H3689 H3689
Loins or flanks (anatomical); confidence or trust; folly or stupidity — three distinct semantic domains.
A noun with three remarkably distinct meanings whose connection may trace back to the physical loins as the 'seat' of both inward trust and dull insensibility. In sacrificial legislation (Lev 3:4, 10, 15), it denotes the fat-covered flanks near the kidneys — Arabic al-khasiratain ('the two flanks') confirms the anatomical reading. As 'confidence,' it appears in wisdom contexts: Job's misplaced trust (Job 8:14), the righteous person's security in God (Prov 3:26), and Israel's hope (Ps 78:7). The 'folly' sense emerges in Ecclesiastes 7:25 paired with sikhlut ('senselessness') and in the proverbial warning of Psalm 49:13, where Spanish necedad ('foolishness') and German Torheit ('folly') leave no ambiguity.
Senses
1. loins, flank (body part) — The anatomical sense: loins, flanks, the fatty tissue around the kidneys and lower back. Arabic al-khasiratain ('the two flanks') and Spanish/English lomos/loins converge precisely. All seven occurrences appear in Levitical sacrificial instructions specifying which fat portions are offered on the altar (Lev 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 7:4), plus the psalmist's lament over afflicted loins (Ps 38:7). 7×
AR["-الخَاصِرَتَيْنِ", "خاصِرَتَيَّ", "خَاصِرَتِهِ"]·ben["-কোমরের", "আমার-কোমর", "কোমরের", "তার-কোমর"]·DE["[כסל]", "der-loins", "mein-loins"]·EN["loins", "my-loins", "the-loins"]·FR["comme-insensé", "le-loins", "כסל"]·heb["ה-כסלים", "כסל", "כסלי-י"]·HI["कमर", "कमर-के", "कमर-मेरी", "कमरों"]·ID["pinggang", "pinggangnya"]·IT["grasso", "il-loins", "loins"]·jav["bangkekan-kula", "bangkekanipun", "pupu"]·KO["그-허리", "그-허리들", "내-허리-가", "허리"]·PT["lombos", "meus-lombos", "os-lombos"]·RU["бёдрах", "пояснице", "чресла-мои"]·ES["lomos", "los-lomos", "mis-lomos"]·SW["kiuno-changu", "viuno", "viuno-vyake"]·TR["-böğürler", "böğrüm", "kalcaların"]·urd["میری-کمر", "کمر", "کمر-پر", "کمروں"]
2. confidence, trust, security — Confidence, trust, or security — an abstract sense perhaps derived from the loins as the perceived seat of inward strength. Arabic i'timaduhu ('his reliance'), Spanish confianza ('trust'), and English 'confidence' all agree. Used of misplaced trust that collapses like a spider's web (Job 8:14), proper trust in the LORD as one's confidence (Prov 3:26), and Israel's hope set in God (Ps 78:7). Job 31:24 warns against making gold one's confidence. 4×
AR["اعْتِمادُهُ", "ثِقَتَكَ", "ثِقَتِي", "رَجَاءَهُمْ"]·ben["আমার-আস্থা", "তাদের-আস্থা", "তার-আত্মবিশ্বাস", "তোমার-নির্ভরতা"]·DE["[בכסלך]", "[כסלו]", "[כסלי]", "ihr-confidence"]·EN["his-confidence", "my-confidence", "their-confidence", "your-confidence"]·FR["comme-insensé", "dans-ton-בכסלך-toi", "mon-כסלי-moi", "son-כסלו-lui"]·heb["ב-כסלך", "כיסלי", "כיסלם", "כסלו"]·HI["अपना-भरोसा", "उसका-भरोसा", "भरोसा-अपना", "भरोसा-तेरा"]·ID["kepercayaan-mereka", "kepercayaanku", "keyakinanmu", "keyakinannya"]·IT["grasso", "his-confidence-suo", "in-tuo-confidence-tuo", "mio-confidence-mio"]·jav["ing-kapercayan-panjenengan", "kapitadosan-kula", "kapitadosanipun", "pengajeng-ajeng-ipun"]·KO["그들-의-신뢰-를", "그의-확신이", "나의-소망으로", "네-확신-으로"]·PT["minha-confiança", "sua-confiança", "tua-confianca"]·RU["уверенность-его", "упование-своё", "упованием-моим", "упованием-твоим"]·ES["confianza-de-ellos", "mi-confianza", "su-seguridad,", "tu-confianza"]·SW["tumaini-lake", "tumaini-lako", "tumaini-langu", "tumaini-lao"]·TR["güvencesi", "güvencim", "güvenin-olarak", "güvenlerini"]·urd["اعتماد-تیرا", "اُس-کا-بھروسہ", "اُن-کا-بھروسہ", "اپنا بھروسہ"]
3. folly, stupidity — Folly, stupidity, or senselessness — the most abstract extension, perhaps from the 'thick, dull' quality metaphorically associated with the fatty loins. German Torheit ('folly') and Spanish necedad ('foolishness') are unambiguous. Appears in Ecclesiastes 7:25 paired with sikhlut as the Preacher investigates the nature of folly, and in Psalm 49:13 describing the self-assured path of the foolish. 2×
AR["الحَمَاقَةِ", "حَماقَة"]·ben["মূর্খতা"]·DE["Torheit", "[כסל]"]·EN["folly"]·FR["comme-insensé", "כסל"]·heb["כסל"]·HI["मूर्खता"]·ID["kebodohan"]·IT["folly", "grasso"]·jav["ing-kamulyan", "kabodhohan"]·KO["어리석음"]·PT["é-loucura", "é-tolice"]·RU["глупость", "глупость,"]·ES["necedad"]·SW["ujinga", "upumbavu"]·TR["aptallik", "aptallık"]·urd["بے-وقوفی", "حماقت"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† כֶּ֫סֶל n.m. 1.loins, 2. stupidity, 3. confidence (NH id. loin; Aramaic כִּסְלָא id.);— 1. loins כָּ֑סֶל Jb 15:27; pl. כְּסָלִים Lv 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 7:4; sf. כְּסָלַי ψ 38:8. 2. stupidity, folly כ׳ Ec 7:25 (‖ סִכְלוּת), כֵּסֶל ψ 49:14. 3. confidence, sf. כִּסְלִי Jb 31:24; כִּסְלֶ֑ךָ Pr 3:26; כִּסְלוֹ Jb 8:14; כִּסְלָם ψ 78:7.