טֻחָה
𐤈𐤇𐤄
ṭuchâh
H2910 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Plural noun denoting the kidneys, specifically as anatomical organs, and by extension the deepest internal parts or seat of emotions, thought, or conscience. In Hebrew literature, used both in literal sense for the physical kidneys and metaphorically to refer to a person’s innermost being or moral/intellectual center.
Semantic Range
kidneys (literal internal organs), seat of emotions and thoughts, inward parts, moral center, conscience
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root טוח, which conveys the idea of overlaying or covering. The term טֻחָה (ṭuchâh) is a plural form referring to the kidneys, understood as hidden or covered organs within the body. Although a probable connection exists with the root טָחָה/טוּחַ ('to cover, overlay'), the precise lexical evolution is not entirely certain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
טֻחָה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in poetic or metaphorical contexts where the kidneys function as the locus of deep feeling, thoughts, or conscience. In the ancient Israelite worldview, bodily organs such as the kidneys and heart (לב, lēv) were seen as centers of emotional and cognitive faculties, unlike later Western concepts that localize such faculties in the brain. The term is distinct from כִּלְיָה (kilyah, H3629), the most common term for 'kidney(s)', which is consistently used in both anatomical and ritual contexts (e.g., concerning sacrificial animals). The appearance of טֻחָה rather than כִּלְיָה may reflect dialect, poetic, or archaic usage. English translations often simply render טֻחָה as 'kidneys' or 'inward parts,' but this can obscure the metaphorical associations in Hebrew thought. In biblical anthropology, the kidneys were associated with both physical and moral processes—the source of affections, motives, and divine searching of the inner self. The usage does not correspond to the later religious or ethnic category 'Jew'; its referent is broader and belongs strictly to Hebrew/Israelite anthropology and poetics.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit ṭuwchâh corrected to ṭuchâh; from טָחָה (or טוּחַ) in the sense of overlaying; (in the plural only) the kidneys (as being covered); hence (figuratively) the inmost thought; inward parts.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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טוח (ṭ-w-ḥ) — covering, overlaying, concealing
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2910-01 |
בַּ/טֻּח֣וֹת | batuchot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the inward parts | in the hidden kidneys | 1 |
H2910-02 |
בַ/טֻּח֑וֹת | vatuchot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the inward parts | hidden kidneys | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2910-02 |
Psalms 51:8 | בַ/טֻּח֑וֹת | vatuchot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the inward parts | hidden kidneys |
H2910-01 |
Job 38:36 | בַּ/טֻּח֣וֹת | batuchot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the inward parts | in the hidden kidneys |