H1847 H1847
Knowledge, discernment; the capacity to perceive, understand, or recognize — occasionally as verbal infinitive 'knowing'
Derived from the root ידע ('to know'), this noun denotes knowledge in its broadest sense — from practical awareness to deep spiritual discernment. It appears in the foundational phrase 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' (Gen 2:9, 17) and figures prominently in Wisdom literature, where Proverbs personifies knowledge alongside wisdom as a divine gift (Prov 2:10). The expression בִּבְלִי דַעַת ('without knowledge') in Deut 4:42 serves as a legal term for unintentional action, showing how the word bridges moral cognition and juridical categories. All major target languages render it with a single cognitive noun: Spanish 'conocimiento,' French 'connaissance,' German 'Erkenntnis.'
1. knowledge, discernment — Abstract knowledge or discernment — the intellectual and moral capacity to perceive, understand, and evaluate. Covers the vast majority of occurrences across all grammatical forms (absolute, construct, with suffixes and prepositions). Spanish 'conocimiento,' French 'connaissance,' and German 'Erkenntnis' uniformly confirm this as a cognitive-faculty noun. Key texts include Prov 2:10 ('when knowledge enters your heart'), Isa 53:11 ('by his knowledge'), and the technical legal phrase בִּבְלִי דַעַת meaning 'without knowledge, unintentionally' (Deut 4:42; Josh 20:3). 90×
AR["المَعْرِفَةُ","الْمَعْرِفَةَ","الْمَعْرِفَةِ","عِلْمٍ","مَعرِفَةٍ","مَعْرِفَةً","مَعْرِفَةٌ","مَعْرِفَةٍ","مَعْرِفَةٍ؟"]·ben["-এর-জ্ঞান","জ্ঞান","জ্ঞানে","জ্ঞানের"]·DE["Erkenntnis"]·EN["knowledge"]·FR["connaissance"]·heb["דעת"]·HI["और-वह","जानने","जाने","ज्ञान","ज्ञान-का","ज्ञान-के","ज्ञान-को","ज्ञान-से"]·ID["pengetahuan","sengaja"]·IT["conoscenza"]·jav["kawruh","ngantos-mangertos","pangertos?","pangertosan","pirsa","seserepan"]·KO["알음","앎","지식","지식-과","지식-을","지식-의","지식-이","지식을"]·PT["conhecimento","conhecimento.","conhecimento?","o-conhecimento","saber","é-conhecimento"]·RU["-ведома","знание","знание,","знание.","знание?","знанию","знания","знания;"]·ES["conocimiento","conocimiento?"]·SW["kujua","maarifa","ujuzi"]·TR["bilgi","bilgiden","bilginin","bilgiyi"]·urd["جانے","جانے-کے","علم","علم کے","علم-سے","علم-کا","علم-کے"]
Deut 4:42, Deut 19:4, Josh 20:3, Josh 20:5, Job 21:14, Job 21:22, Job 33:3, Job 35:16, Job 36:12, Job 38:2, Job 42:3, Ps 19:2 (+38 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. knowing, to know — Verbal infinitive construct (Qal of ידע): 'knowing, to know' — functioning as a gerund or purpose clause, preserving verbal force rather than purely nominal reference. Cross-lingual renderings split between nominal and verbal forms: German 'könnte wissen,' Spanish 'conocimiento de.' Found in Judg 3:2 (that later generations might learn war by knowing it), Isa 48:4 ('because I knew you were obstinate'), and Jer 22:16 ('he judged the cause of the poor — is that not knowing me?'). 3×
AR["الْمَعْرِفَةُ","لِـ-عِلْمِي","مَعْرِفَةِ"]·ben["-আমার-জানা-থেকে","-জানা","জানা"]·DE["Erkenntnis","der-Erkenntnis","koennte-wissen"]·EN["From-My-knowing","might-know","the-knowing"]·FR["connaissance","le-connaissance","pourrait-connaître"]·heb["דעת","ה-דעת","מ-דעתי"]·HI["जानना","जानने-से-मेरे","जानें"]·ID["Karena-pengetahuan-Ku","mengenal","mengetahui"]·IT["conoscenza","potenza-conoscere"]·jav["Saking-pirsa-Ingsun","pangertosan","tepang"]·KO["그-앎이","내가-아는-까닭에","알도록"]·PT["Por-eu-saber","conhecer-de","o-conhecimento-de-"]·RU["знать","от-знания-Моего","познание"]·ES["Por-mi-conocimiento","conocimiento-de","el-conocimiento"]·SW["Kwa-sababu-nilijua","kujua","wajue"]·TR["Bildigimden","bilmek","bilmektir"]·urd["جانیں","میرے-جاننے-سے","پہچاننا"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)G2212 1. seek, search for, look for (64×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† דַּ֫עַת n.f. ψ 139:6 Dn 12:4 (m. Pr 2:10; 14:6, poss. Jb 33:3 Ew§ 174 g) knowledge (proposes Inf., which appears clearly Gn 2:9, 17 Je 22:16)—abs. דַּ֫עַת Gn 2:9 + 35 times; דָּ֑עַת Jos 20:3 + 35 times; cstr. דַּ֫עַת Nu 24:16 + 10 times; sf. דַּעְתִּי Pr 22:17; דַּעְתְּךָ Jb 10:7; דַּעְתֵּךְ Is 47:10; דַּעְתּוֹ Pr 3:20 Is 53:11; דַּעְתְּכֶם Jb 13:2; דַּעְתָּם Is 44:25;— 1. a. knowledge,…