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H193 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אוּל
Ul
Noun, masculine
strength, body, belly

Definition

The rare word ul denotes bodily strength, the body itself, or specifically the belly or womb as the seat of vitality and strength. Its connection to physical power and generative capacity links it to concepts of life-force and vitality in ancient Hebrew thought.

Usage & Theological Significance

Hebrew anthropology, unlike Greek dualism, viewed the body as integral to the whole person. Strength (ul) was not separate from spirituality — the body was the temple of the living God. The belly as the seat of strength connects to related concepts like the "loins" as the source of future generations (one's offspring would "come from the loins"). This holistic view of embodied existence foreshadows New Testament theology, where the resurrection of the body — not just the immortality of the soul — is the hope of the believer.

Key Bible Verses

Job 20:23 When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him.
Psalm 22:9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
Genesis 25:23 Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated.
John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?

Related Words

External Resources

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