חָכָם
châkâm · H2450 · Hebrew · 138 occurrences
Meanings
-
wise, intelligent, able, skilled, crafty, cunning
State in which humans, deities or animals have a certain level of wisdom, intelligence, or proficiency
ExamplesGenesis 41:8 Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent messengers and called for all the soothsayer priests of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:33 “So now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are.
How it’s used In 9 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
26 occurrences in 11 groups
- לֵבheart, mind 11
- הּher 4
- Other words · 9 groups that occur once or twice (11) 11
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
4 occurrences in 5 groups
- חָכַםto be able 1
- כּוּןto establish, to prepare 1
- מָלֵאto be full, to fill 1
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 1
- נִיme 1
Named alongside itApposition
5 occurrences in 4 groups
- אִישׁman, person, each 2
- יָדַעto know 1
- אִשָּׁהwoman, wife 1
- םthey 1
What it doesIt is the subject
23 occurrences in 17 groups
- Other words · 17 groups that occur once or twice (23) 23
What is done to itIt is the object
15 occurrences in 11 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 4
- Other words · 10 groups that occur once or twice (11) 11
What it is said to bePredicate
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- יָדhand, power 1
- יָרֵאto be afraid, to fear, to be in awe of 1
- אַיִןthere is no, not 1
- עֵצָהcounsel, advice, plan 1
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
14 occurrences in 11 groups
- מִיwho? 3
- Other words · 10 groups that occur once or twice (11) 11
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
23 occurrences in 7 groups
- לto/for 18
- אֵלto, toward 7
- עִםwith 6
- אֵתwith 2
- מִןfrom 1
- בin/on/with 1
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
23 occurrences in 15 groups
- דָּבָרword, thing, matter 4
- לֵבheart, mind 4
- Other words · 13 groups that occur once or twice (15) 15
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 1 word
- עָרוּם ʻârûwm · H6175 · astute, clever, crafty
- Both lexemes converge on a sense of shrewdness: חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) is the standard Hebrew term for wisdom, while עָרוּם denotes craftiness or prudence — cunning or wise — a closely related facet of intellectual shrewdness.
Contrasting words 3 words
- כְּסִיל kᵉçîyl · H3684 · foolish, dull, constellation
- The direct lexical opposite of חָכָם ('wise'), denoting one who is a fool, lacking wisdom and moral discernment.
- אֱוִיל ʼĕvîyl · H191 · foolish
- The direct lexical opposite of אֱוִיל, denoting a wise or skillful person as opposed to a fool.
- אִוֶּלֶת ʼivveleth · H200 · folly
- The direct lexical opposite of אִוֶּלֶת, denoting wisdom rather than folly.
In the other Testament 3 words
- σοφός sophós · G4680 · skillful, expert, prudent
- Greek σοφός directly translates Hebrew חָכָם across its semantic range (wisdom, skill, cunning), serving as the standard LXX rendering for the Hebrew wisdom vocabulary.
- συνετός synetós · G4908 · intelligent, insightful, understanding
- Greek συνετός emphasizes intellectual comprehension and sagacity (mentally putting together), while Hebrew חָכָם covers a broader semantic range including practical wisdom, skill, and cunning alongside understanding.
- φρόνιμος phrónimos · G5429 · wise, wisely, with understanding
- Greek φρόνιμος emphasizes prudent discernment and practical wisdom with a cautious character, while Hebrew חָכָם covers a broader semantic range including skill, craftiness, and general wisdom without necessarily implying the discretion/cautiousness nuance intrinsic to φρόνιμος.
Semantic domains 1 entry
- Wise002001002029
- The adjective describes a wise person, whether Solomon's proverbial wise man or a skilled craftsman whose wisdom is manual dexterity applied to a task.
Word family 6 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H2450. chakam חָכָם adjective wise, ׳ח Deu 4:6 67t.; construct חֲכַם Isa 3:3 Isa 3:9t.;…
חָכָם adjective wise, ׳ח Deu 4:6 67t.; construct חֲכַם Isa 3:3 Isa 3:9t.; plural חֲכָמִים Deu 1:13 Deu 1:39t.; construct חַכְמֵי Exo 28:3-4t.; suffix חֲכָמֶיךָ Isa 19:12 etc. + 8 t.; feminine חֲכָמָה 2Sa 14:2; 2Sa 20:16; construct חַכְמַת Exo 35:25; plural חֲכָמוֺת Jer 9:16; construct חַכְמוֺת Jdg 5:29; Pro 14:1(but read חָכְמוֺת De) —
1 skilful in technical work; artificers Isa 3:3; sailors Eze 27:8, so (probably) Eze 27:9; mourning women Jer 9:16; artisans of tabernacle and temple and their furniture Exo 28:3; Exo 31:6; Exo 35:10; Exo 36:1-2, Exo 36:4, Exo 36:8 (P), 1Ch 22:15; 2Ch 2:6; 2Ch 2:12; 2Ch 2:13 (twice in verse); women in spinning Exo 35:25 (P); goldsmiths and other artisans Jer 10:9; makers of idol-images Isa 40:20.
