Bible Word Study
לְבַב
lᵉbab · null
לְבַב
Definition
In biblical Aramaic, לְבַב (lᵉbab) is the primary word for 'heart,' representing the inner person—the center of intellect, will, and emotion. It denotes the mind and understanding, as seen when God reveals secrets to Daniel for the purpose of making known the king's thoughts (Daniel 2:30). It also signifies the seat of volition and character, describing a person's pride or arrogance when it is 'made strong' (Daniel 5:20). In its six occurrences, it consistently refers to the core of a being, whether human or, symbolically, animal (Daniel 7:4).
Biblical Usage
This word appears exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. It is used in narratives about Babylonian kings to describe their inner state—their thoughts, intentions, and pride. For example, it describes the mind to which divine revelation is given (Daniel 2:30), the heart that is humbled by God (Daniel 4:16), and the hardened heart of Belshazzar that led to his downfall (Daniel 5:20-22). The pattern shows it is a key term for the internal moral and mental condition of rulers under God's judgment.
Etymology
לְבַב is the Aramaic cognate (corresponding word) to the Hebrew noun לֵבָב (lēbāb, H3824). Both words derive from a common Semitic root (L-B-B) for 'heart.' In Aramaic, it functions identically to its Hebrew counterpart, covering the same range of meanings related to the inner person. Its usage in the biblical text reflects the linguistic context of the Babylonian court where Aramaic was spoken.
Semantic Range
This term is theologically significant as it bridges Hebrew and Aramaic revelation, showing that the concept of the 'heart' as the center of human personality and accountability to God is consistent across the biblical languages. In Daniel, the state of the king's 'heart' directly relates to themes of divine sovereignty, judgment, and humility. Understanding that לְבַב encompasses mind, will, and character enriches reading by showing that God's dealings with pagan rulers concern their entire inner being, not just outward actions. In the ancient Near East, the 'heart' was universally understood as the seat of thought, feeling, and decision-making—more akin to the modern concept of 'mind' or 'inner self' than solely the organ or emotions. In the Aramaic court setting of Daniel, this concept was shared, allowing the biblical author to communicate profound truths about human nature and divine intervention in terms the culture understood. לֵב (lēb, H3820) — The more common Hebrew word for 'heart,' with an identical semantic range of mind, will, and emotions.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]