Job

Job 28:20–23

²⁰From where, then, does wisdom come,

and where does understanding dwell?

²¹It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing

and concealed from the birds of the air.

²²Abaddon^c and Death say,

‘We have heard a rumor about it.’

²³But God understands its way,

and He knows its place.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
From where	מֵאַ֣יִן	mê·’a·yin	Preposition-m; Adverb	H370 whence?
then	וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה	wə·ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
does wisdom	וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה	wə·ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
come	תָּב֑וֹא	tā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and where	וְאֵ֥י	wə·’ê	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H335 where?
does understanding	בִּינָֽה׃	bî·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H998 understanding
dwell	מְק֣וֹם	mə·qō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4725 standing, spot, condition

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is hidden	וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה	wə·ne·‘el·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H5956 conceal
from the eyes	מֵעֵינֵ֣י	mê·‘ê·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of every	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
living thing	חָ֑י	ḥāy	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
and concealed	נִסְתָּֽרָה׃	nis·tā·rāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5641 hide, conceal
from the birds	וּמֵע֖וֹף	ū·mê·‘ō·wp̄	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H5775 flying creatures, fowl, insects
of the air	הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Abaddon	אֲבַדּ֣וֹן	’ă·ḇad·dō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H11 Destruction, Ruin, 'Abaddon
and Death	וָ֭מָוֶת	wā·mā·weṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
say	אָ֣מְר֑וּ	’ā·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H559 utter, say
We have heard	שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ	šā·ma‘·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H8085 hear
a rumor about it	שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃	šim·‘āh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H8088 sound

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
understands	הֵבִ֣ין	hê·ḇîn	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H995 discern
its way	דַּרְכָּ֑הּ	dar·kāh	Noun - common singular construct; third person feminine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
and He	וְ֝ה֗וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
knows	יָדַ֥ע	yā·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
its place	מְקוֹמָֽהּ׃	mə·qō·w·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition