BDB4473 [H3956]

1. tongue of men,
\ \ a. used in lapping Judg 7:5 cleaving to the palate (חֵק), in thirst Lam 4:4, so as to produce dumbness Job 29:10 (|| קוֺל נֶחְבָּא), Ps 137:6; Ezek 3:26 (|| נֶאֱלַם); cleaving to jaws (מַלְקוֺחַ) Ps 22:16 בַּצָּמָא נָשָׁ֑תָּה ׳ל Isa 41:17 their tongue for thirst is parched; תִּמַּק בְּפִיהֶם ׳לְ Zech 14:12 (of ׳י's judgment); a choice morsel is held ׳תַּחַת ל Job 20:12 (figurative of mischief), compare Ps 10:7 (ready to be uttered), Ps 66:17 (|| פֶּה), Song 4:11.
\ \ b. usually as organ of speech, both good and bad (especially Psalms, Proverbs, often || פֶּה, שָׂפָה); — ׳כְּבַד ל Exod 4:10 (J) heavy of tongue; ׳מַעֲנֵה ל Prov 16:1, מִלָּתוֺ עַללְֿשׁוֺנִי 2Sam 23:2, compare Prov 31:26; Ps 139:4 (׳בִּל), הֲיֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֺנִי עַוְלָה Job 6:30 ׳מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד ל Prov 18:21, compare Prov 21:23; Prov 25:15 of (false) prophets, ׳הַלֹּקְהִים ל Jer 23:31 subject of verb of speaking, בֶּר Di — בִחִכִּי דִּבְּרָה לְשׁוֺנִי Job 33:2; Ps 12:4; Ps 37:30 compare (Jer 9:7 below and) ֗֗֗ תְּמַהֵר ׳ל לְדַבֵּר Isa 32:4, לְשׁוֺנִי עֵט סֹפֵר מָהִיר Ps 45:2, i.e. as swift as a rapid scribe's stylus; subject of הָגָה Isa 59:3; Job 27:4; Ps 35:28; Ps 71:24 subject of נִשְׁבַּע Isa 45:23 תִּהַלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ ׳ל Ps 73:9 of hostile speech, insolence, etc., Josh 10:21 (J E; object of I. חָרַץ q. v., compare 3 below), Jer 18:18; Isa 3:8 ׳זַעַם ל Hos 7:16 (but text dubious, compare We Now), חֶרֶב חַדָּה ׳ל Ps 57:6, compare Ps 64:4 כְּמוֺ ׳נָחָשׁ שָֽׁנְנוּ ל Ps 140:4 תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ ׳כָּללֿ Isa 54:17 ׳הֶאֱרִיךְ ל Isa 57:4 further, Jer 9:2; Jer 9:4 as instrument of seductive flattery (הֶחֱלִיק), without בְּ, Ps 5:10; Prov 28:33, compare ׳נָכְרִיָּה חֶלְקַת לָ Prov 6:24. of falsehood Ps 78:36 (compare below); of slander (compare לושֵׁן) ׳רָגַל עַללֿ Ps 15:3, אִישׁ לָשׁוֺןPs 140:12, compare סָ֑תֶר ׳לְ Prov 25:33 ׳חָטָא בְּל Ps 39:2 compare Ps 64:9 (text dubious, see Hup Che Bae); moral qualities ascribed to: — as arrogant Ps 12:5 (compare vPs 12:4 above); as devising injuries, ׳הַוּוֺת תַּחְשֹׁב ל Ps 52:4, compare הַוֺת ׳לְ Prov 17:4 תַּצְמִיד מִרְמָה ׳ל Ps 50:19 nectere fraudem; ׳מֵרָ֑ע נְצֹר ל Ps 34:14 ׅ || (וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה; often of lying tongue: לְשׁוֺן שֶׁקֶר Prov 6:17; Prov 12:19; Prov 21:6; Prov 26:28; Ps 109:2 מִרְמָה ׳לְ Ps 52:6 רְמִיָּה ׳לָ Mic 6:12; Ps 120:2; Ps 120:3 תַּרְמִית ׳לְ Zeph 3:13 תַּהְפֻּכוֺת ׳לְ Prov 10:31, and ׳נֶהְפָּךְ בִּל Prov 17:20 עֲרוּמִים׳ל Job 15:5 also מִרְמָה דִּבֵּ֑ר ׳ל Jer 9:7 on the other hand צַדִּיק ׳לְ Prov 10:20 חֲכָמִים ׳ל Prov 12:18; Prov 15:2 ׳מַרְפֵּה לָ vProv 15:4 לִמּוּדִים ׳לְ Isa 50:4. — Note phrases ׳שׁוֺט ל Job 5:21 scourge of (the) tongue, רִיב לְשֹׁנוֺת Ps 31:21 פַּלַּג לְשׁוֺנָם Ps 55:10: also ׳בַּעַל הַלּ Eccl 10:11 (of serpent-charmer), and ׳וַתֵּעֲלוּ עַלשְֿׂפַת ל Ezek 36:3. — On tongue of ׳י (once), see 4 below
\ \ c. organ of singing, subject of רָנַן Ps 51:16; Ps 126:2; Isa 35:6, עָנָה Ps 119:172.

2. = language Deut 28:49; Jer 5:15 and later, namely: Ezek 3:5; Ezek 3:6 (׳כִּבְדֵי ל, || עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה, but strike out ᵐ5 Manuscripts Co Sgfr^KauAT), Isa 28:11 (|| אַחֶרֶת ׳ל, לַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה, figurative of ׳י's unintelligible dealings); ׳עַם ֗֗֗ נִלְעַג ל Isa 33:19 (|| עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה); Isa 66:18 (|| גּוֺיִם), Zech 8:23; Gen 10:5; Gen 10:20; Gen 10:31 (all P), Neh 13:24; Esth 1:22 (twice in verse); Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9 (twice in verse); Dan 1:4.

3. tongue of animals: dog Exod 11:7 (J; object of I. חָרַץ q. v.; compare 1 b), Ps 68:24 adder Job 20:16 (subjectof תַּהֲרֹג); crocodile Job 40:25.

4. tongue of fire, devouring, כֶּאֱכֹל קַשׁ לְשׁוֺן אֵשׁ Isa 5:24 compare of ׳י, וּלְשׁוֺנוֺ כְּאֵשׁ אֹכָ֑לֶת Isa 30:27 (|| שְׂפָתָיו מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם).

5. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold Josh 7:21; Josh 7:24 (JE).

6. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea Isa 11:15; Josh 15:2; Josh 15:5; Josh 18:19 (all P).