rānz ( כּליה , kilyāh ; νεφρὸς , nephrós , words promiscuously translated "heart," "inward parts," "kidneys" or "reins." The latter word, which is derived from Latin " renes " through Old French " reins ", has given place in modern English to the word "kidneys" (see Skeat, Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language , 398). the Revised Version (British and American) has, however, retained the older word, at least in the margin, in all passages in which it is found in the King James Version): According to Hebrew psychology the reins are the seat of the deepest emotions and affections of man, which God alone can fully know. Thus the Revised Version (British and American) has substituted "heart" for "reins" in the text of Job 19:27; Psalm 7:9; Psalm 16:7; Psalm 26:2; Psalm 73:21; Proverbs 23:16; Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 12:2; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12; the translation "inward parts" is found but once (Psalm 139:13 ). In one passage the King James Version has translated the Hebrew ḥālāc ("loins") with "reins" (Isaiah 11:5 ), where the Revised Version (British and American) has rightly substituted "waist" (which see). The Greek word nephros (which is etymologically allied to the Middle English nere , Get. Niere; see Skeat, ibid, 231, under the word "Kidney") is found in 1 Macc 2:24; Revelation 2:23 . See KIDNEYS .
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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