sechel · insight, good sense

What it means

sechel (שֶׂכֶל) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “insight, good sense”.

Understanding, good judgment, the intelligence to act well.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The sense to act well.
2. What a text read aloud means.
3. Skill in deceiving with cleverness.
4. A good name in the eyes of others.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• prudence ×7
• understanding ×3
• discretion ×2
• cunning ×1
• insight ×1
• regard ×1
• sense ×1

Where it appears

• 1 Samuel×1
• 1 Chronicles×2
• 2 Chronicles×2
• Ezra×1
• Nehemiah×1
• Job×1
• Psalms×1
• Proverbs×6
• Daniel×1

• 1 Samuel 25:3

  The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was of good understanding and beautiful in form, but the man was harsh and evil in his deeds; he was a Calebite.

• 1 Chronicles 22:12

  Only may YHWH give you discretion and understanding and put you in charge over Israel, so that you keep the law of YHWH your Elohim.

• 1 Chronicles 26:14

  The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. For Zechariah his son, a counselor with discretion, they cast lots, and his lot came out for the north.

• 2 Chronicles 2:12

  Huram said, “Blessed be YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, knowing prudence and understanding, who will build a house for YHWH and a house for his kingdom.

• 2 Chronicles 30:22

  Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites who showed good insight in the service of YHWH. And they ate what belonged to the appointed feast the seven days, sacrificing sacrifices of peace and giving thanks to YHWH, the Elohim of their fathers.

• Ezra 8:18

  And they brought us, according to the good hand of our Elohim upon us, a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brothers, eighteen;

• Nehemiah 8:8

  And they read in the book, in the law of Elohim, clearly, and gave the sense, and they understood the reading.

• Job 17:4

  For you have hidden their heart from prudence; therefore you will not exalt them.

• Psalms 111:10

  The beginning of wisdom is the fear of YHWH; good understanding have all who practice them; his praise endures forever.

• Proverbs 3:4

  and you will find favor and good regard in the eyes of Elohim and of man.

• Proverbs 12:8

  According to his prudence a man is praised, but one twisted of heart will be an object of contempt.

• Proverbs 13:15

  Good prudence gives favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard.

• Proverbs 16:22

  A fountain of life is prudence to those who have it, but the correction of fools is folly.

• Proverbs 19:11

  The prudence of a man makes him slow to anger, and his beauty is to pass over a transgression.

• Proverbs 23:9

  In the ears of a senseless man do not speak, for he will despise the prudence of your words.

• Daniel 8:25

  And by his cunning he will make deceit prosper in his hand, and in his heart he will make himself great, and in their ease he will destroy many; and against the Prince of princes he will stand up; but without hand he will be broken.