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Job 39:17 — Word Study

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WLCכִּֽי־ הִשָּׁ֣הּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ חָכְמָ֑ה וְלֹא־ חָ֥לַק לָ֝֗הּ בַּבִּינָֽה׃

BSAForkîy [because of a divine reason] Godʼĕlôwahh [Eloah, the one true deity] has deprived hernâshâh [caused to forget, withheld from] of wisdomchokmâh [skill, prudence, or good judgment] He has notlôʼ [neither has He] endowedchâlaq [given a portion, imparted] with understandingbîynâh [discernment, knowledge, or insight]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 39
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ba.bi.Nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 39:17quick helps
In a sentenceJob notes that God has intentionally withheld wisdom and understanding from the creature being addressed.
Who is speakingThe speaker is Job, reflecting on God's actions.
Where we areThis verse is part of a poetic discourse on the natural world and God's sovereignty.
The hard wordחָכְמָ֑ה
Take awayGod's control over wisdom and understanding is emphasized.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֱלֹוהַּ verbחָלַק The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Job 39:17

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — God's Sovereignty Over Creationgenerated

16She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.
17For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.
18Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.
19Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane?

Job 39:17 reflects on the nature of wisdom and understanding as gifts from God, highlighting His authority over all creatures. The surrounding verses discuss the behavior of the ostrich, illustrating the theme of divine wisdom in creation. Job contemplates the nature of God's creation and the apparent lack of wisdom in certain animals, contrasting it with human understanding and the divine order.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 17:4You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.
2Job 35:11who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’
3Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
42 Chronicles 32:31And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah’s heart.
5Isaiah 19:11–14The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.Job 17:4 Job 35:11 Deuteronomy 2:30 2 Chronicles 32:31 Isaiah 19:11–14 Isaiah 57:17 James 1:17

The Key Word חָכְמָ֑ה, chokh.mahgenerated

The word חָכְמָה (chokmah) refers to wisdom, encompassing skill, prudence, and good judgment. It is a feminine noun that signifies not just knowledge but the application of that knowledge in practical situations, often seen in contexts of governance, warfare, and moral decision-making.

This particular form emphasizes the absence of wisdom in the creature being addressed, indicating that this lack is a direct action of God. The parsing as a noun in the singular absolute form suggests a specific quality or state of being that is not present.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses the word wisdom for חָכְמָה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses connected by the conjunction כִּי (ki), indicating causation. The first clause states that God has deprived her of wisdom, while the second clause states that He has not endowed her with understanding.

The structure emphasizes God's direct action in withholding wisdom and understanding, with the subject אֱל֣וֹהַּ (Eloah) positioned prominently as the doer of these actions.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew word אֱל֣וֹהַּ as θεὸς (Theos), which is a common rendering for God in Greek. This choice highlights the divine nature of the subject and aligns with the understanding of God's sovereignty.

The translation of חָכְמָה as σοφία (sophia) in the Septuagint maintains the concept of wisdom, indicating a consistent interpretation across both texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 39:17 shows that God has intentionally withheld wisdom and understanding from the creature being discussed. This highlights God's control over creation and the nature of wisdom as a divine gift.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God has deprived her of wisdom?

It indicates that wisdom is a gift from God, and in this context, the creature lacks it due to God's sovereign choice.

Why is understanding also mentioned?

Understanding, like wisdom, is portrayed as a quality that God can choose to withhold, emphasizing His authority over all aspects of creation.

How does this verse relate to the broader themes in Job?

This verse fits into the broader discussion of God's sovereignty and the nature of creation, where Job reflects on the characteristics of various creatures and their lack of human-like wisdom.

What is the significance of the ostrich in this context?

The ostrich is used as an example of a creature that acts without wisdom, contrasting with the expectations of human understanding and the divine order.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I understand the concept of wisdom in my own life, and how do I seek it?
  2. In what ways can I recognize God's sovereignty in the world around me?
  3. What role does understanding play in my decision-making processes?
  4. How can I apply the lessons from Job about wisdom and understanding in my daily life?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early interpretations from Gregory the Dialogist discuss the implications of God's withholding wisdom and understanding, reflecting on divine justice.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXXI c. 540–604
God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He given her understanding. 26. Although to deprive is one thing, and not to give is another, yet His first expression 'deprived,' He repealed by subjoining,
Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXXI c. 540–604
God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He given her understanding. [MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION] 41. For strict is the enquiry of secret retribution;
Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 39:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom,.... Or "made her to forget" (d) what she had; an instance of her forgetfulness is mentioned Job 39:15; and so Leo Africanus (e) says of it, that it is of a

