Job 19:17 — Word Study
WLCר֭וּחִֽי זָ֣רָה לְאִשְׁתִּ֑י וְ֝חַנֹּתִ֗י לִבְנֵ֥י בִטְנִֽי׃
BSAMy breathrûwach [spirit, the breath of life] is repulsivezûwr■ [strange, a stranger to] to my wifeʼishshâh [woman, female companion] and I am loathsomechânan■ [disgusting, an abomination] to my own familybên [children of my own body, sons of my mother's womb]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ר֭וּחִֽי | breath my | Noun common both singular construct, suffix |
| זָ֣רָה | it is loathsome | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| לְאִשְׁתִּ֑י | to wife my | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝חַנֹּתִ֗י | and I am repulsive | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect first person common singular |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | to [the] sons of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| בִטְנִֽי׃ | womb my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family. |
| KJV | My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body. |
| ASV | My breath is strange to my wife, And my supplication to the children of mine own mother. |
| YLT | My spirit is strange to my wife, And my favours to the sons of my [mother's] womb. |
| WEB | My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother. |
| BBE | My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body. |
The translations agree on the emotional weight of Job's feelings in this verse.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, highlighting Job's dual sense of rejection.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbזוּר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 19:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Lamentgenerated
Job 19:17 captures a moment of profound despair as Job articulates the emotional distance he feels from his wife and family. His breath, which symbolizes his life force, has become repulsive to his wife, indicating a deep relational fracture. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job grapples with his suffering and the perceived abandonment by those he loves, echoing themes of isolation and rejection found throughout the book of Job.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 2:9–10 | Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!” |
| 2 | Job 17:1 | “My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — ר֭וּחִֽי, Ru.chigenerated
The word רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. In this verse, it conveys Job's life force and its impact on his relationships.
Job's use of רוּחִֽי highlights his sense of despair; the very essence of his being has become a source of disgust to those around him. This reflects the depth of his suffering and the alienation he feels.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs זָ֣רָה and חַנֹּתִ֗י govern the main clauses of the verse, describing Job's feelings towards his wife and family. The structure emphasizes the relational estrangement Job experiences.
The sentence structure highlights Job's emotional state, with the subject 'my breath' leading to the descriptions of his relationships, reinforcing the impact of his suffering.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates ר֭וּחִֽי as μου (my), indicating a direct connection to Job's identity. This choice emphasizes the personal nature of Job's lament.
The Greek rendering captures the essence of Job's feelings of alienation, though it does not fully convey the emotional weight found in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 19:17 reveals Job's anguish as he feels that his breath is repulsive to his wife and that he is loathsome to his family. This verse captures the deep emotional pain and isolation he experiences during his suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing that his physical state, possibly due to illness, has made him undesirable to his wife, highlighting his feelings of alienation.
Job's suffering and the misfortunes he faces lead him to believe that his family sees him as an outcast, further deepening his sense of isolation.
This verse encapsulates Job's profound sense of loss and rejection, themes that permeate his speeches throughout the book.
Job's candid expression of his emotions invites readers to acknowledge and articulate their own feelings of pain and isolation.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt alienated from those I love, and how can I address those feelings?
- How can I support someone who is experiencing deep emotional pain like Job?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of relationships during times of suffering?
- How can I cultivate empathy for those who are feeling rejected or loathsome?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of Job's lament highlight the significance of his feelings of alienation, as seen in the writings of Gregory the Dialogist.
