H0990 H0990
Belly, abdomen, womb; the physical midsection of the body, extending to the womb as seat of gestation and idiomatically to origin or birth.
The Hebrew בֶּטֶן denotes the belly or abdominal cavity in its most concrete sense — the soft middle of the body into which Ehud's sword sank (Judg 3:21-22) and which crawling creatures traverse (Gen 3:14). But its richest biblical usage centers on the womb as the place where life begins. When Rebekah feels the twins struggling 'in her womb' (Gen 25:23), בֶּטֶן evokes the intimate, hidden space of divine formation. The phrase מִבֶּטֶן ('from the womb') became an idiom for lifelong destiny — Samson was a Nazirite 'from the womb' (Judg 16:17), and Job wishes he had perished there (Job 3:11). Arabic بَطْن preserves the same concrete-to-figurative range, while the Song of Songs celebrates the belly as a thing of beauty (Song 7:3).
Senses
1. belly, abdomen — The physical belly or abdomen — the soft midsection of the body, whether of humans or animals. Used of the literal stomach area in contexts of violence (Ehud's blade plunging into Eglon's belly, Judg 3:21-22), of ritual testing (the bitter water causing the belly to swell, Num 5:21-22), of eating and hunger (Prov 13:25, Ezek 3:3), and metaphorically as the seat of inner passion or avarice (Job 20:20, 23). Arabic بَطْن shares exactly this anatomical reference. Proverbs uses it figuratively for the 'innermost parts' of a person (Prov 18:8). 28×
AR["أَحْشَائِي", "الْبَطْنِ", "الْـبَطْنِ", "بَطنِي", "بَطْنٍ", "بَطْنَهُ", "بَطْنُنا", "بَطْنُهُ", "بَطْنِكَ", "بَطْنِهِ", "بَطْنِي", "فِي-بَطْنِهِ", "فِي-جَوْفِكَ", "مِنْ-بَطْنِهِ", "وَ-بَطْنُ", "وَ-بَطْنُهُمْ"]·ben["-তার-পেট-থেকে", "-তার-পেটে", "আমার-অন্তর", "আমার-গর্ভের", "আমার-পেট", "আমার-পেটের", "উদর-আমাদের", "এবং-তাদের-গর্ভ", "এবং-পেট", "গর্ভের-তোমার", "তার-পেট", "তার-পেট-থেকে", "তোমার-পেটে", "পেট", "পেটের"]·DE["Bauch", "belly", "dein-belly", "und-Bauch", "unser-belly", "von-sein-belly"]·EN["and-belly-their", "belly", "belly-his", "but-the-belly-of", "from-his-belly", "his-belly", "in-his-belly", "in-your-belly", "my-belly", "our-belly", "the-belly", "your-belly"]·FR["dans-son-ventre-lui", "dans-ton-ventre-toi", "dans-ventre", "de-son-belly", "de-son-ventre-lui", "et-leur-ventre-eux", "et-ventre", "mon-ventre-moi", "son-ventre-lui", "ventre"]·heb["ב-בטנו", "ב-בטנך", "בטן", "בטנו", "בטני", "בטנך", "בטננ-ו", "ביטנו", "ביטני", "ו-בטן", "ו-בטנם", "מ-בטנו"]·HI["अपना-पेट", "अपने-पेट-में", "उसका-पेट", "उसके-पेट-से", "और-उनका-पेट", "और-पेट", "तेरे-गर्भ", "पेट", "पेट-अपने-की", "पेट-उसका", "पेट-की", "पेट-की।", "पेट-में-अपने", "पेट-मेरा", "पेट-हमारा", "मेरा-पेट", "मेरे-गर्भ-का"]·ID["dan-rahim-mereka", "dari-perutnya", "di-dalam-dirimu", "di-perutnya", "perut", "perutku", "perutku;", "perutnya", "tetapi-perut", "tubuhku", "tubuhmu"]·IT["[בטני]", "belly", "da-suo-belly", "da-ventre-suo", "e-ventre", "e-ventre-loro", "in-ventre-suo", "in-ventre-tuo", "ventre", "ventre-mio", "ventre-suo"]·jav["garbaning-kula", "guwa-garba-panjenengan", "ing-padharanipun", "ing-wetengipun", "lan-weteng-saking", "lan-wetengipun", "padharan-kula", "padharanipun", "saking-padharan-piyambakipun", "saking-padharanipun", "weteng", "weteng-kawula", "weteng-kita", "wetengipun", "wètèng"]·KO["그러나-배-는", "그리고-그들의-배가", "그의-배를", "그의-배에서", "나의-배가", "나의-배의", "내-배-가", "너-의-몸-의", "배", "배-내-의", "배-의", "배가-그-의", "속-에-너-의", "에서-그의-배", "우리-배-가"]·PT["de-seu-ventre", "e-seu-ventre", "e-ventre-de", "em-seu-ventre", "em-ventre-teu", "meu-ventre", "nosso-ventre", "seu-ventre", "teu-ventre", "ventre"]·RU["а-чрево", "в-чреве-своём", "в-чреве-твоём", "внутри-меня", "внутри-моё", "живота", "и-чрево-их", "из-чрева-его", "утроба-наша", "чрева", "чрева-моего", "чрева-твоего", "чрево-его", "чрево-моё", "чрево-своё"]·ES["de-su-vientre", "en-su-vientre;", "en-tu-vientre", "mi-vientre", "nuestro-vientre", "su-vientre", "su-vientre;", "vientre", "vientre-su", "vientre-tuyo", "y-su-vientre", "y-vientre-de"]·SW["Btn", "kutoka-tumboni-mwake", "lakini-tumbo-la", "na-tumbo-lao", "ndani-yako", "tumbo", "tumbo-lake", "tumbo-lako", "tumbo-langu", "tumbo-letu", "tumboni-mwake", "ya-tumbo-langu"]·TR["bedeninin", "den-karnından", "içimin", "için", "içinde", "karnı", "karnım", "karnım-benim", "karnımın-benim", "karnımız", "karnın", "karnında", "karnından", "karnını", "ve-karnı", "ve-karınları"]·urd["اور-اُن-کا-پیٹ", "اور-پیٹ", "اُس-کے-پیٹ-سے", "اپنا-پیٹ", "اپنے-پیٹ-کا", "تیرے-بدن-کی", "دل-اپنے-میں", "میرا پیٹ", "میرا-پیٹ", "میرے اندر کی", "پیٹ", "پیٹ-اُس-کا", "پیٹ-اُس-کے-سے", "پیٹ-اُس-کے-میں", "پیٹ-کی", "ہمارا-پیٹ"]
2. womb, place of gestation — The womb or uterus as the place of gestation, where a child is carried and formed before birth. This is the sense in the patriarchal narratives — Rebekah's twins struggling in her womb (Gen 25:23-24), Rachel's barrenness framed as God withholding 'fruit of the womb' (Gen 30:2). Deuteronomy promises blessing on 'the fruit of your womb' (Deut 7:13). Spanish vientre and French sein both serve this sense, while German distinguishes it clearly as Mutterleib ('mother-body'). Psalm 139:13 ('you knit me together in my mother's womb') elevates this sense into theology of divine intimacy. 25×
AR["البَطنِ", "الـ-بَطنِ", "الْبَطْنِ", "بَطْني", "بَطْنٍ", "بَطْنِكَ", "بَطْنِي", "في-البَطنِ", "فِي-البَطنِ", "فِي-الـ-بَطْنِ", "فِي-بَطْنِهَا"]·ben["-গর্ভের", "আমার-গর্ভের", "গর্ভ", "গর্ভে", "গর্ভে-", "গর্ভের", "গর্ভের।", "তার-গর্ভে", "তোমার-গর্ভের", "সেই-গর্ভের"]·DE["Bauch", "Mutterleib", "dein-womb", "der-womb", "des-Leibes", "im-Mutterleib", "in-ihrem-Leib"]·EN["in-the-womb", "in-womb-her", "my-womb", "the-womb", "were-in-her-womb", "womb", "your-womb"]·FR["dans-le-sein", "dans-sein-sa", "le-ventre", "le-womb", "mon-ventre-moi", "sein", "ton-sein", "ventre", "étaient-dans-sa-sein"]·heb["ב-בטן", "ב-בטנה-ה", "בטן", "בטני", "בטנך", "ה-בטן"]·HI["उस-के-गर्भ-में", "उसके-पेट-में", "गर्भ", "गर्भ-का", "गर्भ-में", "गर्भ-मेरे", "तेरी-कोख-का", "तेरे-गर्भ-का", "पेट-के", "पेट-तेरे-का", "पेट-तेरे-के", "मेरी-कोख-के", "मेरे-गर्भ-के"]·ID["dalam-kandungan", "di-dalam-perutnya", "di-rahim", "di-rahim-nya", "kandungan", "perut", "rahim-mu", "rahimku", "rahimmu"]·IT["[בבטן]", "furono-in-suo-womb", "il-ventre", "il-womb", "in-womb-suo", "nel-ventre", "tuo-womb", "ventre", "ventre-mio", "womb"]·jav["garbha-panjenengan", "garbinipun", "guwa-garba", "guwa-garba-kawula", "guwa-garba-panjenengan", "guwa-guwa-panjenengan", "ing-garbha", "ing-garbhanipun", "ing-guwa-garba", "ing-weteng", "rahim-kawula", "weteng-kawula"]·KO["그-태", "그-태-에서", "그녀의-배-에", "그녀의-배에", "나의-몸의", "나의-배의", "내-태의", "너의-배의", "네-배-의", "네-배의", "배-속에서", "배의", "에-그-태에서", "태", "태-의"]·PT["No-ventre", "em-seu-ventre", "em-ventre-dela", "meu-ventre", "no-ventre", "o-ventre", "teu-ventre", "ventre", "ventre-meu"]·RU["-чрева-твоего", "в-утробе", "в-чреве-её", "чрева", "чрева-моего", "чрева-твоего"]·ES["el-vientre", "en-el-vientre", "en-su-vientre", "en-vientre-de-ella", "mi-vientre", "mi-vientre.", "tu-vientre", "vientre"]·SW["katika-tumbo", "katika-tumbo-lake", "la-tumbo", "la-tumbo-lako", "tumbo", "tumbo-lako", "tumbo-langu", "tumboni", "tumboni-mwake"]·TR["karin", "karnımın", "karnın", "karnında", "karnının", "karında", "rahim", "rahimde-", "rahmimin", "rahmin"]·urd["تیرے-رحم-کے", "تیرے-پیٹ", "تیرے-پیٹ-کا", "تیرے-پیٹ-کے", "رحم", "رحم-کے", "میں-پیٹ-اس-کے", "پیٹ میں", "پیٹ-اُس-کے-میں", "پیٹ-سے", "پیٹ-میرے-کے", "پیٹ-میں", "پیٹ-کا", "پیٹ-کے"]
Gen 25:23, Gen 25:24, Gen 30:2, Gen 38:27, Deut 7:13, Deut 28:4, Deut 28:11, Deut 28:18, Deut 28:53, Deut 30:9, Judg 13:5, Judg 13:7 (+13 more)
3. from the womb, from birth — An idiomatic extension meaning 'from birth' or 'from one's very origin,' using the prepositional phrase מִבֶּטֶן ('from the womb'). Samson was consecrated as a Nazirite 'from the womb' (Judg 16:17); Job laments he did not die 'from the womb' (Job 3:11) and reflects that he came naked 'from my mother's womb' (Job 1:21). This sense shifts from anatomy to ontology — it marks something as congenital, predestined, or lifelong. French dès le sein ('from the bosom') and German vom Mutterleib ('from the mother-body') both preserve the idiomatic flavor. 18×
AR["سُوءٌ", "مِن-البَطنِ", "مِنَ-البَطْنِ", "مِنَ-الرَّحِمِ", "مِنَ-الْبَطْنِ", "مِنْ-بَطْنِ", "وَ-مِن-بَطنِ", "وَمِنَ-البَطنِ"]·ben["-গর্ভ-থেকে", "আর-গর্ভ-থেকে", "এবং-গর্ভ-থেকে", "গর্ভ-থেকে", "জন্ম-থেকে", "পেট-থেকে"]·DE["Bauch", "und-Bauch", "vom-Mutterleib", "von-birth", "von-der-belly-von", "von-der-womb", "von-womb-von"]·EN["and-from-womb", "and-from-womb-of", "from-birth", "from-the-belly", "from-the-belly-of", "from-the-womb", "from-the-womb-of", "from-whose-womb", "from-womb", "from-womb-of"]·FR["de-ventre", "de-womb-de", "dès-le-sein", "et-ventre", "ventre"]·heb["ו-מ-בטן", "מ-בטן"]·HI["और-गर्भ-से", "गर्भ-से", "जन्म-से", "पेट-से", "से-गर्भ", "से-पेट"]·ID["Dari-rahim", "dan-dari-rahim", "dan-tidak-ada-kehamilan", "dari-kandungan", "dari-perut", "dari-rahim"]·IT["[ומבטן]", "[מבטן]", "da-ventre", "da-womb-di", "dal-grembo", "e-da-ventre", "ventre"]·jav["Saking-guwa-garba", "ing-nagari", "lan-saking-guwa-garba", "lan-saking-weteng", "saking-guwa-garba", "saking-guwa-garbanipun", "saking-guà-garbaning", "saking-padharanipun", "saking-weteng"]·KO["그리고-배-에서부터", "그리고-부터-태와", "로부터-태", "배-에서", "배-에서부터", "부터-복중", "에서-배", "에서-태", "태-에서", "태-에서부터", "태로부터", "태에서부터-"]·PT["Do-ventre-de-", "de-ventre", "de-ventre-de", "desde-o-nascimento", "desde-o-ventre", "desde-ventre", "desde-ventre-de", "do-ventre", "do-ventre-de", "e-de-ventre", "e-desde-ventre-de"]·RU["и-от-утробы", "и-от-чрева", "из-утробы", "из-чрева", "от-чрева"]·ES["De-vientre-de", "de-vientre-de", "del-vientre", "del-vientre-de", "desde-el-vientre", "desde-el-vientre-de", "desde-matriz", "desde-vientre", "desde-vientre-de", "y-desde-el-vientre", "y-desde-vientre-de-"]·SW["kutoka-tumbo", "kutoka-tumbo-la", "kutoka-tumboni", "kutoka-tumboni-la", "kutoka-tumboni-mwa", "na-kutoka-tumboni", "na-tangu-tumbo", "tangu-kuzaliwa", "tangu-tumbo", "tangu-tumboni"]·TR["-den-rahim", "Karnından", "ana-rahminden-beri", "doğumdan-", "karindan-", "karnindan", "karnından", "karnından-", "karından", "rahimden", "rahminden", "ve-karnından", "ve-karından"]·urd["-رحم-سے", "-پیٹ-سے", "اور-پیٹ سے", "اور-پیٹ-سے", "رحم-سے", "مِن-رحم-سے", "مِن-پیٹ", "پیٹ سے", "پیٹ-سے"]
4. sense 4 — A single occurrence in Ps 31:9 where the psalmist's distress affects 'my body' (בִּטְנִי), used in parallel with the eye and soul wasting from grief. Here בֶּטֶן seems to denote the entire body or physical frame rather than specifically the belly or womb. Spanish mi vientre and German mein body reflect the difficulty translators face: the word straddles the boundary between localized abdomen and the whole embodied self in anguish. This may represent a metonymic extension — the gut as shorthand for bodily suffering. 1×
AR["وَبَطْنِي"]·ben["ও-আমার-পেট"]·DE["und-mein-body"]·EN["and-my-body"]·FR["et-dans-ventre"]·heb["ו-בטנ-י"]·HI["और-शरीर-मेरा"]·IT["e-ventre"]·jav["lan-padaran-kula"]·KO["나-의-몸도"]·PT["e-meu-ventre"]·RU["и-утроба-моя"]·ES["y-mi-vientre"]·SW["na-tumbo-langu"]·TR["ve-bedenim"]·urd["اور-میرا-پیٹ"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. בֶּ֫טֶן n.f. Nu 5:25 belly, body, womb (Arabic بَطْنٌ )—בּ׳ abs. Ju 13:7 +; בָּ֑טֶן v 5 +; cstr. בֶּטֶן ψ 139:13 +; sf. בִּטְנִי Jb 3:10 +; בִּטְנְךָ Dt 7:13 +; בִּטְנֵךְ Gn 25:23; בִּטְנוֹ Jb 15:2 +, etc.;— 1. a. belly, abdomen, of man Ju 3:21, 22; of woman Nu 5:21, 22, 27; as beautiful in form Ct 7:3; as seat of hunger Pr 13:25; as eating Ez 3:3 (‖ מֵעִים); cf. Pr 18:20 (fig.); as seat of…