Tongue (Body and Speech)

שָׂפָה176 n.f. [m. Ex 28:32, edge, cf. AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 76], lip, speech, edge;—abs. שׂ׳ Gn 11:1 +, cstr. שְׂפַת v 7 +; sf. שְׂפָתוֹ 1 K 7:23 +, etc.; oftener du. שְׂפָתַיִם Is 6:5 +, cstr. שִׂפְתֵי ψ 12:4 +; sf. שְׂפָתַי Je 17:16 +, sf. 3 mpl. שְׂפָתֵימוֹ ψ 59:13; 140:4, 10, etc.; pl. (poet. and late) cstr. שִׂפְתוֹת Ec 10:12, sf. שִׂפְתוֹתֶיךָ etc. ψ 45:3; 59:8 Is 59:3 Ct 4:3, 11; 5:13;— 1. lip: a. usually (c. 108 times) human organ of speech (often ‖ פֶּה לָשׁוֹן, rarely [only late poetry] חֵךְ: 10 times Jb; 25 times ψψ; 45 times Pr): (1) Is 29:13 Lv 5:4 (P), Jb 13:6 Mal 2:6 ψ 12:5 Pr 5:3 +; דַּל שׂ׳ ψ 141:3 (v. דָּל); אִישׁ שׂ׳ Jb 11:2 = a talker, אֱוִיל שׂ׳ Pr 10:8 = one talking folly, so v 10 (MT; but v. Toy); טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם Is 6:5(×2) cf. v 7 Dn 10:16; עֲרַל שׂ׳ Ex 6:12, 30 (P; unskilled in speech); עִקֵּשׁ שׂ׳ Pr 19:1; פֹּתֶה שׂ׳ 20:19 v. [פָּתָה" dir="rtl" >פָּתָה]; מוֹצָא שׂ׳ i.e. utterance, Dt 23:24 Je 17:16 Nu 30:13 (P), ψ 89:35, רוּחַ שׂ׳ Is 11:4 (of Mess. kg.), דְּבַר שׂ׳ ψ 59:13 Pr 14:23 +, = mere, empty, word 2 K 18:20 = Is 36:5; תְּבוּאַת שׂ׳ Pr 18:20, נוב שׂ׳ Is 57:19 (thanksgiving), cf. Ho 14:3 𝔊𝔖 and most פְּרִי for פָּרִים); of flattery, חֵלֶק שׂ׳ Pr 7:21, שְׂפַת חֲלָקוֹת ψ 12:3, 4; cf. מִרְמָה" dir="rtl" >שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה ψ 17:1, שׂ׳ שֶׁקֶר 31:9 + 4 times, שְׂפַת אָוֶן Pr 17:4; poison beneath (cf. לָשׁוֹן) ψ 140:4 (fig.); פֶּשַׁע שׂ׳ Pr 12:13; לְזוּת שׂ׳ 4:24; שׂ׳ אֱמֶת 12:19, שׂ׳ יָ֑תֶר 17:7, שׂ׳ צֶדֶק 16:13, שׂ׳ דַּעַת 14:7; 20:15; חֵן שׂ׳ 22:11; שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה Zp 3:9; שׂ׳ רְנָנוֹת ψ 63:5 i.e. lips that shout for joy; c. vbs.: פָּתַח שׂ׳ (to speak) Jb 11:5; 30:20 (Gi v 21), cf. ψ 51:17, מִפְתַּח שׂ׳ Pr 8:6; פֹּשֵׂק שׂ׳ 13:3 i.e. prate; שׂ׳ מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם Is 30:27; שׂ׳ subj. of דִּבֶּר Is 59:3 Pr 24:2; נָשָׂא עַל־שׂ׳ ψ 16:4; קָרַץ שׂ׳ Pr 16:30 = backbite; אָטַם שׂ׳ 17:28 = keep silence, so חָשַׂךְ שׂ׳ 10:19, שׂ׳ כָּלָא ψ 40:10. †(2) lips moving in speech, c. נוּעַ 1 S 1:13, נִיד Jb 16:5. †(3) transition to meaning speech, עָלָה עַל־שְׂפַת לָשׁוֹן Ez 36:3; = ability to speak Jb 12:20. †b. organ of laughter Jb 8:21. †c. of insulting grimace הִפְטִיר בְּשׂ׳ ψ 22:8. †d. quivering in terror Hb 3:16. †e. feature of beauty Ct 4:3 (scarlet). f. place of bridle 2 K 19:28 = Is 37:29 (v. מֶתֶג) †g. receiving kiss Pr 24:26 cf. Ct 4:11 and (in fig.) 7:10. †h. of divine speech, מִצְוִת שׂ׳ Jb 23:12, דְּבַר שׂ׳ ψ 17:4. †2. language (v. לָשׁוֹן), Gn 11:1, 6, 7(×2), 9 ψ 81:6; עַם עִמְגֵי שׂ׳ Ez 3:5, 6 Is 33:19, לַעֲגֵי שׂ׳ 28:11; שְׂפַת כְּנַעַן 19:18 (i.e. Hebrew). 3. edge: shore of sea Gn 22:17 (J) + 7 times; bank of river Gn 41:3, 17 (E) + 5 times, of wady (נַחַל) Dt 2:36 + 7 times; lip (bank) of אָבֵל מְחוֹלָה Ju 7:22 cf. GASmG. 400; brim of vessel 1 K 7:23(×2) + 7 times; edge of altar Ez 43:13; of curtains (in pairs) Ex 26:4(×2) (P) + 6 times; of חֹשֶׁן, toward ephod 28:26 = 39:19 (P); of round opening in robe לְפִיו (יִהְיֶה) שׂ׳ 28:32 = 39:23 (P).

