Lexical Summary
kilyah: Kidney(s)
Original Word:כִּלְיָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:kilyah
Pronunciation:kil-yaw'
Phonetic Spelling:(kil-yaw')
KJV: kidneys, reins
NASB:kidneys, mind, inward parts, feelings, heart, inmost being, minds
Word Origin:[feminine ofH3627 (כְּלִי - utensils) (only in the plural)]
1. a kidney (as an essential organ)
2. (figuratively) the mind (as the interior self)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
kidneys, reins
Feminine ofkliy (only in the plural); a kidney (as an essential organ); figuratively, the mind (as the interior self) -- kidneys, reins.
see HEBREWkliy
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona kidney
NASB Translationfeelings (1), finest* (1), heart (1), inmost being (1), inward parts (2), kidneys (18), mind (5), minds (1), within (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[ only plural (Late Hebrew (plural); Aramaic or (only plural),
; Ethiopic
); — absolute plural
Jeremiah 11:20 5t.;
Exodus 29:13 13t.; construct
Deuteronomy 32:14;
Isaiah 34:6; suffix
Job 16:3 2t.;
Job 19:27;
Psalm 16:7;
Proverbs 23:16;
Psalm 139:13;
Lamentations 3:13;
Jeremiah 12:2; —
kidneys: literally, as physical organ,
, only in poetry, as created byPsalm 139:13; as the most sensitive and vital part, in metaphor of one wounded by s arrowsJob 16:13;Lamentations 3:13.
Leviticus 3:4,10,15;Leviticus 4:9;Leviticus 7:4;Leviticus 9:10,19;Exodus 29:13,22;Leviticus 3:4,10,15;Leviticus 4:9;Leviticus 7:4;Leviticus 8:16,25 (all P); in figure of sacrifice EdomitesIsaiah 34:6; transferred to wheat,Deuteronomy 32:14kidney-fat (i.e. the choicest, richest)of wheat.
figurative, as seat of emotion and affectionJob 19:27;Proverbs 23:16;Psalm 16:7;Psalm 73:21;Jeremiah 12:2near art thou in their mouth, and far from their affections; hence, as involving character, the object of God's examination, always ""Jeremiah 11:20 comparePsalm 7:10,Jeremiah 17:10,Jeremiah 20:12,Psalm 26:2.
, see below II. .
(√ of I. , meaning dubious; Arabic
iscontract the face, look hard, stern;
a hard year (though dearth, etc.)).
Topical Lexicon
Anatomical Reality and Levitical WorshipIn the sacrificial system the kidneys, always accompanied by the encasing fat, were removed from every peace, sin, and burnt offering and placed upon the altar as Yahweh’s exclusive portion (for example,Exodus 29:13;Leviticus 3:4; 4:9; 8:16). Their consistent inclusion among “the fat portions” marked them as part of the choicest inward parts, symbolizing the surrender of the worshiper’s inmost life to God. Priestly obedience in handling them underscored the holiness of the altar and the precision of divine commands.
Seat of the Innermost Being
Beyond anatomy, the word is used poetically for the hidden depths of personhood—the emotions, affections, conscience, and even one’s plans. Job laments, “His archers surround me; He pierces my kidneys without mercy” (Job 16:13), giving voice to pain felt at the deepest level. When distress shakes the psalmist, he confesses, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless… my kidneys were pierced within me” (Psalm 73:21-22). The inner anguish registers in this organ-language, portraying feelings too profound for surface description.
Divine Examination and Judgment
Because the kidneys signify the hidden self, Scripture repeatedly pairs them with the heart to declare God’s searching omniscience. “The LORD tests the hearts and kidneys” (Jeremiah 17:10; cf.Psalm 7:9;Revelation 2:23 in Greek). Such language reassures the righteous that secret motives are known to God, while warning hypocrites that outward conformity cannot mask inner rebellion. The prophetic cry, “But, O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the kidneys and the heart” (Jeremiah 11:20), grounds appeals for vindication in God’s perfect insight.
Formation in the Womb and the Sanctity of Life
David exults, “For You formed my kidneys; You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Here the organ functions as a synecdoche for the whole person, emphasizing God’s personal craftsmanship from conception onward. This verse stands as a foundational affirmation of prenatal personhood and establishes the womb as sacred space under divine agency.
