כְּרֵשׂ

כְּרֵשׂ

the paunch or belly (as swelling out)

Definition

The Hebrew noun כְּרֵשׂ (kᵉrês) refers specifically to the belly or paunch, particularly emphasizing its rounded, swollen, or protruding shape. It is used metaphorically in its sole biblical occurrence to depict an enemy as a voracious monster that has consumed and filled its belly with its prey. The word carries a visceral, physical connotation of a body cavity that can be filled to capacity, often with a negative or violent implication.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Jeremiah 51:34. Here, the prophet Jeremiah, speaking for personified Israel, describes King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as a 'monster' who has 'filled his belly' (כְּרֵשׂוֹ, kᵉrêsô) with the people of Jerusalem, likening the act of conquest to a beast devouring its meal. This singular usage is highly poetic and metaphorical, employing the physical image of a distended stomach to convey the totality and violence of the Babylonian conquest.

Etymology

The word כְּרֵשׂ (kᵉrês) is considered a by-form or variation of the root קָרַס (qāras, H7164), which means 'to stoop' or 'bend down.' This etymological connection suggests the concept of a rounded, bulging, or curved shape, which aptly describes the protrusion of the belly. The development of meaning moved from the physical action of bending to the noun describing a body part that curves outward.

Semantic Range

While כְּרֵשׂ itself is a physical term, its powerful metaphorical use in Jeremiah 51:34 provides significant theological imagery. It portrays divine judgment and the suffering of God's people through the lens of a predator consuming its victim. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of this prophecy by highlighting the raw, dehumanizing nature of the exile experience, which is later contrasted with God's promise of justice and restoration for Israel and judgment on Babylon (Jeremiah 51:44). In the ancient Near Eastern context, the belly or stomach was commonly associated with appetite, consumption, and even the seat of emotions. Describing a conqueror as one who 'fills his belly' draws on a widespread cultural metaphor for ruthless, insatiable greed and destructive power. This imagery would have been immediately understood by the original audience as a depiction of complete and violent domination. בֶּטֶן (beṭen, H990) — A more common, general term for 'belly,' 'womb,' or 'inner parts,' often used in a wider range of contexts, including pregnancy and as the seat of emotion. כְּרֵשׂ is a rarer, more graphically physical term for a swollen or filled belly.

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