מֵעֶה (me.eh)
me.eh
belly
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 24 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word me’eih refers to the internal organs, specifically the intestines or bowels. In ancient thought, this was not merely a biological term but the seat of deep emotion and physical sensation. It describes the visceral center of the human body, where hunger, distress, and affection are physically felt.
Its meaning shifts depending on context. It can denote the womb, as when Rachel asks if she still has children in her me’eih (Ruth 1:11), or the digestive tract, as seen in Jonah’s description of being in the fish’s belly (Jonah 2:1). Figuratively, it represents the innermost self. When Psalm 40 speaks of God’s law being within its writer’s me’eih, it means the instruction is deeply internalized, not just memorized.
The word appears most frequently in historical and prophetic books like Chronicles and Jeremiah. It often conveys intense pity or anguish. For example, Jeremiah describes his pain as burning in his me’eih (Jeremiah 4:19), showing how the term captures raw, unfiltered human experience rather than abstract theology.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word me’eih points to the deepest physical center of a person, often translated as belly or bowels. In ancient thought, this was not just a biological term but the seat of intense emotion and sensation. When Scripture uses it, it speaks of raw, unfiltered human experience—where hunger, distress, and affection are physically felt.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God cares about our whole selves, including our deepest struggles. When Jeremiah describes his pain burning in his me’eih, or when Psalm 40 says God’s law is within it, we see that true spirituality involves the innermost core of who we are. It invites you to bring your raw emotions and deep longings to God, knowing He understands the weight of your heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 24 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- inward parts/ my7×
- from/ inward parts/ your3×
- lower parts/ his2×
- inward parts/ your2×
- from/ [the] inward parts of2×
- bowels/ your2×
- bowels/ his2×
- in/ inward parts/ your1×
- in/ inward parts/ my1×
- in/ inward parts/ his1×
- in/ bowels/ his1×
- from/ inward parts/ my1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵעָי/ו֙2×
- מֵעַ֣/י2×
- מֵעָ֥י/ו1×
- מֵעָ֔י/ו1×
- מֵעַ֨/י\׀1×
- מֵעַ֣/י\׀1×
- מֵעַ֖/י1×
- מֵעַ֔/י1×
- מֵעַ/י֙1×
- מֵעֶ֛י/ךָ1×
- מֵעֶ֙י/ךָ֙1×
- מֵעֶ֖י/ךָ1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 4:19
My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
This verse captures the word’s power by describing Jeremiah’s anguish as a physical burning in his innermost self, showing how the term conveys raw, unfiltered human experience rather than abstract theology.
-
Ruth 1:11
Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
Here Naomi uses the word to ask if she still has sons in her womb, illustrating its use for the reproductive center and the deep maternal longing for family continuity.
-
Psalms 71:6
I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you.
The psalmist declares reliance on God from his me’eih, indicating that trust in God is rooted in the deepest, most fundamental part of one’s existence from birth.
-
Isaiah 16:11
Therefore my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir Heres.
Isaiah describes his heart sounding like a harp for Moab and his inward parts yearning, using the word to express profound, visceral pity and compassion for another nation.