King James Bible Dictionary

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deuteronomy 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case.

The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Psalms 24:4; Matthew 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Genesis 20:5, 6; Psalms 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word "soul" could not be substituted for "heart."

The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Romans 2:15). It is naturally wicked (Genesis 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and character (Matthew 12:34; 15:18; comp. Ecclesiastes 8:11; Psalms 73:7). Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated (Ezekiel 36:26; 11:19; Psalms 51:10-14), before a man can willingly obey God.

The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Psalms 95:8; Proverbs 28:14; 2 Chronicles 36:13). "Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things."

Seat of the affections.

Renewed:

General references
Deuteronomy 30:6; Psalms 51:10; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 2:29; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10

Regenerated
John 3:3; John 3:7

Graciously affected of God
1 Samuel 10:26; 1 Chronicles 29:18; Ezra 6:22; Ezra 7:27; Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 21:1; Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 16:14

Strengthened
Psalms 27:14; Psalms 112:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:13

Enlightened
2 Corinthians 4:6

Tried
1 Chronicles 29:17; Psalms 7:9; Psalms 26:2; Proverbs 17:3; Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 20:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Hebrews 11:17; Revelation 2:2; Revelation 2:10

It should render to God:

Obedience
Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:13; Deuteronomy 26:16; 1 Kings 2:4; Psalms 119:112; Ephesians 6:6

Faith
Psalms 27:3; Psalms 112:7; Acts 8:37; Romans 6:17; Romans 10:10

Trust
Proverbs 3:5

Love
Matthew 22:37

Fear
Psalms 119:161; Jeremiah 32:40

Fidelity
Nehemiah 9:8

Zeal
2 Chronicles 17:16; Jeremiah 20:9

It should seek:

God
2 Chronicles 19:3; 2 Chronicles 30:19; Ezra 7:10; Psalms 10:17; Psalms 84:2

To be joyful
1 Samuel 2:1; Psalms 4:7; Psalms 97:11; Isaiah 65:14; Zech 10:7

To be perfect
1 Kings 8:61; Psalms 101:2

To be upright
Psalms 97:11; Psalms 125:4

To be clean
Psalms 51:10; Psalms 73:1

To be pure
Psalms 24:4; Proverbs 22:11; Matthew 5:8; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; James 4:8; 1 Peter 1:22

To be sincere
Luke 8:15; Acts 2:46; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; Hebrews 10:22

To be repentant
Deuteronomy 30:2; Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17

To be devout
1 Samuel 1:13; Psalms 4:4; Psalms 9:1; Psalms 27:8; Psalms 77:6; Psalms 119:10; Psalms 119:69; Psalms 119:145

To be wise
1 Kings 3:9; 1 Kings 3:12; 1 Kings 4:29; Job 9:4; Proverbs 8:10; Proverbs 10:8; Proverbs 11:29; Proverbs 14:33; Proverbs 23:15

To be tender
1 Samuel 24:5; 2 Kings 22:19; Job 23:16; Psalms 22:14; Ephesians 4:32

To be holy
Psalms 66:18; 1 Peter 3:15

To be compassionate
Jeremiah 4:19; Lamentations 3:51

To be lowly
Matthew 11:29

The unregenerate heart:

Is full of iniquity
Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; 1 Samuel 17:28; Proverbs 6:14; Proverbs 6:18; Proverbs 11:20; Ecclesiastes 8:11; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Jeremiah 4:14; Jeremiah 4:18; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:21

Loves evil
Deuteronomy 29:18; Psalms 95:10; Jeremiah 17:5

Is a fountain of evil

General references
Matthew 12:34-35; Mark 7:21
Depravity

Is wayward
2 Chronicles 12:14; Psalms 101:4; Proverbs 6:14; Proverbs 11:20; Proverbs 12:8; Proverbs 17:20; Jeremiah 5:23; Hebrews 3:10

Is blind

General references
Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:18
Blindness, Spiritual

Is double

General references
1 Chronicles 12:33; Psalms 12:2; Hosea 10:2; James 1:6; James 1:8; Proverbs 28:14; Isaiah 9:9; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 46:12
Instability

