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Psalms 73:11 — Word Study

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WLCוְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־ אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃

BSAThe wicked sayʼâmar [those who oppose God] Howʼêyk [in what way] can Godʼêl [the Most High, El] knowyâdaʻ [have knowledge of, be aware of] Does the Most Highʻelyôwn [the Supreme One, having all power] have knowledgedêʻâh [possess, contain, deep understanding, discernment]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 73
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (ve.'el.Yon) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 73:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe wicked question God's knowledge and power, doubting His awareness.
Who is speakingThe wicked, those who oppose God.
Where we areIn a psalm reflecting on the apparent prosperity of the wicked.
The hard wordיָדַע
Take awayThe wicked do not believe God knows or cares.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֵל verbאָמַר 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 — Psalms 73:11

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 — The Psalmist Reflects on the Wickedgenerated

10So their people return to this place and drink up waters in abundance.
11The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
12Behold, these are the wicked— always carefree as they increase their wealth.
13Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands.

Psalm 73:11 presents the thoughts of the wicked who question God's awareness and knowledge. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the prosperity of the wicked and the struggles of the righteous, as seen in the surrounding verses. The psalmist grapples with the apparent injustice in the world, expressing doubt and confusion about God's role in human affairs.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 73:9They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.
2Psalm 10:11He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
3Psalm 94:7They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.”
4Job 22:13–14Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
5Ezekiel 8:12“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are saying, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָדַע, ya.da'-generated

The Hebrew word יָדַע (yada') means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings including to perceive, recognize, and understand. It implies a deep awareness and understanding, especially in relation to God’s knowledge of human affairs.

In this verse, the wicked challenge the idea that God possesses this kind of knowledge, questioning His awareness of their actions. The verb is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action, which emphasizes their disbelief in God's omniscience.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations agree on the rendering of the key terms in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

This verse consists of a main clause introduced by the verb אָמְר֗וּ (they say), followed by two interrogative phrases. The structure emphasizes the questioning nature of the wicked's statements.

The first phrase asks אֵיכָ֥ה (how?) and the second employs the verb יָדַע (does he know), linking their doubt directly to God's knowledge.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יָדַע is rendered as ἔγνω (he knew), indicating a similar emphasis on knowledge but slightly shifting the focus to a past understanding.

This choice reflects the translators' interpretation of God's knowledge as an established fact, contrasting with the wicked's doubts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 73:11 shows the wicked questioning whether God knows anything at all. They wonder how the Most High can have knowledge, expressing disbelief in His awareness of their actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What do the wicked mean by questioning God's knowledge?

They express doubt about God's awareness of their actions, suggesting that He does not see or understand their behavior.

Why is the term 'Most High' significant?

The term emphasizes God's supreme power and authority, contrasting the wicked's doubts with His true nature.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of Psalm 73?

It reflects the psalmist's struggle with the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, highlighting the tension between perception and reality.

What can we learn from the wicked's question?

Their question serves as a reminder of the human tendency to doubt God's knowledge and justice, prompting reflection on our faith in His awareness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I sometimes doubt God's knowledge of my life?
  2. How can I strengthen my understanding of God's omniscience?
  3. What does it mean for me to believe that God knows all things?
  4. How can I respond to the doubts expressed by others about God's awareness?

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

Augustine of Hippo references this verse in his exposition, discussing the thoughts of the wicked and their challenge to God's knowledge.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 73 354–430
"And they said, How has God known, and is there knowledge in the Most High?" [Psalms 73:11]. See through what thought they pass.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 73 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 73:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they say, how doth God know?.... Owning there is a God, but questioning his knowledge; for the words are not an inquiry about the way and manner of his knowing things; which is not by the senses,

Read John Gill on Psalms 73 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? And they say, How doth God know?

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 73 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They; either, 1. The godly. Or rather, 2. Those wicked ones, whose words and actions he hath been hitherto describing, or the people confederate with them. For these and such-like opinions are oft ascribed to the wicked in Scripture, but never, as far as I know; to any good man. And Job, though he used many intemperate speeches, and though some such expressions as this were charged upon him by his friends, as , yet he utterly disowned them. Is there knowledge in the Most High? seeing these cursed and impudent blasphemers of God, and enemies of all goodness, are crowned with so many blessings, how is it credible that there is a God who sees and orders the affairs of this lower world? for if…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 73 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?Ver. 11. And they say, How doth God know?] Even the godly, through infirmity, are drawn sometimes to doubt God’ s providence and government, because of the inequality of events in human affairs. It had like to have cost the psalmist here a fall, and made him almost cast off all care of religion. Basil, also, was in some doubt of the Divine providence, under the heat of the Arian persecution. For hath the Lord utterly forsaken his Churches? saith he; is it now the last hour? In the next age Salvian (for the satisfaction of some good people) was forced to write eight books, De gubernatione Dei, et de iusto…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 73 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11-14) The mutual relation of these verses has been the subject of many conflicting opinions. The following is the arrangement that seems preferable— “And people say, How shall God know? And does the Most High take notice of it? Lo! there are wicked men, And yet, always at ease, they amass riches. It is in vain then that I have kept my heart pure. And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been plagued every day, And my punishments (come) every morning.” —this reflection being put into the mouth of the public who are onlookers at the career of these timeservers. But the poet immediately goes on to disclaim it for himself.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 73 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. They say, How doth God know?] My people are so stumbled with the prosperity of the wicked, that they are ready in their temptation to say, "Surely, God cannot know these things, or he would never dispense his favours thus." Others consider these words as the saying of the wicked: "We may oppress these people as we please, and live as we list; God knows nothing about it."