† לָשׁוֹן n.m. Jos 7:21 and (more often) f. Is 28:11 tongue (NH id.; also Assyrian lišânu; Arabic لِسَانٌ; Ethiopic ልሳn; Aramaic לִשָּׁן, לִיּשָּׁן, ܠܶܫܳܢܳܐ (all li-); Zinj. לשן DHMSendsch. 59);—abs. ל׳ Ex 4:10 +; הַלָּשֹׁן Jos 15:2; cstr. לְשׁוֹן Jos 7:21 +; sf. לְשׁוֹנִי 2 S 23:2; לְשֹׁנוֹ Ex 11:7 + 2 times; לְשׁוֹנוֹ Ju 7:5; Est 1:22; לְשׁוֹנְךָ ψ 34:14; לְשׁוֹנְכֶם Is 59:3, etc.; pl. לְשֹׁנוֹת abs. ψ 31:21; Is 66:18; cstr. Zc 8:23; sf. לְשֹׁנֹתָם Gn 10:20, 31;— 1. tongue of men, a. used in lapping Ju 7:5; cleaving to the palate (חֵק), in thirst La 4:4, so as to produce dumbness Jb 29:10 (‖ קוֹל נֶחְבָּא), ψ 137:6; Ez 3:26 (‖ נֶאֱלַם); cleaving to jaws (מַלְקוֹחַ) ψ 22:16; ל׳ בַּצָּמָא נָשָׁ֑תָּה Is 41:17 their tongue for thirst is parched; לְ׳ תִּמַּק בְּפִיהֶם Zc 14:12 (of י׳’s judgment); a choice morsel is held תַּחַת ל׳ Jb 20:12 (fig. of mischief), cf. ψ 10:7 (ready to be uttered), 66:17 (‖ פֶּה), Ct 4:11. b. usually as organ of speech, both good and bad (especially ψ Pr, often ‖ פֶּה, שָׂפָה);—כְּבַד ל׳ Ex 4:10 (J) heavy of tongue; מַעֲנֵה ל׳ Pr 16:1, מִלָּתוֹ עַל־לְשׁוֹנִי 2 S 23:2, cf. Pr. 31:26, ψ 139:4 (בִּל׳), הֲיֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה Jb 6:30; מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד ל׳ Pr 18:21, cf. 21:23; 25:15; of (false) proph., הַלֹּקְחִים ל׳ Je 23:31; subj. of vb. of speaking, דִּבֶּר:—דִּבְּרָה לְשׁוֹנִי בְחִכִּי Jb 33:2 ψ 12:4; 37:30; cf. (Je 9:7 infr. and) ל׳..תְּמַהֵר לְדַבֵּר Is 32:4, לְשׁוֹנִי עֵט סֹפֵר מָהִיר ψ 45:2, i.e. as swift as a rapid scribe’s stylus; subj. of הָגָה Is 59:3; Jb 27:4 ψ 35:28; 71:24; subj. of נִשְׁבַּע Is 45:23; ל׳ תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ ψ 73:9; of hostile speech, insolence, etc., Jos 10:21 (JE; obj. of i. חָרַץ q.v., cf. 3 infr.), Je 18:18; Is 3:8; זַעַם ל׳ Ho 7:16 (but text dub., cf. We Now), ל׳ חֶרֶב חַדָּה ψ 57:6, cf. 64:4; שָֽׁנְנוּ ל׳ כְּמוֹ נָחָשׁ 140:4; כָּל־ל׳ תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ Is 54:17; הֶאֱרִיךְ ל׳ 57:4; further, Je 9:2, 4; as instr. of seductive flattery (הֶחֱלִיק), without בְּ, ψ 5:10; Pr 28:23, cf. חֶלְקַת לָ׳ נָכְרִיָּה Pr 6:24; of falsehood ψ 78:36 (cf. infr.); of slander (cf. לוֹשֵׁן) רָגַל עַל־ל׳ ψ 15:3, אִישׁ לָשׁוֹן 140:12, cf. סָתַר" dir="rtl" >לְ׳ סָ֑תֶר Pr 25:33; חָטָא בְּל׳ ψ 39:2; cf. 64:9 (text dub., v. Hup Che Bae); moral qualities ascribed to:—as arrogant ψ 12:5 (cf. v 4 supr.); as devising injuries, הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב ל׳ ψ 52:4, cf. לְ׳ הַוֹּת Pr 17:4; ל׳ תַּצְמִיד מִרְמָה ψ 50:19 nectere fraudem; נְצֹר ל׳ מֵרָ֑ע ψ 34:14 (‖ וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה); often of lying tongue: לְשׁוֹן שֶׁקֶר Pr 6:17; 12:19; 21:6; 26:28 ψ 109:2; לְ׳ מִרְמָה 52:6; לָ׳ רְמִיָּה Mi 6:12 ψ 120:2, 3; לְ׳ תַּרְמִית Zp 3:13; לְ׳ תַּהְפֻּכוֹת Pr 10:31, and נֶהְפָּךְ בִּל׳ Pr 17:20; ל׳ עֲרוּמִים Jb 15:5; also ל׳ מִרְמָה דִּבֵּ֑ר Je 9:7; on the other hand לְ׳ צַדִּיק Pr 10:20; ל׳ חֲכָמִים 12:18; 15:2; מַרְפֵּה לָ׳ v 4; לְ׳ לִמּוּדִים Is 50:4.—Note phrases שׁוֹט ל׳ Jb 5:21 scourge of (the) tongue, רִיב לְשֹׁנוֹת ψ 31:21; פַּלַּג לְשׁוֹנָם ψ 55:10: also בַּעַל הַלּ׳ Ec 10:11 (of serpent-charmer), and וַתֵּעֲלוּ עַל־שְׂפַת ל׳ Ez 36:3.—On tongue of י׳ (once), v. 4 infr. †c. organ of singing, subj. of רָנַן ψ 51:16; 126:2; Is 35:6, עָנָה ψ 119:172. 2. = language Dt 28:49 Je 5:15 and later, viz.: Ez 3:5, 6 (כִּבְדֵי ל׳, ‖ עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה, but del. 𝔊 Codd. Co SgfrKauAT), Is 28:11 (‖ ל׳ אַחֶרֶת, לַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה, fig. of י׳’s unintelligible dealings); עַם … נִלְעַג ל׳ 33:19 (‖ עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה); 66:18 (‖ גּוֹיִם), Zc 8:23; Gn 10:5, 20, 31 (all P), Ne 13:24; Est 1:22(×2), 3:12, 8:9(×2) Dn 1:4. 3. tongue of animals: dog Ex 11:7 (J; obj. of i. חָרַץ q.v.; cf. 1 b), ψ 68:24; adder Jb 20:16 (subj. of תַּהֲרֹג); crocodile 40:25. 4. tongue of fire, devouring, כֶּאֱכֹל קַשׁ לְשׁוֹן אֵשׁ Is 5:24; cf. of י׳, וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ כְּאֵשׁ אֹכָ֑לֶת 30:27 (‖ שְׂפָתָיו מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם). 5. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold Jos 7:21, 24 (JE). so Assyrian lišânu; v. MeissnerZAW xxiii (1903), 151 f. JohnsAssyrian Deeds 2, 281. 6. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea Is 11:15 Jos 15:2, 5; 18:19 (all P).