2 wise in the administration of affairs: Joseph in Egypt Gen 41:33, Gen 41:39 (E); heads of tribes Deu 1:13, Deu 1:15; Jdg 16:19; David 2Sa 14:20, of Solomon 1Ki 2:9; 1Ki 3:12; 1 Kings 5:21 2Ch 2:11; the prince of Tyre, in satire Eze 28:3; of kings in General Pro 20:26; class of political advisers of Judah Isa 29:14; Jer 18:18, apparently also Isa 5:21; of Egypt Isa 19:11 (twice in verse); Isa 19:12, Edom Obadiah 8, the nations Jer 10:7; so of God Isa 31:2.
3 shrewd, crafty, cunning: Jonadab 2Sa 13:3; the princesses Jdg 5:29; חכמה אשׁה wise woman 2Sa 14:2; 2Sa 20:16; Generally, Jer 9:22; intelligent animals Pro 30:24; ח ׳לכד בערמם taking the cunning in their craft Job 5:13; בעיני חכם wise in one's own eyes Pro 3:7; Pro 26:5, Pro 26:12, Pro 26:16; Pro 28:11; לב חכמי wise of mind (in their own mind) Job 37:24.
4 plural class of learned and shrewd men, including astrologers, magicians and the like, of Egypt Gen 41:8 (E), Exo 7:11 (P; compare Isa 19:11 (twice in verse); Isa 19:12); Babylon Isa 44:25; Jer 50:35; Jer 51:57; Persia Est 1:13; Est 6:13.
5 prudent, towards king Pro 16:14; in controversies Pro 11:29; Pro 29:8-9, Pro 29:11; religious affairs Hos 13:13; Hosea 14:10; Jer 4:22; Jer 8:8-9, Deu 4:6; Deu 32:6; Psa 107:43; ׳ח אישׁ Jer 9:11.
6 wise, ethically and religiously,. in Wisdom Literature:
a. as adjective, לֵב חֲכַם wise of mind Pro 10:8; Pro 16:21; חָכָם לֵב Ecc 8:5; of the son Pro 10:1 = Pro 15:20; Pro 13:1; Pro 23:24; Ecc 2:19; ח ׳ילד Ecc 4:13 wise boy; ח ׳גבר Job 34:34 wise man; ח ׳מוכיח wise reprover Pro 25:12.
b. = substantive: (1) as a wise learner in school of wisdom, he fears God and departs from evil Pro 14:16; is silent Pro 17:28; hearkens to counsel Pro 12:15; hears and increases in learning Pro 1:5; his ear seeketh knowledge Pro 18:15; he receives it Pro 21:11; and stores it up Pro 10:14; his ears hearken to the reproof which giveth life Pro 15:31; and he becomes wiser through it Pro 9:8-9,. (2) as a wise teacher, a sage, he does not answer with windy knowledge Job 15:2; he tells the experience of the past Job 15:48; has knowledge Job 34:2; teaches it Ecc 12:9; disperses it Pro 15:7; his tongue is health Pro 12:18; it utters knowledge aright Pro 15:2; his mind instructs his mouth and adds learning to his lips Pro 16:23; his words are gracious Ecc 10:12; it is good to hear his rebuke Ecc 7:5; his instruction is a fountain of life Pro 13:14; one walking with him becomes wiser Pro 13:20. The חכמים recall the Greek σόφοι, having their schools, pupils (בֵן), discipline (מוּסָר), principles and collections of wisdom, חכמים דברי Pro 1:6; Pro 22:17 (compare Pro 24:23), Ecc 9:17; Ecc 12:11; God himself is לבב חכם Job 9:4. (3) the wise are prosperous: true, in sceptical view of Ecclesiastes, they have no advantage over the fool Ecc 6:8; but die as the fool Ecc 2:16 (twice in verse); Psa 49:11; they will not be able to find the works of God Ecc 8:17; like others are in the hands of God Ecc 9:1; they do not secure bread Ecc 9:11; but elsewhere reverse is true: precious treasure is in his dwelling Pro 21:20; his lips preserve him Pro 14:3; they inherit glory Pro 3:35; wealth is their crown Pro 14:24; the wise man is strong Pro 24:5; Ecc 7:19; his eyes are in his head Ecc 2:14; his mind is at his right hand Ecc 10:2; he interprets things Ecc 8:1 (4) the wise man is a blessing to others: he wins men Pro 11:30; scales the city of the mighty Pro 21:22; though poor he delivers the city Ecc 9:15; is a reproof to scorners Pro 15:12; his mind is in the house of mourning Ecc 7:4; injustice makes him foolish Ecc 7:7; Job finds no wise men among his cruel friends Job 17:10.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 1 entry
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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