Is hard

General references
Psalms 76:5; Ezekiel 2:4; Ezekiel 3:7; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26; Mark 6:52; Mark 10:5; Mark 16:14; John 12:40; Romans 1:21; Romans 2:5
Impenitence; Obduracy

Is deceitful
Jeremiah 17:9

Is proud

General references
2 Kings 14:10; 2 Chronicles 25:19; Psalms 101:5; Proverbs 18:12; Proverbs 28:25; Jeremiah 48:29; Jeremiah 49:16
Pride

Is subtle

General references
Proverbs 7:10
Hypocrisy

Is sensual

General references
Ezekiel 6:9; Hosea 13:6; Romans 8:7
Lasciviousness

Is worldly
2 Chronicles 26:16; Daniel 5:20; Acts 8:21-22

Is judicially hardened
Exodus 4:21; Joshua 11:20; Isaiah 6:10; Acts 28:26-27

Is malicious

General references
Psalms 28:3; Psalms 140:2; Proverbs 24:2; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Ezekiel 25:15
Malice

Is impenitent

General references
Romans 2:5
Impenitence

Is diabolical
John 13:2; Acts 5:3

Is covetous

General references
Jeremiah 22:17; 2 Peter 2:14
Covetousness

Is foolish
Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 22:15; Ecclesiastes 9:3

Unclassified scriptures descriptive of the seat of the affections
Deuteronomy 5:29; Deuteronomy 6:5-6; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 12:14; Psalms 22:26; Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:10; Psalms 51:17; Psalms 57:7; Psalms 112:7; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 14:30; Proverbs 15:13-15; Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 20:9; Jeremiah 17:1; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Matthew 5:8; Matthew 9:4; Matthew 12:33; Matthew 15:18-20; Mark 7:21; Matthew 23:26; Acts 8:22; Romans 2:5; Romans 2:14-16; Hebrews 3:8; Hebrews 3:15

Instances of hardened hearts:

Pharaoh
Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:3; Exodus 7:13; Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 9:34-35; Exodus 10:1; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 11:9-10; Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:8; Exodus 14:17

Sihon
Deuteronomy 2:30

King of Canaan
Joshua 11:20

Others
1 Samuel 6:6

Known to God
Deuteronomy 31:21; 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Samuel 7:20; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Job 11:11; Job 16:19; Job 31:4; Psalms 1:6; Psalms 44:21; Psalms 51:10; Psalms 94:11; Psalms 139:1-12; Proverbs 5:21; Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 21:2; Isaiah 66:18; Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 17:10; Ezekiel 11:5; Ezekiel 11:19-21; Ezekiel 36:25-26; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; Acts 15:8; Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 3:20; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 2:23

Change of, instances of:

Saul
1 Samuel 10:9

Solomon
1 Kings 3:11-12

Saul of Tarsus
Acts 9:1-18
Regeneration; Sanctification

HEART, noun [Latin cor, cordis, and allied to Eng.core, or named from motion, pulsation.]

1. A muscular viscus, which is the primary organ of the blood's motion in an animal body, situated in the thorax. From this organ all the arteries arise, and in it all the veins terminate. By its alternate dilatation and contraction, the blood is received from the veins, and returned through the arteries, by which means the circulation is carried on and life preserved.

2. The inner part of any thing; the middle part or interior; as the heart of a country, kingdom or empire; the heart of a town; the heart of a tree.

3. The chief part; the vital part; the vigorous or efficacious part.

4. The seat of the affections and passions, as of love, joy, grief, enmity, courage, pleasure etc.

The heart is deceitful above all things. Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil continually. We read of an honest and good heart and an evil heart of unbelief, a willing heart a heavy heart sorrow of heart a hard heart a proud heart a pure heart The heart faints in adversity, or under discouragement, that is, courage fails; the heart is deceived, enlarged, reproved, lifted up, fixed, established, moved, etc.

5. By a metonymy, heart is used for an affection or passion, and particularly for love.

The king's heart was towards Absalom. 2 Samuel 14:1.

6. The seat of the understanding; as an understanding heart

We read of men wise in heart and slow of heart

7. The seat of the will; hence, secret purposes, intentions or designs. There are many devices in a man's heart The heart of kings is unsearchable. The Lord tries and searches the heart David had it in his heart to build a house of rest for the ark.

Sometimes heart is used for the will, or determined purpose.

The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Ecclesiastes 8:5.

8. Person; character; used with respect to courage or kindess.

Cheerly, my hearts.

9. Courage; spirit; as, to take heart; to give heart; to recover heart

10. Secret thoughts; recesses of the mind.

Michal saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart 2 Samuel 6:16.

11. Disposition of mind.

He had a heart to do well.

12. Secret meaning; real intention.

And then show you the heart of my message.

13. Conscience, or sense of good or ill.

Every man's heart and conscience--doth either like or disallow it.

14. Strength; power of producing; vigor; fertility. Keep the land in heart

That the spent earth may gather heart again.

15. The utmost degree.

This gay charm--hath beguiled me

To the very heart of loss.

To get or learn by heart to commit to memory; to learn so perfectly as to be able to repeat without a copy.

To take to heart to be much affected; also, to be zealous, ardent or solicitous about a thing; to have concern.

To lay to heart is used nearly in the sense of the foregoing.

To set the heart on, to fix the desires on; to be very desirous of obtaining or keeping; to be very fond of.

To set the heart at rest, to make one's self quiet; to be tranquil or easy in mind.

To find in the heart to be willing or disposed.

I find it in my heart to ask your pardon.

For my heart for tenderness or affection.

I could not for my heart refuse his request.

Or, this phrase may signify, for my life; if my life was at stake.

I could not get him for my heart to do it.

To speak to one's heart in Scripture, to speak kindly to; to comfort; to encourage.

To have in the heart to purpose; to have design or intention.

A hard heart cruelty; want of sensibility.

HE'ART, verb intransitive To encourage. [Not much used.]

HE'ART-ACH, noun Sorrow; anguish of mind.

HE'ART-ALLU'RING, adjective Suited to allure the affections.

HEART-APPALL'ING, adjective Dismaying the heart.

HE'ART-BLOOD , noun The blood of the heart; life; essence.

HE'ART-BREAK, noun Overwhelming sorrow or grief.

HE'ART-BREAKER, adjective A lady's curl; a love-lock.

HE'ART-BREAKING, adjective Breaking the heart; overpowering with grief or sorrow.

HE'ART-BREAKING, noun Overpowering grief; deep affliction.

HE'ART-BRED, adjective Bred in the heart.

HE'ART-BROKEN, adjective Deeply afflicted or grieved.

HE'ART-BURIED, adjective Deeply immersed.

HE'ART-BURN, noun Cardialgy; a disease or affection of the stomach, attended with a sensation of heat and uneasiness, and occasioned by indigestion, surfeit or acidity.

HE'ART-BURNED, adjective Having the heart inflamed.

HE'ART-BURNING, adjective Causing discontent.

HE'ART-BURNING, noun Heart-burn, which see.

1. Discontent; secret enmity.

HE'ART-CHILLED, adjective Having the heart chilled.

HE'ART-CONSU'MING, adjective Destroying peace of mind.

HE'ART-CORRO'DING, adjective Preying on the heart.

HE'ART-DEAR, adjective Sincerely beloved.

HE'ART-DEEP, adjective Rooted in the heart.

HE'ART-DISCOUR'AGING, adjective [See Courage.] Depressing the spirits.

HE'ART-EASE, noun Quiet; tranquillity of mind.

HE'ART-EASING, adjective Giving quiet to the mind.

HE'ART-EATING, adjective Preying on the heart.

HE'ARTED, adjective Taken to heart. [Not used.]

1. Composed of hearts. [Not used.]

2. Laid up in the heart.

This word is chiefly used in composition, as hard-hearted, faint-hearted, stout-hearted, etc.

HE'ARTEN, verb transitive h'artn. To encourage; to animate; to incite or stimulate courage.

1. To restore fertility or strength to; as, to hearten land. [Little used.]

HE'ARTENER, noun He or that which gives courage or animation.

HE'ART-EXPAND'ING, adjective Enlarging the heart; opening the feelings.

HE'ART-FELT, adjective Deeply felt; deeply affecting, either as joy or sorrow.

HE'ART-GRIEF, noun Affliction of the heart.

