יָדַע
to know
‘to know’ is one of 6 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”). Here: ‘know’
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘be made known’
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”).
- Hophal
- The passive counterpart of the Hiphil (“he was caused to…”).
- Pual
- The passive counterpart of the Piel. Here: ‘known’
- Piel
- An intensive or resultative active stem.
- Hithpael
- The reflexive or reciprocal stem (the subject acts on itself).
Form
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
- Participle Passive
- A verbal adjective expressing action received (“written”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
Gender
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
27 verses where H3045 appears in the Qal stem in the Book of 1 Kings. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
1 Kings
- 1 Kings 1:4 יְדָעָֽ/הּ Qal pf 3ms + sfx pers 3fs The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn't know her intimately.
- 1 Kings 1:11 יָדָֽע Qal pf 3ms Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Haven't you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn't know it?
- 1 Kings 1:18 יָדָֽעְתָּ Qal pf 2ms Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don't know it:
- 1 Kings 2:5 יָדַ֡עְתָּ Qal pf 2ms Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
- 1 Kings 2:9 וְ/יָֽדַעְתָּ֙ conj + Qal wpf 2ms Now therefore don't hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.
- 1 Kings 2:15 יָדַ֨עַתְּ֙ Qal pf 2fs He said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: however the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; for it was his from Yahweh.
- 1 Kings 2:32 יָדָ֑ע Qal pf 3ms Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn't know it, [to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
- 1 Kings 2:37 יָדֹ֥עַ תֵּדַ֖ע Qal inf.abs Qal impf 2ms For on the day you go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know you for certain that you shall surely die: your blood shall be on your own head.
- 1 Kings 2:42 יָדֹ֥עַ תֵּדַ֖ע Qal inf.abs Qal impf 2ms The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Didn't I adjure you by Yahweh, and protest to you, saying, Know for certain, that on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely die? and you said to me, The saying that I have heard is good.
- 1 Kings 2:44 יָדַ֨עְתָּ֙ יָדַע֙ Qal pf 2ms Qal pf 3ms The king said moreover to Shimei, You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did to David my father: therefore Yahweh shall return your wickedness on your own head.
- 1 Kings 3:7 אֵדַ֖ע Qal impf 1cs Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I don't know how to go out or come in.
- 1 Kings 5:3 יָדַ֜עְתָּ Qal pf 2ms You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet.
- 1 Kings 5:6 יָדַ֗עְתָּ יֹדֵ֥עַ Qal pf 2ms Qal ptcp.act ms Now therefore command you that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you shall say: for you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.
- 1 Kings 8:38 יֵדְע֗וּ/ן Qal impf 3mp + sfx n whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, [or] by all your people Israel, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
- 1 Kings 8:39 תֵּדַ֖ע יָדַ֨עְתָּ֙ Qal impf 2ms Qal pf 2ms then hear in heaven, your dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;)
- 1 Kings 8:43 יֵדְעוּ/ן֩ וְ/לָ/דַ֕עַת Qal impf 3mp + sfx n conj + prep + Qal inf.cs hear in heaven, your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by my name.
- 1 Kings 8:60 דַּ֚עַת Qal inf.cs that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God; there is none else.
- 1 Kings 9:27 יֹדְעֵ֖י Qal ptcp.act mp cs Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
- 1 Kings 14:2 יֵֽדְע֔וּ Qal impf 3mp Jeroboam said to his wife, Please get up and disguise yourself, that you not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get you to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be king over this people.
- 1 Kings 17:24 יָדַ֔עְתִּי Qal pf 1cs The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.
- 1 Kings 18:12 אֵדָ֔ע Qal impf 1cs It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don't know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me: but I your servant fear Yahweh from my youth.
- 1 Kings 18:37 וְ/יֵֽדְעוּ֙ conj + Qal impf 3mp Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and [that] you have turned their heart back again.
- 1 Kings 20:7 דְּעֽוּ Qal impv 2mp Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Please notice how this man seeks mischief: for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I didn't deny him.
- 1 Kings 20:13 וְ/יָדַעְתָּ֖ conj + Qal pf 2ms Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus says Yahweh, Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
- 1 Kings 20:22 וְ/דַ֥ע conj + Qal impv 2ms The prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.
- 1 Kings 20:28 וִֽ/ידַעְתֶּ֖ם conj + Qal pf 2mp A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, Thus says Yahweh, Because the Syrians have said, Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
- 1 Kings 22:3 הַ/יְדַעְתֶּ֕ם ptcl inter + Qal pf 2mp The king of Israel said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
At its core, ידע (yâdaʻ) means “to know.” One archaism survives in the King James Version — “thou knowest” — where modern Bibles read “know”; see the renderings breakdown. It turns up in 874 verses across 35 books, one of the most common footprint. It first appears in Genesis 3:5. Different stems carry different senses — BDB groups them under 8 stems, among them Qal and Niphal. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H3045 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 874
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 874 distinct verses.
