What Heart Means in the Bible

In Plain English

In the Bible the heart is your inner self: your thoughts, will, and feelings. It's the real you that God wants.

What It Means

The center of human personality, mind, will, and emotions together. In Hebrew thought, the heart is not just feelings but the core of who you are, where decisions are made and character is formed.

What We Usually Mean By It

Emotions or the blood-pumping organ

Word Origin

From a root meaning 'inner person, center.' The heart encompasses intellect, will, and emotions, the command center of human existence.

What English Loses

The Hebrew word 'לֵב' (lev) encompasses much more than the English 'heart.' It includes the mind, emotions, will, and inner self. In biblical Hebrew, 'lev' is the seat of thought and intention, not just emotion. This holistic view means that actions and decisions are deeply connected to one's 'lev,' offering a more integrated understanding of human motivation and spirituality than the compartmentalized English concept of heart versus mind.

How It Is Used

In Hebrew, 'לֵב' typically functions as a noun and often appears in construct phrases, such as 'לֵב אֱנוֹשׁ' (lev enosh, 'heart of man'), indicating possession or association. The lack of an article can emphasize a universal or general quality, while its placement in a sentence often highlights its role as the subject or object, underscoring the centrality of inner life in biblical narratives.

Life in Biblical Times

In the ancient Near Eastern context, the 'lev' was seen as the center of not just emotional life but also intellectual and ethical decision-making. This reflects a worldview where inner thoughts and feelings were inseparable from one's actions and moral choices. Understanding 'lev' in this way highlights the biblical emphasis on integrity and the congruence between one's inner and outer life, resonating with ancient values of holistic living.

Why It Matters

God looks at the heart, not outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). The heart is deceitful and needs transformation (Jeremiah 17:9, Ezekiel 36:26). The new covenant promises hearts of flesh instead of stone.

How to Apply It

Above all else, guard your heart, it's the source of everything you do. What are you allowing into your heart? What needs to be guarded more carefully?

Did You Know?

The Hebrew word for heart (lev) appears over 850 times in the Old Testament, more than any other internal organ. The heart is central to biblical anthropology.

Key Passage

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

Related Words

Soul (nephesh), Spirit (ruach), Mind (sekel)