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 73 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. The speakers in this verse are not ‘the wicked,’ but the deluded mass of their followers described in Psalms 73:10. They adopt the language of their leaders, and question God’s knowledge of their doings in particular, and even His omniscience in general. Cp. Psalms 10:4; Psalms 10:11; Psalms 10:13. The names of God—El, the Mighty One, ‘Elyôn, the Supreme Ruler of the Universe—are chosen so as to accentuate the blasphemy of their scepticism.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 73 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they say - His people say. The connection demands this interpretation. The meaning is, that his people, as they return again and again to this subject Psalms 73:10, are constrained to put this question.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 73 →

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

The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

NETBNew English Translation2006

They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they say, Howe doeth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they say, How can God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they have said, 'How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they have said, “How has God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they say, How should God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?

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.

וְֽandclauseverbאָמְר֗וּthey.sayclauseclauseadverbialאֵיכָ֥הhow?verbיָדַֽעdoes.he.knowsubjectאֵ֑לGodוְand.[is]clausepredicateיֵ֖שׁthere?subjectדֵּעָ֣הknowledgeprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithעֶלְיֽוֹןthe.Most.High

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 agree closely, with all seven words matched. This consistency highlights the shared understanding of the verse across these traditions.

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

וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־ אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְֽאָמְר֗וּεἶπανאֵיכָ֥הπῶςיָדַֽע־ἔγνωאֵ֑לθεόςוְיֵ֖שׁἔστινדֵּעָ֣הγνῶσιςבְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃ἐν

7 of the 7 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.

Psalms 73:11אָמַרand they saand they sayאָמַראֵיךְhow?how?אֵיךְיָדַעdoes he knodoes he knowיָדַעאֵלGodGodאֵליֵשׁand [is] thand [is] there?יֵשׁדֵּעָהknowledgeknowledgeדֵּעָהעֶלְיוֹןwith [the] with [the] Mostעֶלְיוֹןאַיwhere?where?אַיאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִלעָלָהto ascend:to ascend: riseעָלָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהדֵּעַknowledgeknowledgeדֵּעַכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןקַנָּאjealousjealousקַנָּאשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּיתִּקְוָהcordcordתִּקְוָהשָׂכָרwageswagesשָׂכָראֵלgodgodאֵלמִיwho?who?מִיתְּעָלָהconduitconduitתְּעָלָהבֵּית(Lower) Be(Lower) Beth-hoבֵּית
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 Psalms 73:11

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.

and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
וְֽאָמְר֗וּve.'a.me.Ru and they say H559 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
those who oppose God
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common plural
Hc/Vqq3cp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
אֵיכָ֥ה'ei.Khah how? H349 Particle
82× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means 'how' or 'where', like in Genesis when God asks Adam 'where are you'. It's also used to express surprise or excitement.
Amplified meaning
in what way
Tyndale gloss
how?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵיךְ (*'eyk*) and its variants express the concept of 'how?' in various contexts, functioning as both interrogative and exclamatory forms. The entries indicate that it can also imply 'where' and is used in expressions of lamentation or satisfaction. The word appears in different spellings, reflecting its usage in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵיךְ 69 adv.

interrog. How?

as an exclam. How!

base

אֵיכָה adv.

interrog. In what manner?

exclam. How!

Where?

base

אֵיכָ֫כָה (Ct) אֵֽיכָכָ֫ה (Est) How?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H349a אֵיךְ . interrog. How?

. as an exclam. How!

H349b אֵיכָה . interrog. In what manner?

. as an exclam. How!

H349c אֵיכָ֫כָה (Ct) אֵֽיכָכָ֫ה (Est) How?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

349 'eyk ake

also eykah {ay-kaw'}; and teykakah {ay-kaw'-kah}; prolonged

from 335; how? or how!; also where:--how, what.

see HEBREW for 0335

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵיךְ (ekh) — how?.

interrog adv

how?

אֵיכָה (e.khah) — how?.

interrog adv

1) how?

interj

2) how! (in lamentation)

3) expression of satisfaction

אֵיכָ֫כָה (e.kha.khah) — how?.

how?

Another spelling of ekh (אֵיךְ "how?" H0349A)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTi
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Represents various Hebrew and Greek words, interrogative, interjectional and relative. Its different uses refer to

(1) the manner or way, e.g. Ge 44:34, "How shall I go up to my father?" ('ekh); Mt 6:28, "how they grow" (pos); 1Co 15:35, "How are the dead raised?";

(2) degree, extent, frequently, "how great" (Da 4:3, mah; Mr 5:19, hosos, "how much"); "how many" (Mt 27:13, posos); "how much" (Ac 9:13, hosos); "how much more" (Mt 7:11, posos;

and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
יָדַֽע־ya.da'- does he know H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
have knowledge of, be aware of
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
אֵ֑ל'El God H410 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
241× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.
Amplified meaning
the Most High, El
Tyndale gloss
god
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might

applied to men of might and rank

angels

gods of the nations

Ēl

as characterizing mighty things in nature

God, the one only and true God of Israel

אֵל strength, power

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank

. angels

. gods of the nations

. Ēl

. as characterizing mighty things in nature

. God, the one only and true God of Israel

. אֵל strength, power

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

410 'el ale

shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;

especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God

(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.

Compare names in "-el."

see HEBREW for 0352

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵל (el) — God.

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֵל (el) — El (Berith).

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)

אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)

אֵל (el) — El (Most High).

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power

Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)

אֵל (el) — god.

: god

1) god, god-like one, mighty one

1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes

1b) angels

1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)

1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah

2) mighty things in nature

3) strength, power

Read the full entry →
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…

and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
וְיֵ֖שׁve.Yesh and [is] there? H3426 Conjunction
140× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'there is' or 'there are', used to show existence or being. It appears in various forms, like 'to be' or 'to have'. In the Bible, it's used in Genesis and Psalms to describe God's presence.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יֵשׁ (yesh) refers to being, substance, or existence. It is used to assert existence, functioning as a copula for the verb 'to be' in various forms. The word can mean 'there is' or 'there are,' and its Aramaic equivalent is אִיתַי (itay).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֵשׁ 137 subst. being, substance, existence

substance

elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3426 יֵשׁ subst. being, substance, existence . substance

. elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3426 yesh yaysh

perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist;

entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive

verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to

be, as may suit the connection):--(there) are, (he, it, shall,

there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had,

hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is,

substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt,

wouldest.

see HEBREW for 01961

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֵשׁ (yesh) — there.

1) being, existence, substance, there is or are

1a) substance

1b) existence

1c) there is or are

Aramaic equivalent: i.tay (אִיתַי "there is" H0383)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Acbsa — Conjunction
HC/Acbsa
and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
דֵּעָ֣הde.'Ah knowledge H1844 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This term refers to knowledge of God, emphasizing a deep understanding of His nature. It highlights the importance of knowing God in a personal way.
Amplified meaning
possess, contain, deep understanding, discernment
Tyndale gloss
knowledge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֵּעָה (de`ah) is a feminine noun meaning 'knowledge.' It is derived from the related word דַּעַת (da`at) and specifically refers to knowledge, including knowledge of God. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֵּעָה n.f. knowledge

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1844 דֵּעָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1844 de`ah day-aw'

feminine of 1843; knowledge:--knowledge.

see HEBREW for 01843

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֵּעָה (de.ah) — knowledge.

knowledge (of God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of good and evil Ge 2:9,17; 3:22

→ Is power Pr 3:20; 24:5

→ Desire for 1Ki 3:9; Ps 119:66; Pr 2; 3; 12:1; 15:14; 18:15

→ Rejected Ho 4:6

→ Those who reject are destroyed Ho 4:6

→ Fools hate Pr 1:22,29

→ A divine gift 1Co 12:8

→ Is pleasant Pr 2:10

→ Shall be increased Da 12:4

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they say how? does he know God and [is] there? knowledge with [the] Most High
בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃ve.'el.Yon with [the] Most High H5945 Preposition
53× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Most High, a name for God emphasizing His supreme power and authority. It appears in Psalm 57:2, where David cries out to the Most High God for help, showing trust in God's power. This name highlights God's lofty position above all things.
Amplified meaning
the Supreme One, having all power
Tyndale gloss
high
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶלְיוֹן (elyown) means 'high' or 'upper,' and is used to describe both physical elevations, such as the upper part of Bethhoron, and metaphorical heights, referring to God as the 'Most High.' It can also denote rulers, including monarchs and angelic beings. The term is derived from a root meaning elevation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶלְיוֹן 22 adj.

high

upper Bethhoron, the upper (opp. lower) of house

base

עֶלְיוֹן n.m. Highest, Most High

name of God

of rulers, either monarchs or angel-princes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5945a עֶלְיוֹן . high

. upper Bethhoron, the upper (opp. lower) of house

H5945b עֶלְיוֹן Highest, Most High . name of God

. of rulers, either monarchs or angel-princes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5945 'elyown el-yone'

from 5927; an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as

title, the Supreme:--(Most, on) high(-er, -est),

upper(-most).

see HEBREW for 05927

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶלְיוֹן (el.yon) — high.

adj

1) high, upper

1a) of Davidic king exalted above monarchs

עֶלְיוֹן (el.yon) — Most High.

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

עֶלְיוֹן (el.yon) — Upper (Beth Horon).

Combined with bet cho.ron (בֵּית חוֹרֹן " Beth-horon" H1032H)

§

עֶלְיוֹן (el.yon) — (LORD) Most High.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsa
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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