γλῶσσα, Ionic dialect γλάσσα, Refs 3rd c.BC+, Attic dialect γλῶττα, ης, ἡ, tongue, Refs 8th c.BC+ __b γ. λάρυγγος, ={γλωττίς}, larynx, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __2 tongue, as the organ of speech, γλώσσης χάριν through love of talking, Refs 8th c.BC+; γλώσσῃ δεινός, θρασύς, Refs 5th c.BC+ by frankness of speech, Refs 6th c.BC+, of fraud opposed to violence, Refs 8th c.BC+; also, by word of mouth, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ γλώσσης ἄπο, i.e. our words, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπὸ γ. φράσω by heart, opposed to γράμμασιν, Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐκ ἀπὸ γλώσσης not from mere word of mouth, but after full argument, Refs 4th c.BC+; μὴ διὰ γλώσσης without using the tongue, Refs 5th c.BC+ —phrases: πᾶσαν γλῶτταν βασάνιζε try every art of tongue, Refs 5th c.BC+; πᾶσαν ἱέναι γλῶσσαν let loose one's whole tongue, speak withoutrestraint, Refs 5th c.BC+; κακὰ γ. slander, Refs 5th c.BC+, i.e. with blasphemies, Refs 5th c.BC+ __3 of persons, one who is all tongue, speaker, of Pericles, μεγίστη γ. τῶν Ἑλληνίδων Refs 5th c.BC+ __4 ἡ γ. τοῦ ταμιείου the advocacy of the fiscus, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II language, ἄλλη δ᾽ ἄλλων γ. μεμιγμένη Refs 8th c.BC+; γλῶσσαν ἱέναι speak a language or dialect, Refs 5th c.BC+; γ. Ἑλληνίδα, Δωρίδα ἱέναι, Refs 5th c.BC+; dialect, ἡ Ἀττικὴ γ. Refs 4th c.BC+ __II.2 obsolete or foreign word, which needs explanation, Refs 4th c.BC+ __II.3 people speaking a distinct language,LXX+4th c.BC+ __III anything shaped like the tongue NT __III.1 in Music, rced or tongue of a pipe, Refs 4th c.BC+ __III.2 tongue or thong of leather, shoe-latchet, Refs 5th c.BC+ __III.3 tongue of land, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __III.4 ingot, γ. χρυσῆ LXX __III.5 marking on the liver, in divination, Refs 5th c.AD+ from γλωχ-y[acaron], compare γλώξ, γλωχί; γλάσσα from *γλᾰχ-y[acaron], weak grade of same root.)

