Proverbs 20:5 — Word Study
WLCמַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־ אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
BSAThe intentionsʻêtsâh [counsel, plans, or purposes] of a man’sʼîysh [human, individual] heartlêb [mind, feelings, and will] are deepʻâmôq [profound, mysterious] watersmayim [like a deep well] but a manʼîysh [person, individual] of understandingtâbûwn [insight, wisdom, or discernment] draws them outdâlâh▸ [pulls out, retrieves]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַ֣יִם | [is] water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| עֲ֭מֻקִּים | deep | Adj |
| עֵצָ֣ה | a plan | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בְלֶב־ | in [the] heart of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| אִ֑ישׁ | a person | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְאִ֖ישׁ | and a person of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| תְּבוּנָ֣ה | understanding | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃ | he draws out it | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. |
| KJV | Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. |
| ASV | Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out. |
| YLT | Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up. |
| WEB | Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. |
| BBE | The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of עֵצָה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a contrasting clause, highlighting the relationship between intentions and understanding.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Proverbs 20:5
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 — Wisdom in Human Intentionsgenerated
Proverbs 20:5 highlights the complexity of human intentions, likening them to deep waters that require discernment to explore. This verse is set within a context that contrasts the diligent and the slacker, pointing out the importance of understanding in navigating human relationships and intentions, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 18:4 | The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. |
| 2 | Psalm 64:6 | They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious. |
| 3 | 1 Corinthians 2:11 | For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֵצָ֣ה, 'e.Tzahgenerated
The word עֵצָה ('e.Tzah) refers to counsel or advice, suggesting a plan or purpose behind actions. It is derived from a root meaning to advise, emphasizing the importance of wise decision-making.
Here, it signifies the intentions of the heart, indicating that understanding is necessary to draw out these plans. This highlights the depth and complexity of human motivations.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as well as the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, all agreeing on the essence of the intentions being deep and the necessity of understanding to draw them out.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in the verse is יִדְלֶֽנָּה, he draws out, which governs the entire sentence. The structure emphasizes the relationship between the deep intentions and the understanding required to access them.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a contrasting phrase, illustrating the relationship between the depth of intentions and the role of understanding.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מַיִם as ὕδωρ (hudōr), which is a direct rendering of 'water', maintaining the metaphorical depth of the original Hebrew.
The choice of βουλὴ (boulē) for עֵצָה indicates a focus on counsel, paralleling the Hebrew meaning while aligning with Greek philosophical thought on wisdom and understanding.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 20:5 tells us that the intentions of a person's heart are like deep waters, difficult to understand. However, a wise person knows how to draw these intentions out. This verse emphasizes the importance of understanding in human relationships.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It suggests that human motivations and plans can be complex and not easily seen, requiring insight to understand.
Understanding allows a person to perceive deeper meanings and motivations behind actions, facilitating better communication and relationships.
Deep waters are often mysterious and difficult to navigate, similar to the complexities of human emotions and intentions.
A person of understanding is valued for their ability to discern and navigate the complexities of human intentions, leading to better interactions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek understanding to better navigate my relationships?
- How can I develop my ability to discern the true intentions of others?
- What practices can I adopt to become a person of understanding?
- How does this verse challenge my view of others' motivations?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 20:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleCounsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water,.... Pure and undisturbed, but secret, hidden, and hard to be come at: such are the things of the spirit of a man, the thoughts of his mind, the
Read John Gill on Proverbs 20 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryCounsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 20 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleCounsel; either, 1. Wisdom or ability to give good counsel; or, 2. Designs or purposes of doing something of moment; for this word is frequently used in both senses, but the last seems fittest here. Is like deep water; either, 1. Is there in great abundance; or, 2. Is secret and hard to be discovered. Will draw it out, by prudent questions and discourses, and a diligent observation of his words and actions.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.Ver. 5. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water.] See Proverbs 18:4. As the red rose, though outwardly not so fragrant, is inwardly far more cordial than the damask rose, being more thrifty of its sweetness, and reserving it in itself; so it is with many good Christians. But a man of understanding will draw it out.] And surely this is a fine skill to be able to pierce a man that is like a vessel full of wine, and to set him a running.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 20 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water.—The wise thoughts of a “man,” fitly so-called (comp. Proverbs 18:4), may be hid deep in his breast, like the waters of a well, but a man of understanding knows how to draw them out as by a windlass and bucket (Exodus 2:16).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 20 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Counsel in the heart of man] Men of the deepest and most comprehensive minds are rarely apt, unsolicited, to join in any discourse, in which they might appear even to the greatest advantage; but a man of understanding will elicit this, by questions framed for the purpose, and thus pump up the salubrious waters from the deep and capacious well. The metaphor is fine and expressive.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. will draw it out] as from a well, as the Queen of Sheba did, 1 Kings 10.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 20 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe contest between reticence on the one side and pertinacity in search on the other is represented as by a parable.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 20 →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
The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water, but an understanding person draws it out.
Tyndale line
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
Strictly literal
Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, || And a man of understanding draws it up.
Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the man of understanding will draw it out.
The purpose in a human heart is like deep water, but someone with understanding will draw it out.
From the Latin
Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.
Simplified
Discovering what someone is planning in their mind is like looking at deep water, but a person who has understanding will find out.
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־ אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃ is consistent across both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint, indicating a strong agreement in the transmission of this verse.
מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־ אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃
8 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.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 20:5
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.
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22
עָמֹק (amoq) means 'deep' in both a literal and figurative sense, often implying something that is unsearchable or mysterious. It is derived from another Hebrew word, עָמַק (amaq), and is used in contexts that emphasize depth.
עָמֹק 17 adj. deep
lit.
= unsearchable
base
H6013 עָמֹק
6013 `amoq aw-moke'
from 6009; deep (literally or figuratively):--(X exceeding)
deep (thing).
see HEBREW for 06009
עָמֹק (a.moq) — deep.
1) deep, mysterious, depths
1a) deep
1b) unsearchable
Adj — AdjHAampa
עֵצָה (`etsah) refers to counsel or advice, and can also imply a plan or purpose. It is derived from a root meaning to advise or provide guidance. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts related to providing counsel or making decisions.
עֵצָה n.f. counsel, advice
base
H6098 עֵצָה counsel, advice
6098 `etsah ay-tsaw'
from 3289; advice; by implication, plan; also
prudence:--advice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.
see HEBREW for 03289
עֵצָה (e.tsah) — counsel.
counsel, advice, purpose
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
seldom of things in the midst of the sea
elsewhere of men
the inner man in contrast with the outer
the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
specific reference to mind
spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
spec. ref. to conscience
[various]
for the man himself
as seat of appetites
as seat of emotions and passions
seat of courage
base
לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.
ref
H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea
. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer
. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
. specific reference to mind
. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
. spec. ref. to conscience
. [various]
. for the man himself
. as seat of appetites
. as seat of emotions and passions
. seat of courage
H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash
3820 leb labe
a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very
widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;
likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,
consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),
(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X
heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X
themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,
wisdom.
see HEBREW for 03824
לֵב (lev) — heart.
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
1a) inner part, midst
1a1) midst (of things)
1a2) heart (of man)
1a3) soul, heart (of man)
1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
1a6) conscience
1a7) heart (of moral character)
1a8) as seat of appetites
1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage
לֵב (lev) — Leb.
§ Leb- = "heart of"
(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
base
H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)
376 'iysh eesh
contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root
meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male
person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and
in such cases frequently not expressed in
translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +
champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,
husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),
him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,
person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.
Compare 802.
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0802
אִישׁ (ish) — man.
: man
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.
: husband
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.
: anyone/someone
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
base
H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)
376 'iysh eesh
contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root
meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male
person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and
in such cases frequently not expressed in
translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +
champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,
husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),
him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,
person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.
Compare 802.
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0802
אִישׁ (ish) — man.
: man
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.
: husband
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.
: anyone/someone
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תְּבוּנָה (tebunah) means understanding and encompasses intelligence, skill, and insight. It can refer to both the act of understanding and the faculty itself, as well as the object of knowledge. The term is personified as a teacher in some contexts.
תְּבוּנָה n.f. understanding
the act
the faculty
the object of knowledge
personified as teacher.
base
H8394 תְּבוּנָה understanding
8394 tabuwn taw-boon'
and (feminine) tbuwnah {teb-oo-naw'}; or towbunah
{to-boo-naw'}; from 995; intelligence; by implication, an
argument; by extension, caprice:--discretion, reason,
skilfulness, understanding, wisdom.
see HEBREW for 0995
תְּבוּנָה (ta.vu.nah) — understanding.
1) understanding, intelligence
1a) the act of understanding
1a1) skill
1b) the faculty of understanding
1b1) intelligence, understanding, insight
1c) the object of knowledge
1d) teacher (personification)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word דָּלָה (dalah) primarily means to draw or lift up, especially in the context of drawing water. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of letting down a bucket to retrieve water, but can also figuratively mean to deliver or draw out. The entries suggest a focus on both literal and figurative uses of the term.
דָּלָה vb. draw (water)
Qal draw
Pi. thou hast drawn me up
base
H1802 דָּלָה draw (water)
1802 dalah daw-law'
a primitive root (compare 1809); properly, to dangle, i.e. to
let down a bucket (for drawing out water); figuratively, to
deliver:--draw (out), X enough, lift up.
see HEBREW for 01809
דָּלָה (da.lah) — to draw (up/out).
1) to draw, dangle
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw
1a2) drawing advice (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to draw up
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqi3ms/Sp3fs