H6191 H6191
to be shrewd, crafty, or prudent; to act with cunning or discernment
A verb spanning the morally ambiguous territory between wisdom and cunning. In 1 Sam 23:22, Saul warns that David 'is exceedingly crafty' — here the word carries a negative, threatening sense. Yet in Proverbs, the same root takes on positive coloring: the naive 'becomes prudent' through correction (Prov 19:25), and heeding reproof makes one shrewd (Prov 15:5). In Ps 83:3, enemies 'make crafty their counsel' against God's people. Spanish distinguishes 'astuto' (cunning) from 'prudente' (prudent), revealing the dual moral valence that makes this word so contextually rich.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To be shrewd or crafty in a negative sense — to act with cunning, guile, or deceptive cleverness. Saul's warning about David in 1 Sam 23:22 ('he is exceedingly crafty') and the enemies' scheming in Ps 83:3 ('they make crafty their counsel') exemplify hostile, manipulative shrewdness. Spanish 'astuto' and French 'rusé' capture this calculating quality. 5×
AR["حِيلَةً", "يَتَآمَرُونَ", "يَحْتَالُ", "يَذْكو"]·ben["চতুর-হবে", "চতুরতায়", "তারা-চতুরতার-সাথে-ষড়যন্ত্র-করে", "সতর্ক-হবে", "সে-চতুর-করে"]·DE["[יערם]", "cunning", "er-ist-cunning", "sie-machen-crafty"]·EN["becomes-prudent", "cunning", "he-is-cunning", "is-prudent", "they-make-crafty"]·FR["il-est-rusé", "rusé", "être-rusé", "יערם"]·heb["יערים", "יערימו", "ערום"]·HI["चतुर", "चतुर-बनेगा", "चतुर-होगा", "चतुराई-करता-है", "वे-चालाकी-से-योजना-बनाते-हैं"]·ID["adalah-cerdik", "akan-menjadi-cerdik", "bertindak-cerdik", "cerdik", "mereka-merancang"]·IT["[יערימו]", "astuto", "becomes-prudent", "egli-è-astuto", "è-prudent"]·jav["dados-waspada", "licik", "pinter", "piyambakipun-licik", "tiyang-tiyang-punika-ngrancang"]·KO["교활하게", "교활하다", "꿃미다", "슬기로와지느니라", "슬기로워지리라"]·PT["age-prudentemente", "astuto", "ficará-prudente", "tramam-astutas", "usar-astúcia"]·RU["замышляют", "станет-благоразумным", "становится-благоразумным", "хитрит", "хитря"]·ES["astuto", "es-astuto", "se-hace-prudente", "se-hará-astuto", "traman"]·SW["ana-busara", "atafanya-hila", "atajifunza-busara", "kwa-hila", "wanapanga-kwa-hila"]·TR["akıllanır", "kurnaz", "kurnazca-planlıyorlar", "kurnazlık-eder"]·urd["سازش-کرتے-ہیں", "چال-چلتا-ہے", "چالاکی-سے", "ہوشیار-ہو-جائے-گا"]
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
† [עָרֹם LagBN 31] vb. be shrewd, crafty (NH id., Hiph.; Arabic عَرَمَ, عَرِمَ, عَرُمَ, be ill-natured, cross; 𝔗 adj. עָרִים shrewd, Syriac ܥܪܝܡ id., and vb. in der. spec. (Pe. in Lexx.));— Qal Inf. abs. in עָרֹם יַעְרִם 1 S 23:22 he is exceedingly crafty. Hiph. Impf. be crafty, 3 ms. יַעְרִם 1 S 23:22; be or become shrewd יַעְרִם Pr 15:5; 19:25; all these Qal Impf.in—ִ according to BaZMG xlili…