† לִשָּׁן n.m. Dn 3:7 tongue (𝔗 Syriac; v. BH לָשׁוֹן, √ לשׁן);—tongue = language, fig. for people: abs. עַם אֻמָּה וְל׳ Dn 3:29; pl. emph. ע׳ א׳ וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא v 4, 7, 31; 5:19; 6:26; 7:14 (cf. BH לָשׁוֹן 2, Is 66:18).

διάλεκτ-ος, ἡ, discourse, conversation, Refs 5th c.BC+; discussion, debate, argument, Refs; opposed to ἔρις, Refs __2 common language, talk, δ. ἡ πρὸς ἀλλήλους Refs 4th c.BC+ __II speech, language, Refs 5th c.BC+; δ. ἀμνίου, opposed to τὰ ἔνδον δράκοντος, Refs 5th c.BC+; articulate speech, language, opposed to φωνή, Refs 4th c.BC+; but also, spoken, opposed to written language, Refs 1st c.BC+ __II.2 the language of a country, Refs 2nd c.BC+: especially dialect, as Ionic, Attic, etc., Refs 2nd c.BC+; also, local word or expression, Refs 1st c.AD+ __III way of speaking, accent, Refs 4th c.BC+ __III.2 plural, modes of expression, Refs 4th c.BC+ __IV style, πανηγυρική, ποιητικὴ δ., Refs 1st c.BC+: especially poetical diction, Refs 1st c.BC+ __V of musical instruments, quality, 'idiom', Refs 4th c.BC+

ἑτερό-γλωσσος, Attic dialect ἑτερόγλωττος, ον, of other (i.e. foreign) tongue, Refs 2nd c.BC+; ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις λαλεῖν by men of foreign tongue, NT+4th c.BC+ __2 of diverse tongues, ζῷα Refs 1st c.AD+

λάρυγξ [ᾰ], υγγος, ὁ, larynx or upper part of the windpipe, Refs 4th c.BC+; used in sounding the vowels,Refs 5th c.BC+; of gluttons, ἀνόσιοι λάρυγγες Refs 5th c.BC+ speech, LXX __II ={τραχεῖα ἀρτηρία}, Refs 4th c.BC+