H8394 H8394
Understanding, discernment, insight; the faculty of comprehension and the practical skill that flows from it.
A rich wisdom term denoting the capacity to perceive, distinguish, and judge rightly. In its dominant sense it covers the full range of cognitive discernment, from the divine understanding by which God founded the earth (Prov 3:19; Jer 10:12) to the human insight that marks a person of wisdom (Prov 17:27). German Einsicht and Klugheit capture this dual flavor of penetrating perception and practical intelligence. In two passages the word shifts toward applied expertise or skillfulness, as when David shepherds Israel with the 'skillfulness of his hands' (Ps 78:72) and when Hosea describes idol-makers working 'according to their understanding' of the craft (Hos 13:2).
Senses
1. understanding, discernment — The cognitive faculty of comprehension, insight, and discernment, whether human or divine. Covers the ability to perceive, distinguish, and judge rightly. Multilingual glosses converge on 'understanding/entendimiento/intelligence/Einsicht,' confirming a unified semantic core. Used of the Spirit-given wisdom for tabernacle construction (Exod 31:3), the nation lacking counsel (Deut 32:28), and divine creation wisdom (Prov 3:19; Jer 10:12). 41×
AR["الْفَهْمِ", "الْفِطْنَةُ", "بِـ-فَهْمٍ", "فَاهِمٍ", "فَهْمًا", "فَهْمٌ", "فَهْمٍ", "فُهومٍ", "وَ-الْفَهْمُ", "وَ-فَهماً", "وَ-فَهْمٌ", "وَفَهْمٌ", "وَفِطْنَةً"]·ben["এবং-বুদ্ধি", "এবং-বোধ", "ও-বুদ্ধি", "ও-বোধ", "বিচারের", "বুদ্ধি", "বুদ্ধিতে;", "বুদ্ধির", "বোধ", "বোধের"]·DE["Einsicht", "Klugheit", "Verstaendnis", "[תבונה]", "in-Verständnis", "und-Einsicht", "und-Verstaendnis", "und-Verstand"]·EN["and-understanding", "in-understanding", "understanding"]·FR["[תבונה]", "dans-intelligence", "et-intelligence", "intelligence"]·heb["ב-תבונה", "ו-תבונה", "תבונה", "תבונות"]·HI["और-समझ", "समझ", "समझ-वाला", "समझ-वाले", "समझ-से", "समझदार", "समझ।"]·ID["dan-pengertian", "dengan-pengertian", "pengertian", "yang-berpengertian"]·IT["e-intelligenza", "e-intendimento", "intelligenza", "intendimento", "prudenza"]·jav["kang-ngertos", "kanthi-kawicaksanan", "lan-pangertosan", "pangertosan", "pangretos"]·KO["그리고-명철을", "그리고-분별-이", "그리고-분별력-이", "그리고-총명함을", "분별-을", "분별-의", "분별-이", "분별력-의", "분별력-이", "분별력을", "분별력이", "지혜-로", "총명이"]·PT["com-entendimento", "e-entendimento", "entendimento"]·RU["И-разум", "и-понимание.", "и-разум", "и-разумение", "понимание", "понимания", "разум.", "разумение", "разумением", "разумения", "разумом"]·ES["con-entendimiento", "de-entendimiento", "el-entendimiento.", "entendimiento", "y-el-entendimiento.", "y-entendimiento", "y-inteligencia"]·SW["kwa-ufahamu", "mkubwa", "mwenye-ufahamu", "na-ufahamu", "sana-sana", "ufahamu"]·TR["anlayis", "anlayış", "anlayışla", "anlayışlı", "anlayışlıdır", "anlayışta", "anlayışı", "anlayışın", "ve-anlayış"]·urd["اور-سمجھ", "اور-فہم", "سمجھ", "سمجھ-سے", "سمجھ-والا", "سمجھ-کا", "سمجھ-کی", "سمجھ-ہے", "فہم"]
Exod 31:3, Exod 35:31, Exod 36:1, Deut 32:28, 1 Kgs 4:29, 1 Kgs 7:14, Job 12:12, Job 12:13, Job 26:12, Job 26:12, Job 32:11, Ps 49:3 (+29 more)
2. skill, skillfulness — Practical expertise, applied skill, or craftsmanlike competence flowing from understanding. Distinguished from pure cognition by context rather than by gloss divergence; Spanish conforme-a-su-entendimiento and German Klugheit still overlap with sense 1, but the referent shifts to hands-on ability. David's shepherding 'with skillfulness of his hands' (Ps 78:72) and the idol-makers working 'according to their understanding' (Hos 13:2) anchor this applied sense. 2×
AR["كَفَهمِهِم", "وَبِفِطْنَةِ"]·ben["এবং-বুদ্ধিতে", "তাদের-বুদ্ধি-অনুসারে"]·DE["Klugheit", "und-mit-skillfulness-von"]·EN["according-to-their-understanding", "and-with-skillfulness-of"]·FR["et-dans-intelligence", "intelligence"]·heb["ו-ב-תבונות", "כ-תבונתם"]·HI["अपनी-समझ-के-अनुसार", "और-कुशलता-से"]·ID["dan-dengan-keterampilan"]·IT["[כתבונם]", "e-prudenza"]·jav["brahala", "saha-mawi-kaprigelan"]·KO["그들의-기술대로", "분별력들-로"]·PT["conforme-entendimento-deles", "e-com-a-habilidade"]·RU["и-с-искусностью", "по-разумению-своему"]·ES["conforme-a-su-entendimiento", "y-con-inteligencia-de"]·SW["kwa-ujuzi-wao", "na-kwa-ustadi-wa"]·TR["anlayışlarına-göre", "ve-becerileriyle"]·urd["اور-بِ-ہوشیاری", "اپنی-سمجھ-کے-مطابق"]
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
† תְּבוּנָה n.f. understanding Dt 32:28 + 27 times; sf. תְּבוּנָתִי Pr 5:1 + 7 times; תובנתו Jb 26:12 Kt (Qr תְּבוּנָתוֹ); תְּבוּנָם Ho 13:2 for תְּבוּנָתָם v. De ψ 27:5; תְּבוּנוֹת ψ 49:4 + 4 times; תְּבוּנוֹתֵיכֶם Jb 32:11;— 1. the act Jb 26:12 ψ 78:72; 136:5 Pr 3:19; 21:30; 24:3 Je 10:12 (= 51:15) Ez 28:4 Ho 13:2 Ob 7. 2. the faculty Ex 31:3; 35:31; 36:1 (P) Dt 32:28 (poet.) Jb 12:12, 13 Pr…