chchma · wisdom, skill

What it means

chchma (חׇכְמָה) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “wisdom, skill”.

Wisdom: knowing how to live and act well; also the skill of a good craftsman.

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. Skill of the hands to make a work well.
2. Knowing how to live well; it begins with revering YHWH.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Wisdom: knowing how to live and act well; also the skill of a craftsman. BDB: wisdom, in a good sense. It comes from חָכַם, “to be wise”.

• The skill of the craftsmen of the dwelling Exodus 28:3Exodus 31:3
• Solomon's wisdom for judging 1 Kings 3:281 Kings 4:29
• “The start of wisdom {is} the fear of YHWH” Proverbs 1:7Proverbs 9:10
• Wisdom that speaks in Proverbs Proverbs 8:11
• “But wisdom, from where will it be found?” Job 28:12

How we translate it

“Wisdom” 149 times, with no other rendering. This edition sets the family: חָכְמָה / בִּינָה / דַּעַת = “wisdom / understanding / knowledge”. “Wisdom” is said also of the craftsmen, as the Hebrew does (“whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom”, Exodus 28:3).

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Exodus×8
• Deuteronomy×2
• 2 Samuel×2
• 1 Kings×17
• 1 Chronicles×1
• 2 Chronicles×9
• Job×18
• Psalms×6
• Proverbs×39
• Ecclesiastes×28
• Isaiah×5
• Jeremiah×6
• Ezekiel×5
• Daniel×3

• Exodus 28:3

  And you shall speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, that they make the garments of Aaron to consecrate him to serve as priest for me.

• Exodus 31:3

  and I have filled him with the spirit of Elohim, with wisdom, and with understanding, and with knowledge, and with all kinds of work,

• Exodus 31:6

  And I, look, have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all the wise of heart I have put wisdom, so that they make all that I have commanded you:

• Exodus 35:26

  And all the women whose heart stirred them with wisdom spun the goats’ hair.

• Exodus 35:31

  and he has filled him with the spirit of Elohim, with wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge, and with all kinds of work,

• Exodus 35:35

  He has filled them with wisdom of heart to do all the work of the engraver, and of the designer, and of the embroiderer in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, doers of every work and devisers of designs.

• Exodus 36:1

  “And Bezalel and Oholiab and every man wise of heart, in whom YHWH has put wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that YHWH has commanded.”

• Exodus 36:2

  And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every man wise of heart, in whose heart YHWH had put wisdom, everyone whose heart stirred him to come near to the work to do it.

• Deuteronomy 4:6

  Keep them and carry them out, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

• Deuteronomy 34:9

  And Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as YHWH had commanded Moses.

• 2 Samuel 14:20

  To change the face of the matter your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of Elohim, to know all that is on the earth.”

• 2 Samuel 20:22

  The woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. He blew the horn, and they scattered from the city, each to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem, to the king.

• 1 Kings 2:6

  So act according to your wisdom, and do not bring down his gray hair in peace to Sheol.

• 1 Kings 3:28

  And all Israel heard the judgment that the king had judged, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of Elohim was in him to execute judgment.

• 1 Kings 4:29

  And Elohim gave Solomon wisdom and understanding in very great measure, and breadth of heart like the sand that is on the shore of the sea.

• 1 Kings 4:30

  And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

• 1 Kings 4:34

  And they came from all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

• 1 Kings 5:12

  And YHWH gave wisdom to Solomon, as he had spoken to him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

• 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 worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and knowledge to do every work in bronze. And he came to King Solomon and did all his work.

• 1 Kings 10:4

  And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

• 1 Kings 10:6

  And she said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and about your wisdom.

• 1 Kings 10:7

  But I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes saw; and look, not even the half was told me; you have added wisdom and good to the report that I heard.

• 1 Kings 10:8

  Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!

• 1 Kings 10:23

  And King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

• 1 Kings 10:24

  And all the earth was seeking the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which Elohim had put in his heart.

• 1 Kings 11:41

  And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

• 1 Chronicles 28:21

  And look, the divisions of the priests and of the Levites for all the service of the house of Elohim; and with you in all the work will be every willing man, with wisdom for any service; and the officials and all the people are ready for all your words.”

• 2 Chronicles 1:10

  Now give me wisdom and knowledge, and I will go out before this people and come in; for who can judge this great people of yours?”

• 2 Chronicles 1:11

  Elohim said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you did not ask for riches, possessions, or glory, or the life of those who hate you, and you did not even ask for many days, but you asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge so that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king,

• 2 Chronicles 1:12

  the wisdom and the knowledge are given to you; and riches, possessions, and glory I will give you, such as the kings who were before you did not have, and after you none will have the like.”

• 2 Chronicles 9:3

  The queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

• 2 Chronicles 9:5

  She said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and about your wisdom.

• 2 Chronicles 9:6

  But I did not believe their words until I came and my eyes saw; and look, not half of the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have added to the report that I heard.

• 2 Chronicles 9:7

  Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom!

• 2 Chronicles 9:22

  King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

• 2 Chronicles 9:23

  All the kings of the earth sought the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which Elohim had put in his heart.

• Job 4:21

  Is not their cord pulled up within them? They die, and not with wisdom.’

• Job 11:6

  and tell you the secrets of wisdom, for sound judgment is double; and know that Eloah makes you forget part of your iniquity.

• Job 12:2

  “Certainly you are the people, and with you wisdom will die.

• Job 12:12

  With the very old is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

And 109 more times.