Read John Gill on Job 39 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. Wisdom - such as God gives to other animals, and to man (Job 35:11).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 39 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Because God hath not implanted in her that natural instinct, and providence, and affection, which he hath put into other birds and beasts towards their young. And yet no man presumes to reproach me for making this difference in my creatures. And as little reason hast thou to blame me for afflicting thee, when others not so bad as thou for the present go unpunished; because I have no less authority over thee than over them, and can dispose of all my creatures according to my good pleasure. The great folly of this bird is noted by Arabic writers, who best know her, and that not only for this property of forsaking her own eggs, but also for other things, as that she eats any thing which is…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 39 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 39:17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.Ver. 17. Because God hath deprived her of wisdom] That is, of such forecast to provide for her young ones by a natural instinct, as other fowls and beasts have, Struthionis astorgia declaratur e causis duabus, vacuitate metus et vacuitate intellectus. God’ s mercy to men appeareth, 1. In giving us wisdom beyond them, Job 35:11 2. In giving us power over them, Psalms 8:6-8; Psalms 3:1-8. In learning us so much by them in those many Scripture comparisons, Proverbs 7:23; Proverbs 26:2; Proverbs 27:8; Matthew 8:26. That is a sweet place, Isaiah 31:5, "As birds flying" (sc. to save their young), "so…

Read John Trapp on Job 39 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. God hath deprived her of wisdom] Of this foolishness we have an account from the ancients; and here follow two instances: "1. It covers its head in the reeds, and thinks itself all out of sight because itself cannot see. So Claudian: - ____________ 'Stat lumine clauso Ridendum revoluta caput: creditque latere Quad non ipsa videt.' "2. They who hunt them draw the skin of an ostrich's neck on one hand, which proves a sufficient lure to take them with the other. They have so little brain that Heliogabalus had six hundred heads for his supper. Here we may observe, that our judicious as well as sublime author just touches the great points of distinction in each creature, and then…

Read AdamClarke on Job 39 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. God hath deprived her of wisdom] The Arabs have a proverb, “more stupid than an ostrich.” A poet suggests the reason of this charge of stupidity, Like a bird that abandons her eggs in the desert, And covers the eggs of another with her wings. (Meidani, Prov. i. 405).

Read Cambridge on Job 39 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom ... - That is, he has not imparted to her the wisdom which has been conferred on other animals.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 39 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

17. Because God hath deprived, etc. — Rather, For God made her forgetful of wisdom, (hhokmah,) and gave her no share in understanding, (binah.) The Arabs have a proverb, “Foolish as the ostrich,”

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 39 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For God deprived her of wisdom, and did not impart understanding to her.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Because God hath withheld wisdom from her, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Which leaueth his egges in the earth, and maketh them hote in the dust,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For God hath deprived her of wisdom, and hath not furnished her with understanding.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For God hath caused her to forget wisdom, And He hath not given a portion To her in understanding:

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For God has caused her to forget wisdom, || And He has not given a portion || To her in understanding;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

because God has deprived her of wisdom and has not given her any understanding.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he given her understanding.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

For I, God, made her forget wisdom—she didn't get her share of intelligence.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For God has taken wisdom from her mind, and given her no measure of knowledge.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

כִּֽי(dm)clauseverbהִשָּׁ֣heobjectהּhas.made.it.forgetsubjectאֱל֣וֹהַּGodsecond objectחָכְמָ֑הwisdomוְandclauseadverbialלֹאnotverbחָ֥לַקhe.gave.a.shareprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָ֝֗toהּitprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrase(the)בִּינָֽהunderstanding

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their rendering of Job 39:17, with only minor differences in wording. The Septuagint aligns closely with the Hebrew text, confirming the translation choices made.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

כִּֽי־ הִשָּׁ֣הּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ חָכְמָ֑ה וְלֹא־ חָ֥לַק לָ֝֗הּ בַּבִּינָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כִּֽי־ὅτιהִשָּׁ֣הּαὐτῇחָכְמָ֑הσοφίανוְלֹא־οὐκחָ֥לַקἐμέρισενלָ֝֗הּαὐτῇבַּבִּינָֽה׃ἐν

