Hebrew word · H4093

מַדָּע

mada'

knowledge

Knowledge or understanding. It can also mean the mind or thought itself: Eccl 10:20, 'even in your thought do not curse the king'. It is a late Hebrew word, related to the Aramaic manda‘ in Dan 2:21; 4:34; 5:12, from the root yada‘, 'to know'.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) knowledge, thought

1a) knowledge

1b) mind, thought, place of knowledge

Aramaic equivalent: man.da (מַנְדַּע "knowledge" H4486)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Chronicles 1:12

Range of meaning

Knowledge or understanding. It can also mean the mind or thought itself: Eccl 10:20, 'even in your thought do not curse the king'. It is a late Hebrew word, related to the Aramaic manda‘ in Dan 2:21; 4:34; 5:12, from the root yada‘, 'to know'.

Against the English

English 'knowledge' tends to mean stored information or facts. In context madda‘ is closer to 'discernment' or 'understanding', the knowing that makes good judgment possible.

How it drifted

Modern English links 'knowledge' with data, education and information, which is narrower and more factual than this Hebrew pairing with 'wisdom'.

Used elsewhere in the period

It occurs only in 2 Chr 1:10–12, Dan 1:4, 17 and Eccl 10:20. All are late books from the Persian or Hellenistic period. In Daniel 1 it describes the trained young courtiers 'skilled in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge'. The earlier parallel in 1 Kgs 3:9 has instead 'a listening heart to judge… to discern between good and evil'.

From the study of Ecclesiastes 10:20

Range of meaning

A late Hebrew word from yādaʿ, "to know": knowledge, understanding, the mind or one's awareness. Elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible it appears only in 2 Chr 1:10–12 and Dan 1:4, 17, for learning and understanding. Biblical Aramaic has the related mandaʿ (Dan 2:21; 4:34, 36; 5:12), meaning knowledge or reason.

Against the English

KJV and WEB have "thought" and BSB "thoughts", following the usual meaning. YLT has "mind". The Septuagint has syneidēsis ("consciousness, inner awareness", the later word for "conscience"), and the Vulgate has cogitatio, "thought". Some modern translations, and scholars who read the word differently, take it as a place parallel to "bedroom".

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrew Sirach 3:13 uses maddāʿ for an aging father's failing mind. Later Hebrew uses it for knowledge or mind. The Septuagint's syneidēsis is one of the very few uses of that word in the Greek Old Testament.

From the study of 2 Chronicles 1:10

Range of meaning

Knowledge, understanding, intelligence, and also the mind or thought as the place where knowing happens. It comes from the root yādaʿ, 'to know'. It occurs only six times, all in late books: 2 Chr 1:10, 11, 12; Dan 1:4, 17; Eccl 10:20 ('even in your thought do not curse the king').

Against the English

'Knowledge' (all major versions) can sound like a stock of facts or information. Maddāʿ points more to the capacity to know: a trained, discerning intelligence.

How it drifted

Modern 'knowledge' tends to mean data or information. The Hebrew word names a quality of mind.

Used elsewhere in the period

Daniel 1:4 and 1:17 use it for the education and intellectual gifts of young men picked for royal service at the Babylonian court, alongside 'wisdom'. Ecclesiastes 10:20 uses it for one's private thought. The word belongs to Late Biblical Hebrew, the Hebrew of the Persian period, and is common in later Hebrew. Scholars of Late Biblical Hebrew (e.g. Hurvitz) treat it as a typical late term.

Where it appears

2 Chronicles · 3

  1. 2 Chronicles 1:10 וּמַדָּע֙ and knowledge

    Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”

    Here: A rare, late Hebrew word for the power to know and understand, a trained and discerning mind. Paired with 'wisdom', it makes one compound request for a mind fit to govern.

  2. 2 Chronicles 1:11 וּמַדָּ֔ע and knowledge

    God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart instead of requesting riches or wealth or honor for yourself or death for your enemies—and since you have not even requested long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king—

  3. 2 Chronicles 1:12 וְהַמַּדָּ֖ע and the knowledge

    therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you.”

    Here: A rare, late Hebrew word for knowing or understanding. Paired with 'wisdom', it rounds out the gift as discernment in knowledge and judgment. This too comes with the article and points back to the request.

Ecclesiastes · 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:20 בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ in mind your

    Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.

    Here: "In your knowing", meaning your own private mind or awareness, the most hidden place there is. It is a rare word from late Hebrew. Some scholars read it as a place or a state ("in your repose", "on your couch") to match "bedroom" (see debates).

Daniel · 2

  1. Daniel 1:4 מַדָּ֔ע <of> knowledge

    young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

  2. Daniel 1:17 מַדָּ֥ע knowledge

    To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

    Here: Knowledge, learning, intellectual grasp. It is a late Hebrew word, and with "wisdom" it recalls what Solomon asked God for (2 Chr 1:10–12).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.