What does כֶּסֶל (kesiluth) mean in the Bible?
כֶּסֶל (kesiluth): Physical seat of vitality (loins/viscera) extends metaphorically to both foolish presumption and grounded confidence
Hebrew · H3689
כֶּסֶל
Properly, fatness , i.e. by implication (literally) the loin (as the seat of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera ; also (figuratively) silliness or (in a good sense) trust
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כֶּסֶלH3689
Pronunciationkesiluth
What does כֶּסֶל (kesiluth) mean in the Bible?
כֶּסֶל (kesiluth): Physical seat of vitality (loins/viscera) extends metaphorically to both foolish presumption and grounded confidence
Full entry for כֶּסֶל (H3689) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3689?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the loins (5), and his waistline (1), confidence (1), my loins (1), my trust (1).
Where does כֶּסֶל (kesiluth) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 3:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (5), Job (3), Psalms (3), Ecclesiastes (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe loins5×Leviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:10, Leviticus 3:15, Leviticus 4:9
and his waistline1×Job 15:27
confidence1×Job 8:14
my loins1×Psalms 38:7
my trust1×Job 31:24
of the foolish1×Psalms 49:13
the stupidity1×Ecclesiastes 7:25
their confidence1×Psalms 78:7
your confidence1×Proverbs 3:26
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 3:4הַכְּסָלִ֑יםtothe loinsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 3:10הַכְּסָלִ֑יםtothe loinsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 3:15הַכְּסָלִ֑יםtothe loinsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 4:9הַכְּסָלִ֑יםtothe loinsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 7:4הַכְּסָלִ֑יםtothe loinsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralJob 8:14כִּסְל֑וֹtoconfidenceNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularJob 15:27כָֽסֶל׃toand his waistlineNoun - masculine singularJob 31:24כִּסְלִ֑יtomy trustNoun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularPsalms 38:7כְ֭סָלַיtomy loinsNoun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularPsalms 49:13כֵּ֣סֶלtoof the foolishNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 3:4
Aligned rows13
Books represented5
Leviticus5Job3Psalms3Proverbs1Ecclesiastes1
Source forms
הַכְּסָלִ֑ים5xhak·kə·sā·lîmLeviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:10, Leviticus 3:15, Leviticus 4:9
בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ1xḇə·ḵis·le·ḵāProverbs 3:26
כֵּ֣סֶל1xkê·selPsalms 49:13
כֶּ֔סֶל1xke·selEcclesiastes 7:25
כָֽסֶל׃1xḵā·selJob 15:27
כִּסְל֑וֹ1xkis·lōwJob 8:14
כְ֭סָלַי1xḵə·sā·layPsalms 38:7
כִּסְלִ֑י1xkis·lîJob 31:24
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine plural5xLeviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:10, Leviticus 3:15, Leviticus 4:9
Noun - masculine singular3xJob 15:27, Psalms 49:13, Ecclesiastes 7:25
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular1xPsalms 38:7
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular1xJob 31:24
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xPsalms 78:7
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1xJob 8:14
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular1xProverbs 3:26
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical seat of vitality (loins/viscera) extends metaphorically to both foolish presumption and grounded confidence
Source Gloss
properly, fatness , i.e. by implication (literally) the loin (as the seat of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera ; also (figuratively) silliness or (in a good sense) trust
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical seat of vitality (loins/viscera) extends metaphorically to both foolish presumption and grounded confidence
properly, fatness, i.e. by implication (literally) the loin (as the seat of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera; also (figuratively) silliness or (in a good sense) trust BDB: loins Usage: confidence, flank, folly, hope, loin.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
moral foolishness that rejects wisdom and discipline
Showing 1 selected witness from 13 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כֶּסֶל is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Folly represents a moral orientation that rejects God's wisdom.Proverbs 9:13-18
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.