7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 39:17כִּיforforכִּינָשָׁהhe has madehe has made forנָשָׁהאֱלֹהַּGodGodאֱלֹהַּחָכְמָהwisdomwisdomחָכְמָהלֹאand notand notלֹאחָלַקhe gave a she gave a shareחָלַקהָto itto itהָבִּינָהin understain understandinבִּינָהאֵלgodgodאֵלחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעאֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּכִּיforforכִּישַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּירֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַתְּבוּנָהunderstandunderstandingתְּבוּנָהדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשָׁלָלspoilspoilשָׁלָלגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלשֵׂ֫כֶלunderstandunderstandingשֵׂ֫כֶלחָכְמָהwisdomwisdomחָכְמָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Job 39:17

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
כִּֽי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Amplified meaning
because of a divine reason
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
הִשָּׁ֣הּhi.Shah he has made forget it H5382 Verb hiphil perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To forget means to neglect or disregard something, like a memory or a responsibility. This verb is used in the Bible to describe human forgetfulness and God's remembering. It can also mean to remit or remove a debt or punishment.
Amplified meaning
caused to forget, withheld from
Tyndale gloss
to forget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָשָׁה (nashah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to forget.' It can also imply neglect or the act of depriving. The word has different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), Piel (to cause to forget), and Hiphil (to allow to be forgotten). The entries suggest its use in various contexts, including personal and divine forgetfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָשָׁה] vb. forget

Qal I will forget you finally

Niph. thou shalt not be forgotten of me

Pi. God hath made me forget

Hiph. God caused her (the ostrich) to forget wisdom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5382 [נָשָׁה] forget

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5382 nashah naw-shaw'

a primitive root; to forget; figuratively, to neglect;

causatively, to remit, remove:--forget, deprive, exact.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׁה (na.shah) — to forget.

1) to forget, deprive

1a) (Qal) to forget

1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten

1c) (Piel) to cause to forget

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to forget, allow to be forgotten

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVhp3ms/Sp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
אֱל֣וֹהַּ'e.Lo.ah God H433 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eloah refers to God or a deity, and is used to describe the one true God or false gods. It is often translated as God in the KJV, and is related to the word Elohim, which also refers to God.
Amplified meaning
Eloah, the one true deity
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱלֹהַּ (*'elowahh*) refers to a deity or the Deity, translating to 'God' or 'god.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to be strong' and can also denote a false god. The term appears in various contexts, including ancient poetry and references to heathen gods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהַּ 67; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ n.m. god, God

a heathen god, late usage

God, used in ancient poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H433 אֱלֹהַּ; elsewhere אֱלוֹהַּ god, God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

433 'elowahh el-o'-ah; rarely (shortened) >eloahh {el-o'-ah

probably prolonged (emphat.) from 410; a deity or the

Deity:--God, god. See 430.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 0430

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהַּ (e.lo.ah) — god.

1) God

2) false god

Aramaic equivalent: e.lah (אֱלָהּ "god" H0426)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
חָכְמָ֑הchokh.mah wisdom H2451 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
153× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Wisdom refers to skill, prudence, or good judgment in areas like war, administration, or religion, as seen in the book of Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
skill, prudence, or good judgment
Tyndale gloss
wisdom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָכְמָה (chokmah) means wisdom and encompasses various forms of skill, including in war and administration, as well as shrewdness and ethical prudence. It is built from the root word for wisdom, חָכַם (chakam). The term appears in contexts related to both practical and religious matters.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכְמָה n.f. wisdom

skill in war

wisdom, in administration

shrewdness, wisdom

wisdom, prudence in religious affairs

wisdom, ethical and religious

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2451 חָכְמָה wisdom . skill in war

. wisdom, in administration

. shrewdness, wisdom

. wisdom, prudence in religious affairs

. wisdom, ethical and religious

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2451 chokmah khok-maw'

from 2449; wisdom (in a good sense):--skilful, wisdom,

wisely, wit.

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) — wisdom.