Heb. ah (Jeremiah 36:22, 23; R.V., "brazier"), meaning a large pot like a brazier, a portable furnace in which fire was kept in the king's winter apartment.

Heb. kiyor (Zechariah 12:6; R.V., "pan"), a fire-pan.

Heb. moqed (Psalms 102:3; R.V., "fire-brand"), properly a fagot.

Heb. yaqud (Isaiah 30:14), a burning mass on a hearth.

General references
Genesis 18:6; Isaiah 30:14; Jeremiah 36:22-23
Brazier

One way of baking much practiced in the East is to place the dough on an iron plate, either laid on or supported on legs above the vessel sunk in the ground, which forms the oven. The cakes baked "on the hearth" (Genesis 18:6) were probably baked in the existing Bedouin manner, on hot stones covered with ashes. The "hearth" of King Jehoiakim's winter palace, (Jeremiah 36:23) was possibly a pan or brazier of charcoal. From this we see that the significance of the Hebrew words translated hearth is not the same as with us.

HE'ARTH, noun harth. A pavement or floor of brick or stone in a chimney, on which a fire is made to warm a room, and from which there is a passage for the smoke to ascend.

HE'ART-HARDENED, adjective Obdurate; impenitent; unfeeling.

HE'ART-HARDENING, adjective Rendering cruel or obdurate.

HE'ART-HEAVINESS, noun Depression of spirits.

HE'ARTH-MONEY

HE'ARTH-PENNY, noun A tax on hearths.

HE'ARTILY, adverb [from hearty.] From the heart; with all the heart; with sincerity; really.

I heartily forgive them.

1. With zeal; actively; vigorously. He heartily assisted the prince.

2. Eagerly; freely; largely; as, to eat heartily

HE'ARTINESS, noun Sincerity; zeal; ardor; earnestness.

1. Eagerness of appetite.

HE'ARTLESS, adjective Without courage; spiritless; faint-hearted.

Heartless they fought, and quitted soon their ground.

HE'ARTLESSLY, adverb Without courage or spirit; faintly; timidly; feebly.

HE'ARTLESSNESS, noun Want of courage or spirit; dejection of mind; feebleness.

HE'ART-OFFEND'ING, adjective Wounding the heart.

HE'ART-PEA, noun A plant, the Cardiospermum, with black seeds, having the figure of a heart of a white color on each.

HE'ART-QUELLING, adjective Conquering the affection.

HE'ART-RENDING, adjective Breaking the heart; overpowering with anguish; deeply afflictive.

HE'ART-ROBBING, adjective Depriving of thought; ecstatic.

1. Stealing the heart; winning.

HE'ART'S-BLOOD

HE'ART'S-EASE, noun A plant, a species of Viola.

HE'ART-SEARCHING, adjective Searching the secret thoughts and purposes.

HE'ART-SICK, adjective Sick at heart; pained in mind; deeply afflicted or depressed.

HE'ART-SORE, noun That which pains the heart.

HE'ART-SORE, adjective Deeply wounded.

HE'ART-SOR'ROWING, adjective Sorrowing deeply in heart.

HE'ART-STRING, noun A nerve or tendon, supposed to brace and sustain the heart.

HE'ART-STRUCK, adjective Driven to the heart; infixed in the mind.

1. Shocked with fear; dismayed.

HE'ART-SWELLING, adjective Rankling in the heart.

HE'ART-WHOLE, adjective [See Whole.] Not affected with love; not in love, or not deeply affected.

1. Having unbroken spirits, or good courage.

HE'ART-WOUNDED, adjective Wounded with love or grief; deeply affected with some passion.

HE'ART-WOUNDING, adjective Piercing with grief.

HE'ARTY, adjective Having the heart engaged in any thing; sincere; warm; zealous; as, to be hearty in support of government.

1. Proceeding from the heart; sincere; warm; as a hearty welcome.

2. Being full of health; sound; strong; healthy; as a hearty man.

3. Strong; durable; as hearty timber. [Not used in America.]

4. Having a keen appetite; eating much; as a hearty eater.

5. Strong; nourishing; as hearty food.

HE'ARTY-HALE, adjective Good for the heart.