H6175 H6175
Shrewd or crafty — positively: prudent, sensible (Proverbs); negatively: cunning, devious (Genesis 3:1; Job).
This adjective sits on a razor's edge between wisdom and deception. In Proverbs it is entirely positive: the 'arum person foresees danger and hides (22:3; 27:12), acts with knowledge (13:16), and is contrasted with the fool (pethi) and simpleton. Yet in Genesis 3:1 the serpent is described as 'arum more than any beast of the field' — crafty in the service of deception. Job 5:12 and 15:5 likewise deploy it negatively, speaking of the 'schemes of the crafty' and 'the tongue of the crafty.' The same root thus captures the full spectrum of keen intelligence, from praiseworthy discernment to manipulative guile, and context alone determines which end of the spectrum is in view.
Senses
1. prudent, shrewd (positive) — Prudent, shrewd, sensible — describing a person who exercises wise forethought and practical intelligence. Throughout Proverbs this is an unambiguously positive quality: the 'arum person conceals knowledge (12:23), foresees evil and takes refuge (22:3; 27:12), and is the opposite of the naive pethi. Korean '슬기로운' (seulgiroun, 'wise/sagacious') and Arabic 'ذَكِيٌّ' (dhakiyy, 'intelligent') reflect this commendatory sense. Eight of eleven occurrences carry this meaning. 8×
AR["ذَكِيٌّ", "ذَكِيٍّ", "وَ-أذْكِياءُ", "وَ-ذَكِيٌّ"]·ben["এবং-চতুর", "এবং-চতুরগণ", "চতুর", "চতুরের", "বিচক্ষণ", "বুদ্ধিমান"]·DE["klug", "und-klug"]·EN["a-prudent-one", "but-the-prudent", "is-prudent", "prudent", "prudent-one", "the-prudent"]·FR["et-prudent", "prudent"]·heb["ו-ערום", "ו-ערומים", "ערום"]·HI["और-चतुर", "चतुर", "चतुर-की"]·ID["Yang-cerdik", "adalah-cerdik", "orang-yang-cerdik", "tetapi-orang-orang-yang-cerdik", "tetapi-orang-yang-cerdik", "yang-cerdik"]·IT["e-prudente", "prudente"]·jav["kang-pinter", "lan-tiyang-pinter", "pinter", "tiyang-pinter", "tiyang-waspada"]·KO["그러나-슬기로운-자-는", "그러나-슬기로운-자-들-은", "슬기로운", "슬기로운-자-는", "슬기로운-자-의", "슬기로운-자가", "슬기로운-자는", "슬기롭다"]·PT["Astuto", "e-prudente", "e-prudentes", "prudente"]·RU["а-благоразумные", "а-благоразумный", "благоразумного", "благоразумный"]·ES["Astuto", "Prudente", "prudente", "y-prudente", "y-prudentes"]·SW["ana-busara", "lakini-mwenye-busara", "lakini-wenye-busara", "mwenye-busara"]·TR["akıllı", "akıllıdır", "akıllının", "tedbirli", "ve-akıllı", "ve-akıllılar"]·urd["اور-ہوشیار", "ہوشیار", "ہوشیار-کی", "ہوشیار-ہے"]
2. crafty, cunning (negative) — Crafty, cunning, devious — describing shrewdness turned to deceptive or manipulative ends. Genesis 3:1 introduces the serpent as 'arum beyond any creature, establishing the negative pole of this word's range. Job 5:12 warns that God frustrates 'the schemes of the crafty' (machshevot 'arumim), and Job 15:5 accuses the wicked of choosing 'the tongue of the crafty.' French 'rusé' and German 'listig' ('sly, wily') capture the pejorative overtone that 'prudent' alone cannot convey. 3×
AR["الماكِرينَ", "الْمُحْتَالِينَ", "مَاكِرَةً"]·ben["চতুর", "চতুরদের"]·DE["klug", "listig"]·EN["crafty", "the-crafty"]·FR["prudent", "rusé"]·heb["ערום", "ערומים"]·HI["चतुर", "चतुरों-की"]·ID["cerdik", "orang-licik", "orang-orang-cerdik"]·IT["crafty", "prudente"]·jav["licik", "tiyang-licik"]·KO["간교한", "간교한-자들의", "괄활한-자들의"]·PT["astuta", "astutos"]·RU["хитрее", "хитрых"]·ES["astuta", "astutos"]·SW["mjanja", "werevu"]·TR["kurnaz", "kurnazların"]·urd["چالاک", "چالاکوں-کی", "چالاکوں-کے"]
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
† עָרוּם adj. crafty, shrewd, sensible;— 1. crafty, ע׳ as pred., of serpent Gn 3:1; pl. as subst. מַחְשְׁבוֹת עֲרוּמִים Jb 5:12, לְשׁוֹן ע׳ 15:5. 2. in Pr, in good sense (opp. אֱוִיל, כְּסִיל, פֶּתִי); as attrib. אָדָם עָרוּם Pr 12:23 a shrewd or sensible man; ע׳ as subst. = id., v 16; 13:16, so חָכְמַת ע׳ 14:8; = prudent man 14:15; 22:3; 27:12; pl. עֲרוּמִים 14:18.