Word study
Knowledge
6 Hebrew and 4 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with “knowledge”. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “knowledge” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- דַּעַת daathknowledgetranslated this way 73 times of its 84 uses · Strong’s H1847Noun · Translated: knowledge 69, know 5, devoid of knowledge 2Full study and all 82 verses →
Genesis 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Exodus 31:3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,
- יָדַע yâdaknowtranslated this way 7 times of its 914 uses · Strong’s H3045Verb · Translated: know 453, known 53, knows 48, knew 38Full study and all 863 verses →
Numbers 24:16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
- מַדָּע maddâknowledge, thoughttranslated this way 4 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s H4093Noun · Translated: knowledge 4, thoughts 1, quick 1Full study and all 6 verses →
2 Chronicles 1:10 Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
Daniel 1:17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
- דֵּעָה dêâhknowledgetranslated this way 4 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H1844Noun · Translated: knowledge 4, knows 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Job 36:4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
Psalm 73:11 The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
- דֵּעַ dêaknowledge, opiniontranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H1843Noun · Translated: know 3, knowledge 2Full study and all 5 verses →
Job 36:3 I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
Job 37:16 Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
- מַנְדַּע mandaknowledge, power of knowingtranslated this way 2 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H4486Noun · Translated: sanity 2, knowledge 1, well as knowledge 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Daniel 2:21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Daniel 5:12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
Greek words (New Testament)
- γνῶσις gnōsisknowledge, doctrine, wisdomtranslated this way 26 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s G1108Noun · Translated: knowledge 26, well informed 1, knowing 1, consideration 1Full study and all 28 verses →
Luke 1:77 to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
Romans 2:20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth —
- ἐπίγνωσις epígnōsisknowledge, discernment, recognitiontranslated this way 16 times of its 19 uses · Strong’s G1922Noun · Translated: knowledge 16, awareness 1, know 1, fully acknowledge 1Full study and all 19 verses →
Romans 10:2 For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
- γινώσκω ginṓskōI come to know, learn, realizetranslated this way 2 times of its 220 uses · Strong’s G1097Verb · Translated: know 95, understand 19, known 15, knew 12Full study and all 205 verses →
Matthew 13:11 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Luke 8:10 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
- εἴδω eídōI know, remembertranslated this way 2 times of its 317 uses · Strong’s G1492Verb · Translated: know 218, knew 20, knows 16, knowing 14Full study and all 295 verses →
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
What the Bible says about knowledge: passages by topic →
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.