Original Word: כָּבֵד
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: kabed
Pronunciation: kah-BED
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-bade')
Definition: the liver
Meaning: The liver, an organ in the body.

Word Origin: Derived from the root כָּבֵד (kāḇēḏ), meaning "to be heavy" or "to be honored."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent in the Strong's Concordance that corresponds to the Hebrew כָּבֵד specifically as "the liver." However, the Greek term ἧπαρ (hēpar) is used in the Septuagint and other Greek texts to refer to the liver. This term is not directly listed in Strong's Concordance but is relevant in the context of translating Hebrew sacrificial terms into Greek.

Usage: The term כָּבֵד is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer specifically to the liver, an important organ in sacrificial rituals and symbolic contexts.

Context: The Hebrew word כָּבֵד (kāḇēḏ) is primarily used to denote the liver, an organ that holds significant importance in ancient Hebrew culture and religious practices. In the context of the Hebrew Bible, the liver is often associated with sacrificial rites and offerings. The liver was considered a vital organ in the sacrificial system, as seen in various passages where it is mentioned alongside other parts of the sacrificial animal.

In Levitical law, the liver is specifically noted in the instructions for offerings. For example, in Leviticus 3:4, the liver is mentioned as part of the peace offering: "the two kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys." This highlights the liver's role in the ritualistic practices of the Israelites, where it was often burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

The liver also held symbolic significance, often representing the seat of emotions and inner life in ancient Near Eastern thought. This symbolic use is less explicit in the Hebrew Bible but is part of the broader cultural understanding of the organ's importance.

The liver's role in divination practices is noted in other ancient cultures, though the Hebrew Bible does not explicitly endorse such practices. However, the presence of the liver in sacrificial contexts underscores its perceived importance in maintaining a proper relationship with God through ritual purity and obedience.

Word Origin
from kabad
Definition
liver
NASB Translation
heart (1), liver (13).

כָּבֵד noun masculine^{Lamentations 2:11} liver (explained by Thes (quoting Galen) as the heavy organ, par excellence, of the body; Late Hebrew כָּבֵד; Aramaic כַּבְדָא ; Arabic , compare (anything) large, thick in the middle; Ethiopic Assyrian kabittu Dl^HWB temper, heart (figurative), Aramaic כְּבַד, be angry, because the liver was regarded as seat of emotions) — ׳כ Exodus 29:13 11t.; כְּבֵדוֺ Proverbs 7:23; כְּבֵדִי Lamentations 2:11; — liver of man, as pierced by arrow Proverbs 7:23; poured out in sorrow Lamentations 2:11; of animals as consulted by divination ׳רָאָה בַּכּ Ezekiel 21:26; elsewhere in P, in phrases (ה)יֹתֶרֶת (עַלֿ) הַכָּבֵד Exodus 29:13,22; Leviticus 3:4,10,15; Leviticus 4:9; Leviticus 7:4; Leviticus 8:16,25; Leviticus 9:19; ׳הַיֹּתֶרֶת מִןהַֿכּ Leviticus 9:10, of the animals suited for sacrifice.

liver

The same as kabed; the liver (as the heaviest of the viscera) -- liver.

see HEBREW kabed

בַּכָּבֵֽד׃ בכבד׃ הַכָּבֵ֔ד הַכָּבֵֽד׃ הַכָּבֵד֙ הכבד הכבד׃ כְּֽבֵד֗וֹ כְּבֵדִ֔י כבדו כבדי bak·kā·ḇêḏ bakkāḇêḏ bakkaVed hak·kā·ḇêḏ hakkāḇêḏ hakkaVed kə·ḇê·ḏî kə·ḇê·ḏōw kəḇêḏî kəḇêḏōw keveDi keveDoInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts