What does תָּבוּן (tebunah) mean in the Bible?
תָּבוּן (tebunah): Practical discernment and wise reasoning applied to concrete situations, distinct from abstract wisdom
Hebrew · H8394
תָּבוּן
Intelligence ; by implication, an argument ; by extension, caprice
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תָּבוּן H8394
Pronunciation tebunah
What does תָּבוּן (tebunah) mean in the Bible?
תָּבוּן (tebunah): Practical discernment and wise reasoning applied to concrete situations, distinct from abstract wisdom
Full entry for תָּבוּן (H8394) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8394?
The BSB source-word alignment has 42 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of understanding (6), understanding (6), and understanding (5), by His understanding (3), ability (2).
Where does תָּבוּן (tebunah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 31:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (19), Job (4), Psalms (4), Exodus (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of understanding 6× Proverbs 10:23, Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 15:21, Proverbs 17:27
understanding 6× Deuteronomy 32:28, 1 Kings 7:14, Proverbs 3:13, Proverbs 14:29
and understanding 5× Job 12:12, Proverbs 2:6, Proverbs 2:11, Proverbs 8:1
by His understanding 3× Job 26:12, Jeremiah 10:12, Jeremiah 51:15
ability 2× Exodus 31:3, Exodus 35:31
His understanding 2× Psalms 147:5, Isaiah 40:28
to understanding 2× Proverbs 2:2, Proverbs 2:3
and ability 1× Exodus 36:1
and by understanding 1× Proverbs 24:3
and the men of understanding 1× Obadiah 1:8
and understanding are His 1× Job 12:13
awareness 1× Obadiah 1:7
By His insight 1× Psalms 136:5
by understanding 1× Proverbs 3:19
in understanding 1× Proverbs 18:2
insight 1× 1 Kings 4:29
judgment 1× Proverbs 28:16
or insight 1× Isaiah 44:19
skillfully made 1× Hosea 13:2
to my insight 1× Proverbs 5:1
will bring understanding 1× Psalms 49:3
with skillful 1× Psalms 78:72
your reasoning 1× Job 32:11
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 31:3 וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה to ability Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Exodus 35:31 בִּתְבוּנָ֥ה to ability Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Exodus 36:1 וּתְבוּנָה֙ to and ability Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Deuteronomy 32:28 תְּבוּנָֽה׃ to understanding Noun - feminine singular 1 Kings 4:29 וּתְבוּנָ֖ה to insight Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 1 Kings 7:14 הַתְּבוּנָה֙ to understanding Article | Noun - feminine singular Job 12:12 תְּבוּנָֽה׃ to and understanding Noun - feminine singular Job 12:13 וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ to and understanding are His Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Job 26:12 וּבִתוּבְנָתוֹ to by His understanding Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Job 32:11 תְּב֥וּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם to your reasoning Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 31:3
Aligned rows 42
Books represented 11
Exodus 3 Deuteronomy 1 1 Kings 2 Job 4 Psalms 4 Proverbs 19 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 2 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 1 Obadiah 2
Source forms
תְּבוּנָֽה׃ 5x tə·ḇū·nāh Deuteronomy 32:28, Job 12:12, Proverbs 3:13, Proverbs 10:23
בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה 2x biṯ·ḇū·nāh Psalms 136:5, Proverbs 18:2
וּבִתְבוּנָת֖וֹ 2x ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯōw Jeremiah 10:12, Jeremiah 51:15
וּתְבוּנָ֖ה 2x ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh 1 Kings 4:29, Obadiah 1:8
וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ 2x ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh Job 12:13, Proverbs 2:6
תְּבוּנָ֑ה 2x tə·ḇū·nāh Proverbs 14:29, Proverbs 21:30
תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה 2x tə·ḇū·nāh Proverbs 15:21, Proverbs 19:8
בִּתְבוּנָ֥ה 1x biṯ·ḇū·nāh Exodus 35:31
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 13x Deuteronomy 32:28, Job 12:12, Proverbs 2:11, Proverbs 3:13
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 6x Exodus 36:1, 1 Kings 4:29, Job 12:13, Proverbs 2:6
Noun - feminine plural 4x Psalms 49:3, Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 28:16, Isaiah 40:14
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular 4x Exodus 35:31, Psalms 136:5, Proverbs 3:19, Proverbs 18:2
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular 3x Job 26:12, Jeremiah 10:12, Jeremiah 51:15
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular 2x Exodus 31:3, Proverbs 24:3
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular 2x Psalms 147:5, Isaiah 40:28
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x Proverbs 2:2, Proverbs 2:3
Evidence Summary
RevelationWisdom
Hebrew word. Practical discernment and wise reasoning applied to concrete situations, distinct from abstract wisdom
Source Gloss
intelligence ; by implication, an argument ; by extension, caprice
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Practical discernment and wise reasoning applied to concrete situations, distinct from abstract wisdom
intelligence; by implication, an argument; by extension, caprice BDB: understanding Usage: discretion, reason, skilfulness, understanding, wisdom.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
discernment or insight produced by wisdom
discernment, understanding, or insight
understanding that distinguishes between right and wrong
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
תָּבוּן is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Understanding reflects the ability to perceive moral and spiritual truth. Proverbs 10:23
True wisdom manifests in careful speech and restraint. Proverbs 11:12
Discernment enables the learner to recognize deceptive temptations. Proverbs 5:1-6
Canonical Themes
Revelation Wisdom
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain