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Psalms 92:6 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאִֽישׁ־ בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־ יָבִ֥ין אֶת־ זֹֽאת׃

BSAwhat?mâh to magnifygâdal deedmaʻăseh The LordYᵉhôvâh muchmᵉʼôd be deepʻâmaq plotmachăshâbâh

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 92
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 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 (Zot) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 92:6quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse contrasts the ignorance of a senseless man and a fool regarding God's profound works.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on human understanding in relation to God's wisdom.
Where we areThis verse is part of a psalm celebrating God's greatness and the depth of His thoughts.
The hard wordבַּ֭עַר
Take awayUnderstanding God’s works requires wisdom, which the foolish lack.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמְאֹד verbהוּא 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 92:6

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 Greatness of God's Worksgenerated

5How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!
6A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,
7that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.
8But You, O LORD, are exalted forever!

Psalms 92:6 speaks about the contrast between those who are wise and those who are foolish in recognizing the greatness of God's works. The psalmist emphasizes that while God's thoughts are deep and profound, many remain unaware and do not understand the significance of His actions. This theme resonates throughout the psalm, as it reflects on the fate of the wicked and the eternal nature of God's sovereignty.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 32:9Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.
2Psalm 73:22I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
3Psalm 94:8Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise?
4Proverbs 30:2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
5Isaiah 1:3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בַּ֭עַר, Ba.'argenerated

The word בַּ֭עַר (ba'ar) refers to brutishness or stupidity, describing someone who is foolish or lacking sense. It is derived from a root meaning 'foot' in a sense of consumption, emphasizing a lack of intelligence or base behavior. In this verse, it highlights the contrast between a senseless man and a fool, both of whom fail to grasp the depth of God's works.

This term appears in a poetic context, underscoring the psalmist's assertion that true understanding of God's actions is beyond the reach of those who are foolish.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs יֵדָ֑ע (he knows) and יָבִ֥ין (he understands) govern the two clauses of the verse. The structure presents a clear contrast between the senseless man and the fool, each failing to comprehend God's works.

The word order places emphasis on the subjects אִֽישׁ־ (a man) and כְסִ֗יל (a fool), highlighting their ignorance as the main focus of the statement.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, בַּ֭עַר is rendered with the Greek term ἐμεγαλύνθη, which suggests a broader interpretation of the concept of foolishness, potentially indicating a more profound lack of understanding.

This choice reflects a narrowing of the meaning, emphasizing the foolishness of those who do not recognize God's deep thoughts and works.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 92:6 contrasts a senseless man and a fool, both of whom fail to understand the greatness of God's works. The psalmist emphasizes that true wisdom is necessary to grasp the depth of God's thoughts.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be a senseless man?

A senseless man is someone who lacks understanding and is unaware of the significance of God's works.

How does the Bible describe a fool?

The Bible describes a fool as someone who rejects wisdom and lacks discernment, often leading to foolish behavior.

Why is understanding God's works important?

Understanding God's works is important because it reveals His nature and the depth of His wisdom, which can guide our lives.

What can we learn from this verse about wisdom?

This verse teaches us that wisdom is essential for recognizing and understanding the profound nature of God's actions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I sometimes act like a senseless man, failing to recognize God's works in my life?
  2. How can I seek wisdom to better understand the depth of God's thoughts?
  3. What steps can I take to avoid foolishness and embrace discernment in my decisions?
  4. How does this verse challenge me to reflect on my understanding of God's greatness?

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

The early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of wisdom and understanding in relation to God's works, as seen in Augustine's exposition.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 92 354–430
For this reason, after saying, "Your thoughts are very deep," he at once subjoins: "An unwise man does not well consider this, and a fool does not understand it" [Psalms 92:6].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 92 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 92:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

A brutish man knoweth not,.... The lovingkindness of the Lord, and his faithfulness, nor how to show them forth, nor his great works and deep thoughts; man was made originally far above the brute

Read John Gill on Psalms 92 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 92 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

A brutish man; who cannot or doth not seriously consider things, whose mind is corrupted by his sensual and brutish appetites; who is led by sense, and not by reason and faith. This; the depth of God’ s counsels and works mentioned , or that particular work of God described .

