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    Heart

    לֵב (lev)

    The center of a person — the seat of mind, will, emotions, and spiritual life.

    Hebrew
    Strong's H3820
    Pronunciation: LEHV
    Quick Answer

    Lev is the Hebrew word for heart, referring not to the physical organ but to the total inner person — the center of thought, will, emotion, and moral character. The heart is where relationship with God either flourishes or fails.

    "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." — Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

    Key Verses

    Proverbs 4:23

    “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
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    Jeremiah 17:9

    “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
    Read in context

    Ezekiel 36:26

    “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
    Read in context

    Strong's Concordance

    Strong's H3820 — Heart (לֵב (lev))

    Browse the full lexicon entry and every KJV verse where לֵב (lev) appears.

    Open Strong's H3820

    Etymology and Original Meaning

    Lev (also levav) means 'heart' — but in Hebrew thought, the heart is far more than the seat of emotions. It is the center of the entire inner person: thinking, reasoning, choosing, feeling, and relating to God. When the Bible says 'heart,' it means the real you — the core of personhood from which everything else flows.

    The Heart in the Old Testament

    Solomon asked for a 'wise and understanding heart' (1 Kings 3:12) — wisdom was a heart quality. The Shema commands loving God 'with all thine heart' (Deuteronomy 6:5) — total devotion. Proverbs warns, 'Keep thy heart with all diligence' (Proverbs 4:23). The heart is the command center of life: what controls the heart controls the person.

    The Problem of the Heart

    Jeremiah's diagnosis is devastating: 'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked' (Jeremiah 17:9). Sin is ultimately a heart problem — not merely wrong behavior but a corrupted center. The flood came because 'every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually' (Genesis 6:5). External compliance without heart change is hypocrisy.

    The New Heart

    God's solution is radical surgery: 'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart... and I will give you an heart of flesh' (Ezekiel 36:26). This is regeneration — God replacing the corrupted core with a responsive, Spirit-filled heart. The new covenant is written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33), not on stone tablets.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does heart mean in the Bible?

    Heart (lev) is the center of the inner person — encompassing mind, will, emotions, and moral character. It is the command center from which all of life flows (Proverbs 4:23).

    What is the new heart God promises?

    In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises to replace the 'stony heart' (hardened by sin) with a 'heart of flesh' (responsive to Him). This is spiritual regeneration — a new core that desires and delights in God's ways.

    Which Bible verse uses the word "Heart"?

    Proverbs 4:23 — "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (KJV). It also appears in Jeremiah 17:9, Ezekiel 36:26.

    Why does the Hebrew word behind "Heart" matter?

    Lev (also levav) means 'heart' — but in Hebrew thought, the heart is far more than the seat of emotions. English uses one word, "Heart", where the Hebrew לֵב (lev) carries the fuller sense: the center of a person — the seat of mind, will, emotions, and spiritual life.

    Related Words

    Soul
    Spirit
    Wisdom
    Love (Ahavah)

    Related Reading

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    Word Meaning

    Heart (לֵב (lev))

    The center of a person — the seat of mind, will, emotions, and spiritual life.

    Strong's

    Strong's H3820 — Heart

    לֵב (lev) • The center of a person — the seat of mind, will, emotions, and spiritual life.

    Word Meaning

    Guard/Keep (שָׁמַר (Shamar))

    To guard, keep, watch over, or protect with careful attention.

    Strong's

    Strong's H8104 — Guard/Keep

    שָׁמַר (Shamar) • To guard, keep, watch over, or protect with careful attention.

    Dream Meaning

    Biblical Meaning of Blood in a Dream (KJV)

    Life, atonement, and covenant with God.

    Dream Meaning

    Biblical Meaning of Wine in a Dream (KJV)

    Joy, covenant, and — in excess — a warning.

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