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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's H4578 - mēʿê

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מֵעֶה
Transliteration
mēʿê
Pronunciation
may-aw'
Listen
Part of Speech
masculine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
From an unused root probably meaning to be soft
Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 1227a

Strong’s Definitions

מֵעֶה mêʻeh, may-aw'; 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 extension the stomach, the uterus (or of men, the seat of generation), the heart (figuratively):—belly, bowels, × heart, womb.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 32x

The KJV translates Strong's H4578 in the following manner: bowels (27x), belly (3x), heart (1x), womb (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 32x
The KJV translates Strong's H4578 in the following manner: bowels (27x), belly (3x), heart (1x), womb (1x).

  1. internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly

    1. inward parts

    2. digestive organs

    3. organs of procreation, womb

    4. place of emotions or distress or love (fig.)

    5. external belly

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
מֵעֶה mêʻeh, may-aw'; 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 extension the stomach, the uterus (or of men, the seat of generation), the heart (figuratively):—belly, bowels, × heart, womb.
STRONGS H4578: Abbreviations
† [מֵעֶה] noun masculineIsaiah 16:11 only plural internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic H4577 מְעָא, מַעֲיָא, bdb058804, bdb058805; Arabic bdb058806; Ethiopic bdb058807; — on form compare LagBN 156 BaZMG xiii. 1888, 345); — plural [מֵעִים] construct מְעֵי Psalm 71:6 + 3 times; suffix מֵעַי 2 Samuel 16:11 + 9 times, מֵעָ֑י Psalm 22:15; Psalm 40:9; מֵעֶיךָ Genesis 15:4 + 6 times; מֵעַיִךְ Genesis 25:23; Numbers 5:22; מֵעָיו 2 Samuel 20:10 + 5 times; מֵעֵיהֶם Ezekiel 7:19; —
1. literally:
a. אַ֫רְצָה מֵעָיו וַיִּשְׁפֹּךְ 2 Samuel 20:10 and he poured out his inward parts on the ground (through a wound); compare מ׳ מַחֲלֵה 2 Chronicles 21:15, 18, מ׳ יָֽצְאוּ 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 מ׳ 2 Chronicles 32:21.
3. = womb, יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ מִמֵּעַיִח לְאֻמִּים שְׁנֵי 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.

See related Aramaic BDB entry H4577.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs

Genesis

15:4; 15:4; 25:23; 25:23

Numbers

5:22; 5:22

Ruth

1:11

2 Samuel

7:12; 16:11; 16:11; 20:10; 20:10

2 Chronicles

21:15; 21:15; 21:18; 21:19; 32:21

Job

20:14; 30:27

Psalms

22:15; 22:15; 40:9; 40:9; 71:6; 71:6

Song of Songs

5:4; 5:14

Isaiah

16:11; 16:11; 48:19; 49:1; 63:15

Jeremiah

4:19; 31:20

Lamentations

1:20; 2:11

Ezekiel

3:3; 7:19; 7:19

Jonah

2:1; 2:2

H4578

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Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number H4578 matches the Hebrew מֵעֶה (mēʿê),
which occurs 32 times in 30 verses in the WLC Hebrew.

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Unchecked Copy BoxGen 15:4

Unchecked Copy BoxGen 15:4 - And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come out of thee shall be thine heir.

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Unchecked Copy BoxGen 25:23

Unchecked Copy BoxGen 25:23 - And the Lord said to her, There are two nations in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly, and one people shall excel the other, and the [fn]elder shall serve the younger.

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Unchecked Copy BoxNum 5:22

Unchecked Copy BoxNum 5:22 - and this water bringing the curse shall enter into thy womb to cause thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot. And the woman shall say, So be it, So be it.

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Unchecked Copy BoxRth 1:11

Unchecked Copy BoxRth 1:11 - And Noemin said, Return now, my daughters; and why do ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands?

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Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 7:12

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 7:12 - And it shall come to pass when thy days shall have been fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, even thine own issue, and I will establish his kingdom.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 16:11

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 16:11 - And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 20:10

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 20:10 - And Amessai observed not the dagger that was in the hand of Joab: and Joab smote him with it on the loins, and his [fn]bowels were shed out upon the ground, and he did not repeat the blow, and he died: and Joab and Abessai his brother pursued after Sabee the son of Bochori.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:15

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:15 - and thou shalt be afflicted with a grievous disease, with a disease of the bowels, until thy bowels shall fall out day by day with the sickness.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:18

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:18 - And after all these things the Lord smote him in the bowels with an incurable disease.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:19

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 21:19 - And it continued from day to day: and when the time of the days came to two years, his bowels fell out with the disease, and he died by a grievous distemper: and his people performed no funeral, like the funeral of his fathers.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 32:21

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 32:21 - And the Lord sent an angel, and he destroyed every mighty man and warrior, and leader and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria: and he returned with shame of face to his own land and came into the house of his god: and some of them that came out of his bowels slew him with the sword.

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Unchecked Copy BoxJob 20:14

Unchecked Copy BoxJob 20:14 - yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

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Unchecked Copy BoxJob 30:27

Unchecked Copy BoxJob 30:27 - My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.

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Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 22:14

Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 22:14 - (LXX 21:15) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax.

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Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 40:8

Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 40:8 - (LXX 39:9) I desired to do thy will, O my God, and thy law in the midst of mine heart.

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Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 71:6

Unchecked Copy BoxPsa 71:6 - (LXX 70:6) On thee have I been stayed from the womb: from the belly of my mother thou art my protector: of thee is my [fn]praise continually.

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Unchecked Copy BoxSng 5:4

Unchecked Copy BoxSng 5:4 - My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole of the door, and my belly was moved for him.

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Unchecked Copy BoxSng 5:14

Unchecked Copy BoxSng 5:14 - His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.

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Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 16:11

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 16:11 - Therefore my belly shall sound as a harp for Moab, and [fn]thou hast repaired my inward parts as a wall.

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Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 48:19

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 48:19 - Thy seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of thy belly as the dust of the ground: neither now shalt thou by any means be utterly destroyed, neither shall thy name perish before me.

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Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 49:1

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 49:1 - Hearken to me, ye islands; and attend, ye Gentiles; after a long time it shall come to pass, saith the Lord: from my mother's womb he has called my name:

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Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 63:15

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 63:15 - Turn from heaven, and look from thy holy habitation and from thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength? where is the abundance of thy mercy and of thy compassions, that thou hast withholden thyself from us?

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Unchecked Copy BoxJer 4:19

Unchecked Copy BoxJer 4:19 - I am pained in my bowels, my bowels, and the sensitive powers of my heart; my soul is in great commotion, my heart is torn: I will not be silent, for my soul has heard the sound of a trumpet, the cry of war, and of distress: it calls on destruction;

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Unchecked Copy BoxJer 31:20

Unchecked Copy BoxJer 31:20 - (LXX 38:20) Ephraim is a beloved son, a pleasing child to me: for because my words are in him, I will surely remember him: therefore I made haste to help him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLam 1:20

Unchecked Copy BoxLam 1:20 - Rhechs. Behold, O Lord; for I am afflicted: my belly is troubled, and my heart is turned within me; for I have been grievously rebellious: abroad the sword has bereaved me, even as death at home.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLam 2:11

Unchecked Copy BoxLam 2:11 - Chaph. Mine eyes have failed with tears, my heart is troubled, my glory is cast down to the ground, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; while the infant and suckling swoon in the streets of the city.

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Unchecked Copy BoxEze 3:3

Unchecked Copy BoxEze 3:3 - thy mouth shall eat, and thy belly shall be filled with this volume that is given to thee. So I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet honey.

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Unchecked Copy BoxEze 7:19

Unchecked Copy BoxEze 7:19 - Their silver shall be cast forth in the streets, and their gold shall be despised: their souls shall not be satisfied, and their bellies shall not be filled: for it was the punishment of their iniquities.

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Unchecked Copy BoxJon 1:17

Unchecked Copy BoxJon 1:17 - (LXX 2:1) Now the Lord had commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.

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Unchecked Copy BoxJon 2:1

Unchecked Copy BoxJon 2:1 - (LXX 2:2) And Jonas prayed to the Lord his God out of the belly of the whale,
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