שֵׂ֫כֶל
se.khel
understanding
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Sekhel: Understanding in Ancient Hebrew The Hebrew word *sekhel* (H7922) denotes "understanding" and appears 16 times throughout the biblical text, making it a moderately frequent term in the Hebrew scriptures. This word represents a cognitive capacity—the ability to grasp, comprehend, or make sense of information. Rather than referring to mere knowledge or factual recall, *sekhel* suggests an active mental process of interpreting and processing meaning from what one encounters. The relative rarity of this term compared to other Hebrew words for knowledge or wisdom indicates it held a specific theological and practical significance. Its limited but consistent use across the biblical corpus suggests that translators and scribes understood it as distinct from related concepts, serving a particular communicative purpose. The word appears to function as a synonym for wisdom-related mental faculties, contributing to the broader biblical vocabulary for intellectual and spiritual discernment that ancient Hebrew authors used to describe human cognition and divine insight.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
16 total occurrences across the text
Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
Ezra 8:18According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;
Nehemiah 8:8They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
Job 17:4For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you will not exalt them.
Psalms 111:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Proverbs 3:4So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 12:8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.
Proverbs 13:15Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.
Proverbs 16:22Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.
Proverbs 19:11The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.
Daniel 8:25Through his policy he will cause deceit to prosper in his hand. He will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many in their security. He will also stand up against the prince of princes; but he will be broken without hand.
Proverbs 23:9Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
1 Samuel 25:3Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
1 Chronicles 22:12May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
1 Chronicles 26:14The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
2 Chronicles 2:12Huram continued, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who would build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.