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 92 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 92:6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.Ver. 6. A brutish man knoweth not] A sottish sensualist, who hath his soul for salt only, to keep his body from putrefying (as we say of swine); he takes no knowledge of God’ s great works, but grunts and goes his ways, contenting himself with a natural use of the creatures, as beasts do.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 92 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) A brutish man.—The Hebrew is apparently from a root meaning “to eat,” and so refers to the man of mere animal nature, who lives for his appetites. Fool.—From root meaning “fat,” hence “gross,” “stupid.” In the one case the moral sense has not come into play at all, in the other it is overgrown by sensuality, so that spiritual discernment, insight into the glories of the Divine mind, is impossible.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 92 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 6. A brutish man knoweth not] איש בער ish baar, the human hog-the stupid bear-the boor; the man who is all flesh; in whom spirit or intellect neither seems to work nor exist. The brutish man, who never attempts to see God in his works. Neither doth a fool understand this.] כסיל kesil, the fool, is different from בער baar, the brutish man; the latter has mind, but it is buried in flesh; the former has no mind, and his stupidity is unavoidable.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 92 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. A brutish man … a fool] Men who are mere sensuous animals, stupid and unreceptive, incapable of discerning spiritual things. Cp. Psalms 49:10; Psalms 73:22; Psalms 94:8. this] Namely, the truth expressed in Psalms 92:7-8, that the wicked flourish only to perish, while Jehovah is eternally supreme. There should be a colon only at the end of Psa 92:6.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 92 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A brutish man knoweth not - A man who is stupid, and who is like the beasts or brutes; that is, a man whose tastes and propensities are like the brutes, or who does not seem to act as if endowed with a rational nature.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 92 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

A senseless man doesn’t know, neither does a fool understand this:

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,

NETBNew English Translation2006

The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this; the fool does not understand this.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this:

RVARevised Version, American1894

A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

An vnwise man knoweth it not, and a foole doeth not vnderstand this,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A brutish man doth not know, And a fool understandeth not this; —

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A brutish man does not know, || And a fool does not understand this—

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(92:7) A brutish man knoweth it not, and a fool cannot understand this.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A brutish person does not know, nor does a fool understand this:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Only senseless people and fools don't know and understand this:

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A man without sense has no knowledge of this; and a foolish man may not take it in.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectאִֽישׁa.personבַּ֭עַרstupidadverbialלֹ֣אnotverbיֵדָ֑עhe.knowsוּ֝andclausesubjectכְסִ֗ילa.fooladverbialלֹאnotverbיָבִ֥יןhe.understandsnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)זֹֽאתthis

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


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

The Masoretic Text presents the verse as: אִֽישׁ־ בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־ יָבִ֥ין אֶת־ זֹֽאת׃. The Septuagint matches 8 of the 9 words, maintaining the overall message. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment 4Q84 contains 7 words of the verse, with 3 words partly restored, indicating consistency with the Masoretic Text.

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

אִֽישׁ־ בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־ יָבִ֥ין אֶת־ זֹֽאת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אִֽישׁ־ὡςבַּ֭עַרἐμεγαλύνθηלֹ֣אἔργαיֵדָ֑עσουוּ֝כְסִ֗ילσφόδραלֹא־ἐβαθύνθησανיָבִ֥יןδιαλογισμοίאֶת־σου

8 of the 9 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q84a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

מה גדלו מעשי׳ך יהוה מאד עמקו מחשבתי׳ך

7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 partly restored.

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 92:6אִישׁa persona personאִישׁבַּ֫עַרstupidstupidבַּ֫עַרלֹאnotnotלֹאיָדַעhe knowshe knowsיָדַעכְּסִילand a fooland a foolכְּסִיללֹאnotnotלֹאבִּיןhe understahe understandsבִּיןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתזֶהthisthisזֶהבָּעַרto burn: bto burn: burnבָּעַרכָּסַלbe stupidbe stupidכָּסַלאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהשֶׂהשֶׂהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַכְּסִילfoolfoolכְּסִיליָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןאִוֶּ֫לֶתfollyfollyאִוֶּ֫לֶתדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁתּוֹרָהinstructioinstructionתּוֹרָה
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 92:6

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.

