בָּל
bal
mind
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# The Hebrew Word "Bal" (בָּל): The Seat of Thought and Emotion The Hebrew term "bal," appearing 594 times in the biblical text, refers to the *mind*—the center of human consciousness, thought, and inner life. This high frequency of occurrence underscores its fundamental importance in how ancient Hebrew writers conceptualized human psychology and agency. Rather than treating the mind as a purely rational faculty separate from emotion, the biblical usage reflects a more integrated understanding of the person as a unified whole where thinking, feeling, and decision-making operate together. The extensive usage of this word across biblical narratives, wisdom literature, and legal texts reveals that the ancient Hebrew authors were deeply concerned with inner states—what people thought, desired, remembered, and decided. The mind appears as the seat of intention, understanding, and moral deliberation. This reflects a worldview in which human agency and responsibility are rooted not merely in outward action but in the interior conviction and will of the individual. The word's prominence in the biblical corpus indicates that examining the human mind—its inclinations, its knowledge, and its purposes—was central to how biblical writers explained human behavior and moral accountability.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
594 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
After this, Joash intended to restore Yahweh’s house.
2 Chronicles 25:19You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home. Why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?’ ”
2 Chronicles 26:16But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into Yahweh’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 29:31Then Hezekiah answered, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to Yahweh. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into Yahweh’s house.” The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.
2 Chronicles 30:12Also the hand of God came on Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by Yahweh’s word.
2 Chronicles 30:22Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 32:26Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
Ezra 6:22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.
Ezra 7:27Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem;
Nehemiah 2:2The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
Nehemiah 2:12I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on.
Nehemiah 4:6So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height: for the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 5:7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.
Nehemiah 6:8Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”
Nehemiah 7:5My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:
Esther 1:10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
Esther 5:9Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
Esther 6:6So Haman came in. The king said to him, “What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman said in his heart, “Who would the king delight to honor more than myself?”
Esther 7:5Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
Job 1:8Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”
Job 2:3Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.”
Job 7:17What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
Job 8:10Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
Job 11:13“If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him.
Job 12:24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
Job 15:12Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
Job 17:4For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you will not exalt them.
Job 23:16For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me.
Job 29:13the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Job 31:7if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
Job 31:9“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
Job 31:27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
Job 33:3My words will utter the uprightness of my heart. That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
Job 34:14If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
Job 36:5“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Job 36:13“But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
Job 37:1“Yes, at this my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place.
Job 37:24Therefore men revere him. He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.”
Job 41:24His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
Psalms 4:7You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased.
Psalms 7:10My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
Psalms 9:1I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works.
Psalms 10:6He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
Psalms 10:11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it.”
Psalms 10:13Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”
Psalms 10:17Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,
Psalms 11:2For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
Psalms 12:2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
Psalms 12:2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.