with the thigh serving as a symbol of His rightful dominion. Throughout the Bible, the thigh serves as a multifaceted symbol, representing strength, vulnerability, covenant, and legacy. Its use in various contexts underscores the depth and richness of biblical language and the cultural significance of the body in ancient times. ATS Bible Dictionary ThighThe mode of taking an oath, alluded to in Genesis 24:2-9 47:29-31, was significant of the swearer's obligation to obedience. Jacob's thigh was disabled by the Angel, to show the patriarch that his prevalence was through his faith and prayer, not through force, Genesis 32:25-31. Smiting the thigh was a gesture of self-condemnation and grief, Jeremiah 31:19 Ezekiel 21:12. Warriors wore their swords upon the left thigh, unless left-handed in readiness for use, Jud 3:15-21 Psalm 45:3 So 3:8; so too they may have borne their names and titles, not only on their shields, but on their swords, or on the rove or mailed coat covering the thigh, Revelation 19:16. "Hip and thigh," Jud 15:8, seems to mean utterly and irrecoverably. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) The proximal segment of the hind limb between the knee and the trunk. See Femur.2. (n.) The coxa, or femur, of an insect. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia THIGHthi (yarekh; Aramaic yarekhah (Daniel 2:32); meros (Judith 9:2; Sirach 19:12; Revelation 19:16); as part of a sacrificial animal (Exodus 29:22, etc.) shoq, the King James Version, the Revised Version margin "shoulder"; in addition the King James Version has "thigh" for shoq in Isaiah 47:2 (the Revised Version (British and American) "leg")): The portion of the leg from the knee to the hip, against which a weapon hangs when suspended from the waist (Exodus 32:27 Judges 3:16, 21 Psalm 45:3, etc.). So the thigh of a rider on horseback would be covered by a loose girdle, on which his name might be embroidered (Revelation 19:16). The "hollow of the thigh" (Genesis 32:25) is the hip-socket or the groin. Greek 3382. meros -- the thigh ... meros. 3383 . the thigh. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: meros Phonetic Spelling: (may-ros') Short Definition: the thigh Definition: the thigh ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3382.htm - 6k Strong's Hebrew 3409. yarek -- thigh, loin, side, base... 3408, 3409. yarek. 3410 . thigh, loin, side, base. Transliteration: yarek Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-rake') Short Definition: thigh. ... /hebrew/3409.htm - 6k 3410. yarkah -- thigh, loin 5384. nasheh -- a vein (or nerve) in the thigh 6344. pachad -- thigh 7785. shoq -- a leg 3247. yesod -- foundation, base Library They all Hold Swords, Being Expert in War; Every Man Hath his ... King of Kings and Lord of Lords He Shows by the Example of Abraham that the Ancient Saints ... On the Words of the Gospel, John i. 48,"When Thou Wast under the ... Psalm XCIII. If, Therefore, Even they who are United in Marriage Only for the ... Psalm LXXIII. How those are to be Admonished who Sin from Sudden Impulse and ... Chapter xxiv Christ's Kingly Office Thesaurus Thigh (38 Occurrences)...THIGH. ... So the thigh of a rider on horseback would be covered by a loose girdle, on which his name might be embroidered (Revelation 19:16). ... /t/thigh.htm - 22k Thigh-vein (1 Occurrence) Heave-thigh (2 Occurrences) Hip (8 Occurrences) Waved (29 Occurrences) Hollow (35 Occurrences) Joint (12 Occurrences) Socket (5 Occurrences) Sinew (2 Occurrences) Swell (9 Occurrences) Resources Why did oaths involve putting a hand under someone's thigh (Genesis 24:9)? | GotQuestions.orgDid Jesus have a tattoo (Revelation 19:16)? | GotQuestions.org Who were Hophni and Phinehas? | GotQuestions.org Thigh: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Thigh (38 Occurrences)Revelation 19:16 Genesis 24:2 Genesis 24:9 Genesis 32:25 Genesis 32:31 Genesis 32:32 Genesis 46:26 Genesis 47:29 Exodus 1:5 Exodus 28:42 Exodus 29:22 Exodus 29:27 Exodus 32:27 Leviticus 7:32 Leviticus 7:33 Leviticus 7:34 Leviticus 8:25 Leviticus 8:26 Leviticus 9:21 Leviticus 10:14 Leviticus 10:15 Numbers 5:21 Numbers 5:22 Numbers 5:27 Numbers 6:20 Numbers 8:4 Numbers 18:18 Judges 3:16 Judges 3:21 Judges 15:8 1 Samuel 9:24 Psalms 45:3 Song of Songs 3:8 Isaiah 47:2 Jeremiah 31:19 Ezekiel 21:12 Ezekiel 24:4 Habakkuk 3:13 Subtopics Related Terms |