a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
אִֽישׁ־'ish- a person H376 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
בַּ֭עַרBa.'ar stupid H1198
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Stupid refers to brutishness or stupidity, describing someone who is foolish or lacking sense, often in a way that is compared to the behavior of cattle.
Tyndale gloss
stupid
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּ֫עַר (ba'ar) refers to brutishness or stupidity, often used to describe a foolish person. It is derived from a root meaning 'foot' in a sense of consumption. The term appears in a poetic context, emphasizing a lack of intelligence or base behavior.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּ֫עַר n.m. brutishness (only poet.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1198 בַּ֫עַר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1198 ba`ar bah'-ar

from 1197; properly, foot (as consumed); i.e. (by exten.) of

cattle brutishness; (concretely) stupid:--brutish (person),

foolish.

see HEBREW for 01197

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּ֫עַר (ba.ar) — stupid.

brutishness, stupidity, brutish (person)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAamsa
HAamsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 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.
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
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
יֵדָ֑עye.Da' he knows H3045 Verb · Qal · imperfect 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.
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
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
וּ֝כְסִ֗ילu.khe.Sil and a fool H3684 Conjunction
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a fool or someone who is stupid and silly. It is often used to describe people who reject God's wisdom. The Bible uses this word to warn against foolish behavior.
Tyndale gloss
fool
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּסִיל (kciyl) refers to a fool or a stupid person. It is derived from a root meaning 'fat' and is used figuratively to describe someone who is foolish, simple-minded, or arrogant. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing a lack of wisdom or understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּסִיל 70 n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3684 כְּסִיל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3684 kciyl kes-eel'

from 3688; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or

silly:--fool(-ish).

see HEBREW for 03688

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּסִיל (ke.sil) — fool.

fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Aamsa — Conjunction
HC/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 5:5; 14:1; 53:1; 74:18-22; 107:17; Pr 1:7,22; 3:35; 9:6-8,13-17; 10:1,8,10,13,14,18,23; 14:1,7-9,15; 15:7,20,21; 17:24,25; 18:2,6,7; 19:13; 20:3; 21:20; 26:3-12; 29:9,11; Ec 4:5; 7:9; 10:11-15; Mt 7:26,27; Tit 3:3

→ PARABLES OF

Of the foolish virgns Mt 25:1-13

Of the rich fool Lu 12:16-20

a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
לֹא־lo'- not H3808 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.
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
HTn — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
יָבִ֥יןya.Vin he understands H995 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To understand or discern, this verb means to separate mentally and know something with your mind, as seen in Proverbs where it talks about gaining insight.
Tyndale gloss
to understand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בִּין (biyn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to discern or understand. It encompasses a range of meanings including perceiving, considering, and teaching, with various forms indicating different nuances, such as being intelligent or discreet. The entries highlight its use in contexts requiring mental separation or insight, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּין vb. discern

Qal

perceive

understand, know (with mind)

observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

have discernment, insight, understanding

Niph. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

Po. he attentively considereth him

Hiph.

understand

give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

give understanding, make understand, teach

Hithp.

shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

get understanding, understand

shew oneself to have understanding

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H995 בִּין discern .. perceive

. understand, know (with mind)

. observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

. have discernment, insight, understanding

. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

. he attentively considereth him

. . understand

. give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

. give understanding, make understand, teach

. . shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

. get understanding, understand

. shew oneself to have understanding

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

995 biyn bene

a primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish),

i.e.(generally) understand:--attend, consider, be cunning,

diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct,

have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be

prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause,

make to, get, give, have) understand(-ing), view, (deal)

wise(-ly, man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּין (bin) — to understand.

1) to discern, understand, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to perceive, discern

1a2) to understand, know (with the mind)

1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider

1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding

1b) (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to understand

1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach

1d) (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently

1e) (Polel) to teach, instruct

2) (TWOT) prudent, regard

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person stupid not he knows and a fool not he understands the object marker this
זֹֽאת׃Zot this H2063 Particle
604× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means this or that, often used to point out something specific. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֹאת (zot) is a demonstrative pronoun and adverb meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone or be used in apposition to a noun, often serving as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns to add emphasis. In poetry, it may function as a relative pronoun, though this is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2063 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2063 zo'th zothe'

irregular feminine of 2089; this (often used adverb):--

hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she,

so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing),

thus.

see HEBREW for 02089

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֹאת (zot) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTm — Particle
HTm
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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