H2973 H2973
To be foolish, act foolishly; to become a fool, showing senseless behavior through sin or lack of judgment.
A Niphal verb meaning to act foolishly or become a fool, carrying moral and intellectual weight. In Numbers 12:11, Aaron confesses that he and Miriam 'acted foolishly' in challenging Moses — the foolishness is essentially sin. Jeremiah 5:4 attributes such folly to ignorance of God's ways, while Isaiah 19:13 declares Egypt's princes 'have become fools,' having lost all sound judgment. Jeremiah 50:36 prophesies that Babylon's diviners will be exposed as fools. The Spanish 'se han enloquecido' (they have gone mad) captures the dramatic force of this intellectual and moral collapse.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To act foolishly in a way that is morally culpable — folly as sin. In Numbers 12:11, Aaron pairs this verb with 'sinned,' confessing both foolishness and transgression in opposing Moses. Jeremiah 5:4 attributes such foolish behavior to the common people's ignorance of God's ordinances. The German 'wir waren töricht' (we were foolish) captures the confessional tone. This sense emphasizes willful moral failure rather than mere intellectual deficit. 4×
AR["تَحَمَّقَ", "جَهِلُوا", "حَمُقْنَا", "فَيَحْمَقُونَ"]·ben["আর-তারা-মূর্খ-হবে", "মূর্খ-হয়েছে", "মূর্খতা-করেছি"]·DE["[ונאלו]", "[נואלו]", "wir-waren-toericht"]·EN["act-foolishly", "and-they-will-become-fools", "they-are-foolish", "we-were-foolish"]·FR["[ונאלו]", "[נואלו]", "nous-étaient-insensé"]·heb["ו-נואלו", "נואלו", "נואלנו"]·HI["और-मूर्ख-होंगे", "मूर्ख-बन-गए", "मूर्खता-की-हमने", "वे-मूर्ख-हैं"]·ID["Menjadi-bodoh", "dan-mereka-menjadi-bodoh", "kami-bertindak-bodoh", "menjadi-bodoh"]·IT["[ונאלו]", "[נואלו]", "noi-furono-stolto"]·jav["dados-bodho", "kawula-sedaya-bodho", "lan-sami-dados-bodho", "piyambakipun-bodho"]·KO["그리고-어리석어지리라-그들이", "어리석다", "어리석었도다", "우리가-어리석게-행했다"]·PT["São-insensatos", "Tornaram-se-tolos", "agimos-loucamente", "e-tornar-se-ão-loucos"]·RU["безумствовали-мы", "и-обезумеют", "обезумели"]·ES["Se-han-enloquecido", "locamente-actuamos", "se-enloquecieron", "y-enloquecerán"]·SW["Wamekuwa-wapumbavu", "na-wataendelea-kuwa-wapumbavu", "ni-wapumbavu", "tulifanya-kwa-upumbavu"]·TR["Aptallasitilar", "ahmaklık-ettik", "akılsızlaştılar", "ve-aptallaşacaklar"]·urd["اور-بیوقوف-ہو-جائیں", "بیوقوف-بنے", "بیوقوف-ہیں", "ہم-بیوقوفی-کی"]
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×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [יָאַל] vb. be foolish (cf. 1. אול)— Niph. Pf. 3 mpl. נוֹאֲלוּ Is 19:13 Je 5:4; וְנֹאָ֑לוּ Je 50:36; 1 pl. נוֹאַלְנוּ Nu 12:11;—do or act foolishly:— 1. shew wicked folly = sin חַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר נוֹאַלְנוּ וַאֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ Nu 12:11 (J); in Je 5:4 an exhibition of this folly is ascribed to ignorance. 2. become fools, lacking insight and judgment: נוֹאֲלוּ שָׂרֵי צֹעַן Is 19:13 the princes of…