Word study
Understand
11 Hebrew and 11 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: understand, understanding, understood, understands. 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 “understand” 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)
- בִּין bîndiscerntranslated this way 58 times of its 166 uses · Strong’s H995Verb · Translated: understand 27, discerning 16, understanding 12, consider 10Full study and all 160 verses →
Deuteronomy 1:13 Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
- תָּבוּן tâbûnintelligence, argument, capricetranslated this way 30 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H8394Noun · Translated: understanding 28, insight 4, ability 3Full study and all 42 verses →
Deuteronomy 32:28 Israel is a nation devoid of counsel, with no understanding among them.
1 Kings 7:14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.
- בִּינָה bînâhunderstandingtranslated this way 29 times of its 36 uses · Strong’s H998Noun · Translated: understanding 27, insight 3, understand 2Full study and all 36 verses →
Deuteronomy 4:6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
1 Chronicles 22:12 Above all, may the LORD give you insight and understanding when He puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the Law of the LORD your God.
- יָדַע yâdaknowtranslated this way 21 times of its 914 uses · Strong’s H3045Verb · Translated: know 453, known 53, knows 48, knew 38Full study and all 863 verses →
Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
1 Samuel 6:3 They replied, “If you return the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means return it to Him with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why His hand has not been lifted from you.”
- שָׂכַל sâkalbe prudenttranslated this way 10 times of its 61 uses · Strong’s H7919Verb · Translated: wise 11, prosper 5, understand 5, prospered 3Full study and all 61 verses →
Deuteronomy 32:29 If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
Psalm 14:2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
- שָׁמַע shâmaheartranslated this way 8 times of its 1,132 uses · Strong’s H8085Verb · Translated: heard 311, hear 253, listen 218, obey 60Full study and all 1,063 verses →
Genesis 11:7 Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”
Deuteronomy 28:49 The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle — a nation whose language you will not understand,
- לֵב lêbinner man, mind, will, hearttranslated this way 5 times of its 526 uses · Strong’s H3820Noun · Translated: heart 326, hearts 78, mind 30, judgment 11Full study and all 495 verses →
1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
Job 8:10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
- שֶׂכֶל sekelprudence, insighttranslated this way 4 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s H7922Noun · Translated: insight 5, understanding 4, wisdom 2Full study and all 15 verses →
Job 17:4 You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- רָאָה rââhseetranslated this way 2 times of its 1,266 uses · Strong’s H7200Verb · Translated: see 354, saw 285, seen 124, look 45Full study and all 1,181 verses →
Exodus 16:29 Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days. On the seventh day, everyone must stay where he is; no one may leave his place.”
- יְדַע yedaknowtranslated this way 2 times of its 44 uses · Strong’s H3046Verb · Translated: know 6, made known 5, known 4, tell 4Full study and all 39 verses →
Daniel 2:30 And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
Daniel 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
- לֵבָב lêbâbinner man, mind, will, hearttranslated this way 2 times of its 234 uses · Strong’s H3824Noun · Translated: heart 145, hearts 47, mind 9, conscience 2Full study and all 214 verses →
Job 34:10 Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
Job 34:34 Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
Greek words (New Testament)
- συνίημι syníēmiI consider, understandtranslated this way 24 times of its 25 uses · Strong’s G4920Verb · Translated: understand 14, understood 4, understanding 3, understands 2Full study and all 25 verses →
Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
Mark 4:12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”
- γινώσκω ginṓskōI come to know, learn, realizetranslated this way 20 times of its 220 uses · Strong’s G1097Verb · Translated: know 95, understand 19, known 15, knew 12Full study and all 205 verses →
Matthew 24:43 But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
- νοιέω noiéōI understand, considertranslated this way 10 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s G3539Verb · Translated: understand 8Full study and all 14 verses →
Matthew 16:9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Mark 7:18 “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,
- εἴδω eídōI know, remembertranslated this way 10 times of its 317 uses · Strong’s G1492Verb · Translated: know 218, knew 20, knows 16, knowing 14Full study and all 295 verses →
Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- ἐπιγινώσκω epiginṓskōI come to know, discern, recognizetranslated this way 5 times of its 44 uses · Strong’s G1921Verb · Translated: recognized 6, recognize 4, know 4, realized 3Full study and all 40 verses →
Acts 23:28 and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
2 Corinthians 1:13 For we do not write you anything that is beyond your ability to read and understand. And I hope that you will understand us completely,
- ἀκούω akoúōI hear, listentranslated this way 4 times of its 422 uses · Strong’s G191Verb · Translated: heard 192, hear 98, listen 37, hearing 21Full study and all 394 verses →
Mark 4:33 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
- σύνεσις sýnesisunderstandingtranslated this way 4 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s G4907Noun · Translated: understanding 4, insight 2, intelligence 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Mark 12:33 and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
- ἀγνοέω agnoéōI do not know, am ignorant oftranslated this way 3 times of its 22 uses · Strong’s G50Verb · Translated: unaware 4, understand 3, ignorant 3, uninformed 2Full study and all 21 verses →
Mark 9:32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
Luke 9:45 But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
- ἀσύνετος asýnetosunintelligent, unwise, undiscerningtranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s G801Adjective · Translated: understand 1, dull 1, foolish 1, senseless 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Matthew 15:16 “Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.
Romans 10:19 I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.”
- ἐπίσταμαι epístamaiI know, understandtranslated this way 2 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s G1987Verb · Translated: know 5, Knowing 2Full study and all 14 verses →
Mark 14:68 But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.
1 Timothy 6:4 he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
- διάνοια diánoiaunderstanding, intellect, mindtranslated this way 2 times of its 12 uses · Strong’s G1271Noun · Translated: minds 4, mind 3, understanding 2, in 1Full study and all 12 verses →
Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true — in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
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.
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.