κοιλία

μήτρα mḗtra · G3388 · womb

Both terms denote the womb or uterus in anatomical contexts. κοιλία has a broader semantic range, also referring to the belly or abdomen generally and used figuratively for inner desires or the heart, while μήτρα is more specialized to the reproductive matrix itself.

בֶּטֶן beṭen · H990 · belly, womb, stomach

Hebrew בֶּטֶן (beten) and Greek κοιλία (koilia) both denote the belly/abdomen and womb, with overlapping semantic range including literal anatomical reference and figurative extension to innermost parts; the Greek term appears as the standard LXX rendering of the Hebrew across both literal and metaphorical uses.

מֵעֶה mêʻeh · H4578 · bowels, interior, belly

מֵעֶה (mêʻeh, H4578) is the Hebrew equivalent denoting the internal cavity/belly/bowels/womb, with both literal anatomical and figurative (heart/inner being) senses paralleling κοιλία (koilía, G2836)'s semantic range.

קֶרֶב qereb · H7130 · inner parts, entrails, stomach

Greek κοιλία denotes bodily cavity (abdomen, womb) with figurative extension to heart/inner being, corresponding to Hebrew קֶרֶב's semantic range of inward parts (bowels, heart, interior) used both literally for physical organs and figuratively for seat of emotion/thought.

גָּחוֹן gâchôwn · H1512 · belly

גָּחוֹן (gâchôwn, H1512) גָּחוֹן denotes the physical belly/abdomen as an external body part, while κοιλία (koilía, G2836) κοιλία encompasses both the abdominal cavity and internal organs (matrix, womb), extending metaphorically to the inner person (heart); both share the core anatomical referent of the belly region.

רֶחֶם rechem · H7358 · womb

Hebrew רֶחֶם specifically denotes the womb, while Greek κοιλία has a broader anatomical range covering any body cavity, especially the abdomen; the two nonetheless overlap directly in the sense of 'womb,' the sense in which they are treated as translation equivalents.

To be pregnant with, to carry in the womb23.51

κοιλία can describe the state of carrying a child in the womb. Luke 1:41 recounts that “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,” the κοιλία naming the womb in which the unborn John leaped.

Physical desires, desires of the body25.28

The same noun can figuratively denote bodily appetite or craving. Romans 16:18 warns of those who “are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites,” the κοιλία naming this self-indulgent bodily craving they serve instead of Christ.

Heart, feelings, desires26.11

κοιλία can also denote the innermost seat of a person’s feelings or spiritual life. John 7:38 quotes Jesus declaring, “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water,’” the κοιλία naming this inner life from which living water flows.

Belly, internal organs8.67

Most literally, κοιλία names the belly or stomach as a bodily organ. Matthew 12:40 has Jesus saying, “just as JONAH WAS IN THE STOMACH OF THE SEA MONSTER FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights,” the κοιλία naming this internal cavity of the great fish.

Womb8.69

κοιλία can specifically name the womb as the anatomical organ of gestation. John 3:4 has Nicodemus asking Jesus, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” the κοιλία naming this womb of first birth.

Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.