My wife shuddered at my breath. What does the 'wife' of the Lord mean save the Synagogue, subject to Him in the Covenant of the Law with a carnal perception? Now the breath is from the flesh,Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 19:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMy breath is strange to my wife,.... Being corrupt and unsavoury, through some internal disorder; see Job 17:1; so that she could not bear to come nigh him, to do any kind deed for him; but if this
Read John Gill on Job 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMy breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. Strange.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 19 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo my wife; who by reason of the stink of my breath and sores denied me her company. For the children’ s sake of mine own body; by these pledges of our mutual and matrimonial tie and affection, the children which came out of my loins, and were begotten by me upon her body. But divers render the words thus, and I entreated the children of my own body, i.e. either some of Job’ s younger children, who by reason of their tender years were kept at home with their father, when their elder brethren and sisters were gone abroad to the feast; or some of his grandchildren by those grown sons and daughters; for such also oft come under the name of children. But this sense seems not so proper, partly…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 19 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 19:17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’ s [sake] of mine own body.Ver. 17. My breath is strange to my wife] The corruption of his inwards (besides the noisomeness of his outward ulcers) made his breath strong and unwholesome. This his wife (as did that Roman lady, who said she thought all men’ s breath as unsavoury as her husband’ s was), should have borne with, in a time of sickness especially, when she should have shown herself a help, and not a heartbreak, to her husband. Famous in our chronicles is the Lady Eleanor, wife to Prince Edward (afterwards Edward I), who extracted the poison out of her husband’ s wounds with her tongue, licking daily…
Read John Trapp on Job 19 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.—Rather, and so is my affection or kindness (see Psalms 77:10, where the same word occurs) to the children of my mother’s womb, i.e., my brethren. Others render, I am become offensive to, &c.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 19 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Though I entreated for the children's sake of mine own body.] This may imply no more than adjuring her by the tenderest ties, by their affectionate intercourse, and consequently by the children which had been the seals of their mutual affection, though these children were no more. But the mention of his children in this place may intimate that he had still some remaining; that there might have been young ones, who, not being of a proper age to attend the festival of their elder brothers and sisters, escaped that sad catastrophe. The Septuagint have, Προσεκαλουμηνδεκολακευωνυἰουςπαλλακιδωνμου, "I affectionately entreated the children of my concubines." But there is no ground in…
Read AdamClarke on Job 19 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. Once more, if possible an acuter misery—he is become intolerable to those most dear to him. though I intreated] Perhaps, and I am loathsome to the children of—. The word as known in Heb. means to be gracious to, to pity (Job 19:21), in the simple form (here), and to seek favour to oneself, or beseech, in the reflexive (Job 19:16), but the simple form has nowhere the meaning of “beseech” or entreat. The Arab. has a root of the same spelling, which means to smell badly, to stink,—a sense parallel to the meaning of the first clause, where “strange” means offensive. The last words of the verse “children of mine own body” are difficult; they mean literally, children of my womb. The word…
Read Cambridge on Job 19 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMy breath is strange to my wife - Schultens renders this, “my breath is loathsome to my wife,” and so also Noyes.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 19 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
My breath is repulsive to my wife; I am loathsome to my brothers.
Tyndale line
My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
My breath is strange to my wife, And my supplication to the children of mine own mother.
My breath is strange to my wife, and my supplication to the children of my mother’s womb.
My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children's sake of my own body.
My breath was strange vnto my wife, though I prayed her for the childrens sake of mine owne body.
Strictly literal
My breath is strange to my wife, and my entreaties to the children of my [mother's] womb.
My spirit is strange to my wife, And my favours to the sons of my [mother's] womb.
My spirit is strange to my wife, || And my favors to the sons of my [mother’s] womb.
My breath is become nauseous to my wife, and my caressing, to the children of my own body.
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am even disgusting to those who were born from my mother's womb.
From the Latin
My wife hath abhorred my breath, and I entreated the children of my womb.
Simplified
I am repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own brothers.
My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show some alignment, with three of the six words matched. The Septuagint's translation reflects a different word order but conveys a similar meaning, emphasizing Job's emotional turmoil.
ר֭וּחִֽי זָ֣רָה לְאִשְׁתִּ֑י וְ֝חַנֹּתִ֗י לִבְנֵ֥י בִטְנִֽי׃
3 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 19:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.
רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit
breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
wind (117 t.)
spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
spirit of the living, breathing being
spirit as seat of emotion
occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
rarely of the will
רוּחַ esp. of moral character
spirit of God (94 t.)
base
H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
. wind (117 t.)
. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
. spirit of the living, breathing being
. spirit as seat of emotion
. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
. rarely of the will
. רוּחַ esp. of moral character
. spirit of God (94 t.)
7307 ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or
even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,
unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by
resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including
its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X
cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),
tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).
see HEBREW for 07306
רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.
: spirit
1) wind, breath, mind, spirit
1a) breath
1b) wind
1b1) of heaven
1b2) quarter (of wind), side
1b3) breath of air
1b4) air, gas
1b5) vain, empty thing
1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)
1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour
1c2) courage
1c3) temper, anger
1c4) impatience, patience
1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)
1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse
1c7) prophetic spirit
1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)
1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being
1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)
1e1) desire
1e2) sorrow, trouble
1f) spirit
1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts
1f2) rarely of the will
1f3) as seat especially of moral character
N-cs | Suff — Noun common both singular construct · suffixHNcbsc/Sp1fs
זוּר (zuwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be a stranger or to become estranged. It can describe a person as strange or foreign, and it also has connotations of loathsomeness. The word can refer to committing adultery or being alienated, with its usage found in contexts involving estrangement or foreignness.
[זוּר] vb. be a stranger
Qal
Pf. become estranged
Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
Niph. Pf. be estranged
Hoph. Pt. estranged
H2114a זוּר be a stranger .. Pf. become estranged
. Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
. Pf. be estranged
. Pt. estranged
H2114b זוּר, זִיר be loathsome
2114 zuwr zoor
a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging);
hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically
(active participle) to commit adultery:--(come from) another
(man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).
זוּר (zur) — be a stranger.
1) to be strange, be a stranger
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become estranged
1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle)
1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton)
1b) (Niphal) to be estranged
1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated
זוּר (zur) — be loathsome.
loathsome (of breath) (participle)
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.
אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female
woman
Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
Female of animals
With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
base
H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman
. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
. Female of animals
. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
802 'ishshah ish-shaw'
feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym
{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as
582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,
one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
see HEBREW for 0376
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0582
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.
: woman
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.
: wife/widow
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.
: another
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
חָנַן (chanan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to show favor or be gracious. It encompasses various forms, including being pitied, directing favor, and seeking favor through imploration. The word can also mean to be loathsome, as noted in Job 19:17. The lexicons provide a range of uses, primarily focusing on kindness and mercy.
חָנַן vb. shew favour, be gracious
Qal favour, shew favour
Niph. be pitied
Po‛el direct favour to
Hoph. be shewn favour, consideration
H2603a חָנַן shew favour, be gracious .favour, shew favour
. be pitied
.direct favour to
. be shewn favour, consideration
. seek or implore favour
H2603b חָנַן be loathsome
2603 chanan khaw-nan'
a primitive root (compare 2583); properly, to bend or stoop
in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to
implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):--beseech, X fair,
(be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant
(gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on,
upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, X very.
see HEBREW for 02583
חָנַן (cha.nan) — be gracious.
1) to be gracious, show favour, pity
1a) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious
1b) (Niphal) to be pitied
1c) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious
1d) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on
1e) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration
1f) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour
חָנַן (cha.nan) — be loathsome.
to be loathsome
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect first person common singularHc/Vqq1cs
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
See SON, SONS.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word בֶּ֫טֶן (*beten*) primarily means 'belly,' 'body,' or 'womb.' It is derived from a root suggesting hollowness and encompasses various uses, including the physical abdomen and metaphorical meanings, such as the seat of hunger or mental faculties. The lexicons consistently highlight these aspects without significant disagreement.
בֶּ֫טֶן n.f. belly, body, womb
base
H990 בֶּ֫טֶן belly, body, womb
990 beten beh'-ten
from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly,
especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything:--
belly, body, + as they be born, + within, womb.
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: abdomen.
: abdomen
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: womb.
: womb/pregnancy
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: hump.
: hump
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: body.
: body
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
HNcfsc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs