חָכָם
To be wise (in mind, word or act) · wise (in a most general application)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
חָכַם H2449 to be wise (in mind, word or act)
σοφός G4680 wise (in a most general application)
What does חָכָם (chakam) mean in the Bible?
חָכַם · σοφός is a Hebrew word meaning "one who lives skillfully according to God's moral order".
Full entry for חָכָם (H2449, G4680) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 13×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 2×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Hebrew Verb Forms
How this verb appears across 19 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).
Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).
Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain