Belly

is the seat of the carnal affections, according to the notions of the ancients,^f1 as being that which partakes first of the sensual pleasures of meat, drink, and venereal appetites; and therefore the Egyptians, in the embalming of a man, threw his belly into the river, as the cause of all his sins, that it might, as it were, take them away with it.^f2

The Oneirocritics understand the symbol of belly, con­cerning the family and riches of a man, chaps. 79, 149, 113, 137; but Artemidorus, speaking of the parts about the loins and navel, observes, that if they suffer any thing, it portends diseases and want, lib. 1. c. 45. It is ex­pressive of the mind or understanding, as in Job 32:19; Joh 7:38; Eze 3:3; Rev 10:9-10. It denotes the family and riches of a man, as in Psa 17:14

For Bitterness in the Belly, see under BITTER.

F1 Philo Allegor. L. 2. p. 56, 58, 59. Apul. de Dogm. Platon.

F2 Porphyry de Abstin. L. 4. § 10.

is used in Scripture for gluttony, Tit 1:12; Php 3:16; Rom 16:18. For the heart, or the secrets of the mind, Pro 20:27; Pro 20:30; Pro 22:18. The “belly of hell” signifies the grave, or some imminent danger, or deep distress, Jon 2:2; Sir 2:5.

Among the Hebrews, and with most ancient nations, the belly was regarded as the seat of the carnal affections, as being, according to the notions of antiquity, that which first partakes of sensual pleasures (Tit 1:12; Php 3:19; Rom 16:18). It is used likewise symbolically for the heart, the innermost recesses of the soul (Pro 18:8; Pro 20:27; Pro 22:18). The embittering of the belly signifies all the train of evils which may come upon a man (Jer 4:19; Jer 9:15; comp. Num 5:27).

(usually בֶּטֶן, be’ten, κοιλία, especially the womb; also מֵעַים, meim’, γαστήρ, especially the bowels). Among the Hebrews and most ancient nations, the belly was regarded as the seat of the carnal affections, as being, according to their notions, that which first partakes of sensual pleasures (Tit 1:2; Php 3:9; Rom 16:18). It is used likewise symbolically for the heart, the innermost recesses of the soul (Pro 18:8; Pro 20:27; Pro 22:18). The expression embittering of the belly signifies all the train of evils which may come upon a man (Jer 4:19; Jer 9:15; comp. Num 18:27). The “belly of hell” signifies the grave, or the under world. It is a strong phrase to express Jonah’s dreadful condition in the deep (Jon 2:2).

bel´i: גּחון, gāḥōn = “the external abdomen” (Gen 3:14; Lev 11:42). קבה, ḳōbhāh = “the abdominal cavity” (Num 25:8 the American Standard Revised Version “body”). בּטן, beṭen = “the internal abdomen,” “the womb” (1Ki 7:20; Job 15:2, Job 15:35 the King James Version; Job 20:15, Job 20:23; Job 40:16; Psa 17:1-15, Psa 14:1-7; Pro 13:25; Pro 18:20; Jer 1:5; Eze 3:3); also figuratively “the internal regions,” “the body of anything” (Jon 2:2). מעה, mē‛eh = “intestines,” “abdomen” (Dan 2:32; Jon 1:17; Jon 2:1, Jon 2:2). In the New Testament κοιλία, koilı́a = “a cavity,” espec ially the abdominal (Mat 12:40; Mat 15:17; Mar 7:19); the seat of appetite and of the carnal affections (Rom 16:18; 1Co 6:13; Php 3:19; Rev 10:9, Rev 10:10); the innermost of the soul (the American Revised Version, margin Joh 7:38).

Job 15:2 (b) This figure represents those who live on gossip, tale-bearing and falsehood.

Psa 17:14 (b) The word is used to describe the innermost part of the soul which actually does feel a deep satisfaction and gratification for the blessings of life even though one does not acknowledge GOD, nor His claims.

Dan 2:32 (a) The word is used here to represent the third great world kingdom mentioned in Daniel’s image, Alexander the Great and his Grecian empire.

Joh 7:38 (b) The belly is that part of the bowels where the food, having been thoroughly mixed, saturated and changed by the juices of the digestive tract, passes through the bowel walls by the process of osmosis to be taken up by the lacteals to become blood. The Lord is telling us that what we take into our own souls, digest it, mingle and mix it with faith and trust, is ready to go forth to others and to bring the life-giving blessing to them. The ministry that we give out must first have become a very part of our own selves or else it will sound like tinkling cymbals.