Reference: Thigh
Hastings
The hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained as he wrestled at Peniel (Ge 32:25), and to this is attributed the Jewish custom (enjoined in the Mishna) of not eating 'the sinew of the hip' (Ge 32:32). On the thigh the sword was girded (Ex 32:27; Ps 45:3; Song 3:8); Ehud's on the right thigh because he was left-handed (Jg 3:16,21). Under the jealousy ordeal the woman's thigh falls away if she has been guilty of adultery (Nu 5:21 ff.). To smite 'hip and thigh' (lit. 'leg upon thigh') is a phrase denoting utter discomfiture accompanied by great slaughter (Jg 15:8). Its origin is unknown, and its meaning much disputed. Is Jer 31:19 and Eze 21:12 smiting upon one's thigh is a gesture of sorrow or terror. In Heb. (cf. Authorized Version margin) of Ge 46:25; Ex 1:5; Jg 8:30 a man's children are described as coming out of his thigh. This explains the oath taken by placing the hand under the thigh (Ge 24:2,9; 47:29), a special sacredness being ascribed to the organs of generation. In NT 'thigh' occurs only in Re 19:16, where perhaps the meaning is that the name was written on that part of the garment which covered the thigh.
J. C. Lambert.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, "Please place your hand under my thigh,
So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob; there were seven persons in all.
When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt,
All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt.
He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'"
(then the priest shall have the woman swear with the oath of the curse, and the priest shall say to the woman), "the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people by the LORD'S making your thigh waste away and your abdomen swell;
Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.
Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.
Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.
He struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
"All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night.
'For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated Because I bore the reproach of my youth.'
"Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people, therefore strike your thigh.
And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."