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Sunday, December 22nd, 2024
the Fourth Week of Advent
Bible Encyclopedias
Cunning
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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kun´ing ( חכם , ḥākhām , חשׁב , ḥāshabh ): In Bible-English "cunning" means always "wise" or "skilful"; the word does not occur in the bad sense, and it is found in the Old Testament only. The chief Hebrew words are ḥākhām , "wise," "skilful" (2 Chronicles 2:7 the King James Version "a man cunning to work in gold"; 2 Chronicles 2:13; Isaiah 3:3 the King James Version, etc.); ḥāshabh , "to think," "devise," "desire" (Exodus 26:1 , Exodus 26:31; Exodus 28:6 , Exodus 28:15 the King James Version, etc.). We have also da‛ath , "knowledge" (1 Kings 7:14 the King James Version); bı̄n , "to be intelligent" (1 Chronicles 25:7 the King James Version); maḥǎsbebheth , "thought," "device," "design" (Exodus 31:4; Exodus 35:33 , Exodus 35:15 the King James Version); 'āmān , "artificer" (Song of Solomon 7:1 the King James Version); yādha‛ , "to know," once translated "cunning" (Daniel 1:4 the King James Version).
For cunning the American Standard Revised Version gives "skilful" (Exodus 31:4 , etc.; Isaiah 3:3 "expert"); for "cunning work" the work of the "skilful workman" ( Exodus 26:1 , Exodus 26:31 , etc., the English Revised Version "cunning workman"); for "curious," "skilfully woven," the English Revised Version "cunningly woven" (Exodus 28:8 , etc.).
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Cunning'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/c/cunning.html. 1915.