Source of Counsel and Moral Intuition
Proverbs 23:16 says, “My kidneys will rejoice when your lips speak what is right,” conveying the moral pleasure experienced when righteousness prevails. Likewise,Psalm 16:7 notes, “Even at night my kidneys instruct me,” showing that the godly receive internal guidance informed by the Law and illumined by covenant relationship. Obedience is not merely external; it resonates in the core of one’s being.
Imagery of Strength, Prosperity, and Judgment
InDeuteronomy 32:14 kidneys of wheat symbolize agricultural abundance, a figure amplified inIsaiah 34:6 where the slaughter of Edom is depicted with sacrificial language: “The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood… the kidneys of rams.” Both passages employ sacrificial terminology—one for blessing, the other for wrath—revealing that covenant faithfulness or rebellion determines whether the sacrificial knife yields provision or punishment.
Pastoral and Devotional Implications
1. Worship that pleases God still involves surrender of the innermost parts. The physical offering of kidneys points forward toRomans 12:1—presenting our bodies, and thereby our hidden motives, as living sacrifices.
2. Self-examination is essential. Prayers such as “Examine me, O LORD, and test me; try my kidneys and my heart” (Psalm 26:2) model a healthy spiritual discipline that invites sanctifying scrutiny.
3. Ministry must aim at the heart and “kidneys,” not mere behavior. Teaching and pastoral care should address motives, desires, and affections empowered by the Spirit.
Survey of Key References
Exodus 29:13, 22;Leviticus 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 8:16, 25; 9:10, 19
Deuteronomy 32:14
Job 16:13; 19:27; 38:36
Psalm 7:9; 16:7; 26:2; 73:21; 139:13
Proverbs 23:16
Isaiah 34:6
Jeremiah 11:20; 12:2; 17:10; 20:12
Lamentations 3:13
Taken together, these occurrences demonstrate that the term reaches far beyond its anatomical sense. It anchors doctrines of true worship, divine knowledge, moral integrity, and the value of life from the womb—all themes that converge, ultimately, in the perfect sacrifice and searching gaze of Jesus Christ who “has eyes like a blazing fire, and His feet are like polished bronze” (Revelation 2:18, echoing the One who “searches minds and kidneys”).
Forms and Transliterations
בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בכליותי הַכְּלָי֖וֹת הַכְּלָיֹ֔ת הַכְּלָיֹ֖ת הַכְּלָיֹ֗ת הַכְּלָיֹ֜ת הכליות הכלית וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י וְהַכְּלָיֹ֔ת וּכְלָי֗וֹת והכלית וכליות וכליותי כְּלָי֑וֹת כְּלָי֖וֹת כְלָי֖וֹת כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי כִּלְי֣וֹת כִלְיֹתַ֣י כִלְיֹתָ֑י כִלְיוֹתַ֣י כִלְיוֹתָ֑י כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃ כליות כליותי כליותי׃ כליתי מִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ מכליותיהם׃ bə·ḵil·yō·w·ṯāy bechilyoTai bəḵilyōwṯāy chelaYot chilyoTai hak·kə·lā·yō·wṯ hak·kə·lā·yōṯ hakkelaYot hakkəlāyōṯ hakkəlāyōwṯ kə·lā·yō·wṯ ḵə·lā·yō·wṯ kelaYot kəlāyōwṯ ḵəlāyōwṯ ḵil·yō·ṯay ḵil·yō·ṯāy kil·yō·w·ṯay ḵil·yō·w·ṯay ḵil·yō·w·ṯāy kil·yō·wṯ kilYot Kilyotai ḵilyōṯay ḵilyōṯāy kilyōwṯ kilyōwṯay ḵilyōwṯay ḵilyōwṯāy mik·kil·yō·w·ṯê·hem mikkilyoteiHem mikkilyōwṯêhem ū·ḵə·lā·yō·wṯ uchelaYot ūḵəlāyōwṯ vechilyoTai vehakkelaYot wə·hak·kə·lā·yōṯ wə·ḵil·yō·w·ṯay wəhakkəlāyōṯ wəḵilyōwṯay
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
