מָבֻשׁ
𐤌𐤁𐤔
mâbush
H4016 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Genitalia, specifically the external male genital organs; also used euphemistically for the most private or concealed parts of the body. In context, the term denotes the parts of the body associated with privacy and potential shame, often employed in contexts relating to nakedness, exposure, or humiliation.
Semantic Range
male genitals, penis, pudenda, private parts (euphemistic), secrets (in the sense of hidden or shameful parts)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root בּוּשׁ (b-v-sh), meaning 'to be ashamed' or 'to feel shame.' The form מָבֻשׁ is a nominal formation, with the mem-prefix often signifying an instrument or place, thus literally 'that which brings shame' or 'place of shame.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מָבֻשׁ appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily attested in Ezekiel 16:7 and 23:20, where it refers to the male genitalia in frank or coarse language, conveying ideas both of nakedness and of humiliation. Its infrequent usage aligns with a broader biblical tendency toward euphemism and indirect reference to the genitals; more common terms may use נָקֵב (for female genitalia), עֶרְוָה (nakedness/exposure), or שֵׁגוֹל (thigh as euphemism). The translation 'secrets' or 'private parts' is a later interpretive move to soften the concrete reference. The connection with the root בּוּשׁ highlights the cultural association between nudity, sexual acts, and feelings of shame or dishonor in ancient Israelite society. In medieval and later translations, the term was often euphemized further to avoid explicit reference, sometimes glossed as 'shameful parts,' 'nakedness,' or even simply 'shame.' These translations tend to obscure the specific anatomical reference present in the original Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בּוּשׁ; (plural) the (male) pudenda; secrets.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בוש (b-w-sh) — to be ashamed, to feel disgrace, to be confounded
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1317 | בׇּשְׁנָה | public disgrace |
| H1322 | בֹּשֶׁת | their shame |
| H955 | בּוּשָׁה | shame |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4016-01 |
בִּ/מְבֻשָֽׁי/ו | bimevushayv | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
his private parts | in his shame-parts | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4016-01 |
Deuteronomy 25:11 | בִּ/מְבֻשָֽׁי/ו | bimevushayv | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
his private parts | in his shame-parts |