1) wisdom

1a) skill (in war)

1b) wisdom (in administration)

1c) shrewdness, wisdom

1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)

1e) wisdom (ethical and religious)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wiz'-dum:

1. Linguistic

2. History

3. Religious Basis

4. Ideals

5. Teaching of Christ

6. Remainder of the New Testament

(1) James

(2) Paul

7. Hypostasis

LITERATURE

1. Linguistic:

In the Revised Version (British and American) the noun "wisdom" and its corresponding adjective and verb ("be wise," "act wisely," etc.) represent a variety of Hebrew words: bin (binah, and in the English Revised Version tebunah), sakhal (sekhel, sekhel), lebh (and in the English Revised Version labhabh), tushiyah (and in the English Revised Version Te`em, `ormah, piqqach. None of these, however, is of very frequent occurrence and by far the most common group is the verb chakham, with the adjective chakham, and the nouns chokhmah, chokhmoth, with something over 300 occurrences in the Old Testament (of which rather more than half are in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Cokhmah, accordingly, may be treated as the Hebrew…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of Joseph Ge 41:16,25-39; Ac 7:10

→ Of Moses Ac 7:22

→ Of Bezaleel Ex 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1

→ Of Aholiab Ex 31:6; 35:34,35; 36:1

→ Of other skilled artisans Ex 36:2

→ Of women Ex 35:26

→ Of Hiram 1Ki 7:14; 2Ch 2:14

→ Of Solomon 1Ki 3:12,16-28; 4:29-34; 5:12; 10:24

for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
וְלֹא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
neither has He
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
חָ֥לַקCha.lak he gave a share H2505 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To smooth means to make something slippery or deceitful, like in Proverbs where it warns against flattery. It can also mean to divide or separate something, like an inheritance.
Amplified meaning
given a portion, imparted
Tyndale gloss
to divide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָלַק (chalaq) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to divide or share, and to be smooth or slippery. It encompasses actions like apportioning, distributing, and even plundering, as well as the state of being smooth. The entries indicate a range of uses in different grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive. Notably, the lexicons also emphasize the figurative use of smoothness in relation to deceit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָלַק vb. divide, share

Qal

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

assign, impart

share

divide up = plunder the temple

Niph. Impf.

reflex. divide oneself

pass. be divided

trans. assign, distribute

Pi.

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

scatter

Pu. be divided, of land

Hithp. divide land among themselves

Hiph. to receive a portion

base

חָלַק vb. be smooth, slippery

Qal smooth, slippery

Hiph. make smooth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2505a חָלַק divide, share .. divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. assign, impart

. share

. divide up = plunder the temple

. Impf. . reflex. divide oneself

. pass. be divided

. trans. assign, distribute

. . divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. scatter

. be divided, of land

. divide land among themselves

. to receive a portion

H2505b חָלַק be smooth, slippery

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2505 chalaq khaw-lak'

a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication

(as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or

separate:--deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have,

im-)part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self,

(be) smooth(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to divide.

1) to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to divide, apportion

1a2) to assign, distribute

1a3) to assign, impart

1a4) to share

1a5) to divide up, plunder

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to divide oneself

1b2) to be divided

1b3) to assign, distribute

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to divide, apportion

1c2) to assign, distribute

1c3) to scatter

1d) (Pual) to be divided

1e) (Hiphil) to receive a portion or part

1f) (Hithpael) to divide among themselves

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to smooth.

1) to be smooth, slippery, deceitful

1a) (Qal) to be smooth, slippery

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be smooth

1b2) to flatter

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shar.

See PLOW.

for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
לָ֝֗הּLah to it H9034 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָ (ha) — her.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3fs
for he has made forget it God wisdom and not he gave a share to it in understanding
בַּבִּינָֽה׃ba.bi.Nah in understanding H998 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means understanding or discernment, like having wisdom or knowledge. It appears in books like Proverbs and Psalms, guiding people to make good decisions.
Amplified meaning
discernment, knowledge, or insight
Tyndale gloss
understanding
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בִּינָה (biynah) means understanding and encompasses the act, faculty, and object of knowledge, even personified in some contexts. It is derived from the root meaning to discern or comprehend. The Aramaic equivalent is בִּינָה (H0999).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּינָה n.f. understanding

the act

the faculty

the object of knowledge

personified

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H998 בִּינָה understanding . the act

. the faculty

. the object of knowledge

. personified

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

998 biynah bee-naw'

from 995; understanding:--knowledge, meaning, X perfectly,

understanding, wisdom.

see HEBREW for 0995

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּינָה (bi.nah) — understanding.

1) understanding, discernment

1a) act

1b) faculty

1c) object

1d) personified

Aramaic equivalent: bi.nah (בִּינָה "understanding" H0999)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HRd/Ncfsa
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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