- 35 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 35 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #45
- by frequency
- Top 50 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 45 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 874 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 874 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 429 verses · 49%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 281 verses · 32%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 164 verses · 19%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Know 83×, I know 58×, Thou knowest 42×
- American Standard Version: Know 71×, I know 51×, Knoweth 36×
- Berean Standard Bible: Know 173×, You will know 56×, I know 44×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Know 276×, You will know 53×, I know 51×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H3045 across 941 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 270 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 6 further occurrences.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H3045 across 935 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 303 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H3045 across 913 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 241 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 31 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H3045 across 1,237 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 173 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
25 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Pual (the passive of Piel), Hophal (the passive of Hiphil), Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal), and one or more reduplicated stems (the Pōlēl/Pilpēl type), which for hollow or geminate roots behave much like Piel — often intensive or iterative.
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 25 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- Pf. יָדַע Gn 4:1 +; יָדָ֑ע Lv 5:1 +; sf. יְדָעוֹ Dt 34:10 Jb 28:7; יְדָעָהּ Gn 24:16 1 K 1:4; יְדָעָ֫נוּ Is 63:16; 3 fs. יָֽדְעָה Ju 11:39 + 4 times; 2 ms. יָדַ֫עְתָּ Gn 30:26 +; יָדַ֫עְתָּה 2 S 2:26; יָדַ֫עַתְּ Ru 2:11; 1 K 2:15; יָדָ֑עַתְּ Je 50:24; וְיָדַ֫עַתְּ consec. Ru 3:4 + 6 times (incl. Ez 22:16, Co וִידַעְתֶּם, so 𝔊 𝔗) + Ez 28:22 Co (for וְיָֽדְעוּ), so 𝔊; יָדַ֫עְתִּי Gn 4:9 +; sf. יְדַעְתִּ֫יךָ Ex 33:12 + 2 times; יְדַעְתִּיו Gn 18:19; יְדַעְתִּים Pr 30:18; יְדַעְתִּין Is 48:7; יָֽדְעוּ Gn 19:8 +; יָדָ֑עוּ 2 K 4:39 +; יָֽדְעוּן Dt 8:3, 16 (Dr§ 6 n.); 2 mpl. יְדַעְתֶּם Gn 44:15 +; 2 fpl. יְדַעְתֶּן Gn 31:6; וִידַעְתֶּן consec. Ez 13:21, 23, etc.; Impf. יֵדַע Is 7:16 +; יֵדָ֑ע Jos 22:22 + 5 times; יְיֵדָ֑ע ψ 138:6 (read prob. יֵידָ֑ע v. Ges§ 69, 2 R. 3); וַיֵּ֫דַע Gn 4:17 +; sf. יֵדָֽעֶנּוּ Je 17:9; וְיֵֽדָעֵם Ho 14:10; Imv. דַּע Gn 20:7 + 10 times; דְּעֶה Pr 24:14; דָּ֑ע Ec 11:9; sf. דָּעֵ֫הוּ Pr 3:6; דְּעִי Je 2:19 + 4 times; דְּעוּ Nu 32:23 + 15 times; Inf. cstr. דֵּעָה Ex 2:4; דַּ֫עַת Gn 3:22 +; דַּעְתִּי Dt 9:24 Is 48:4, etc.; Inf. abs. יָדוֹעַ Gn 43:7 Jos 23:13; יָדֹעַ Gn 15:13 + 11 times; Pt. act. יֹדֵעַ Gn 3:5 +; f. יֹדַ֫עַת Nu 31:17 + 2 times; יֹדְעִים 2 K 17:26 +; pass. וִידוּעַ cstr. Is 53:3; pl. וִידֻעִים Dt 1:13, 15;— e.g. Genesis 4:1
- 1.
- a. know, learn to know, good and evil Gn 3:22 (J), sq. אֶת־אֲשֶׁר 1 S 28:9; מִסְפַּר הָעָם 2 S 24:2; anything מְאוּמָה 1 S 20:39; לֹא יָדַע אִתּוֹ מְאוּמָה Gn 39:6 (v. II. אֵת 1 b), so v 8; כָּל־דָּבָר 2 S 15:11; subj. God, knowing fowls ψ 50:11; way to wisdom Jb 28:23, etc.; of bird of prey נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עָ֑יִט Jb 28:7; the price of wisdom Jb 28:13; something future יום מוֹתִי Gn 27:2 (J); especially sq. cl. Gn 12:11 (J) I know that thou art a woman of fair appearance, 22:12 (E), Ec 1:17; לֹא ידעתי Gn 28:16; answering qu. Where? without other obj., 4:9 (both J); sq. acc. + בְּ, in, in the matter of (v. בְּ I 2 b) לֹא יָדַע עַבְדְּךָ בְּכָל־זֹאת דָּבָר קָטֹן אוֹ גדוֹל 1 S 22:15 thy servant knoweth not of all this anything, little or much; sq. בְּ (rare), gain knowledge of, learn of or about, c. inf., הֲתֵדַע בְּשׂוּם־אֱלוֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶם Jb 37:15 dost thou know about God’s enjoining upon them? also c. subst. אִישׁ אַל־יֵדַע בַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה Je 38:24 let not a man know of these words; similarly sq. עַל, only הֲתֵדַע עַל־מִפְלְשֵׂי־עָ֑ב Jb 37:16 dost thou know concerning the balancings of clouds? (in Jb 12:9 בְּ is instr. as Gn 15:8 ψ 41:12); sq. מִן, רְאוּ וּדְעוּ מִכָּל־הַמַּחֲבֹאִים 1 S 23:23 observe and get knowledge of all the hiding-places; but sq. obj. cl. + מִן of source, קֶדֶם יָדַעְתִּי מֵעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּי ψ 119:152 long ago I gained knowledge out of thy testimonies that etc.; sq. לְ, have knowledge of, †יָדַעְתָּ לְאִוַּלְתִּי ψ 69:6 thou knowest my foolishness; especially וידע כי אני יהוה and he shall (thou shalt, etc.) know that I am Yahweh Ex 10:2 (R), 6:7; 14:4; 16:12; 29:46 (all P), Ez 6:7, 10, 13 + often in Ezek., 1 K 20:13, 28; sq. acc., which is really subj. of foll. cl., Gn 18:19 (J) I know him that he will, etc. 2 S 3:25 (Ges§ 117. 1, R. 6). e.g. Genesis 3:22
- b. perceive Gn 19:33, 35 (J obj. cl., inf. c. בְּ); with added idea of observing, taking note of, a place, acc. Ru 3:4; c. בְּ, יָדַעְתָּ בְּצָרוֹת נַפְשִׁי ψ 31:8 (‖ רָאָה אֶת־). e.g. Genesis 19:33
- c. ‖ ראה, imv. דע וראה perceive and see 1 S 12:17; 24:12; find out and discern 14:38; 23:22; in reverse order, ראו ודעו only 23:23 (v. a supr.), Je 5:1 (v. DrSm).—Vid. also g infr. e.g. 1 Samuel 12:17
- d. discriminate, distinguish הַאֵדַע בֵּין־טוֹב לְרָ֑ע 2 S 19:36, cf. Dt 1:39 (no בֵּין); לֹא יָדְֽעוּ בֵין־יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ Jon 4:11 they cannot distinguish between their right hand and their left. e.g. 2 Samuel 19:36
- e. know by experience, וִידַעְתֶּם בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶם כִּי Jos 23:14 (D) and know in all your hearts, and all your souls, that, etc.; learn to know י׳ Ho 13:4; learn (a bitter lesson) Ho 9:7 Is 9:8 ψ 14:4; experience י׳’s vengeance Ez 25:14 ψ 14:4 (abs.); quietness Jb 20:20. e.g. Joshua 23:14
- f. recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess Je 3:13; 14:20 Is 59:12 ψ 51:5. e.g. Jeremiah 3:13
- g. consider דְּעוּ מַה־תַּעֲשׂוּ Ju 18:14; ‖ ראה, imv. דע וראה, דעו וראו, 2 S 24:13; 1 K 20:7, 22; also וְיָדַעְתָּ עִם־לִבָבֶ֑ךָ כִּי Dt 8:5 and thou shalt consider with (in) thy heart, that, 4:39. e.g. Judges 18:14
- h. לֹא ידע not know = not expect Is 47:11 ψ 35:8. e.g. Isaiah 47:11
- 2. know a person, be acquainted with Gn 29:5 (J), Ex 1:8 (E), Jb 42:11, know י׳ 24:1; c. לֹא, obj. especially other gods, strange land, etc. = have no knowledge of, or acquaintance with, have not heard of, especially Dt Je:—Dt 11:28; 13:3, 7, 14; 28:64; 29:25; 32:17 (poem), Je 7:9; 9:15; 14:18; 16:13; 17:4; 19:4; 22:28; 44:3; pt. act. acquaintance Jb 19:13; †pt. pass. acquainted with אִישׁ מַכְאֹבוֹת וִידוּעַ חֹ֑לִי Is 53:3 (lit. known of sickness, v. Thes Ew Che Di Du); well-known (with implied trustworthiness) Dt 1:13, 15 †; of beasts knowing owner and master’s crib Is 1:3 (cf. Je 8:7); especially of knowing God לֹא יָדַעְתִּי (י׳) אֶת־י׳ Ex 5:2 (J); involving intelligent worship, obedience, etc. Ju 2:10 1 S 2:12 (read יֵדַע for MT יָדַע, Dr), 3:7 Ho 2:22; 8:2; 5:4 Jb 18:21 ψ 79:6 (v. also דַּעַת 2 b); of God’s knowing persons, etc., thoroughly Ho 5:3; Jb 11:11; knowing the heart 1 K 8:39; 2 Ch 6:30 ψ 139:4; knowing his true servants, recognising and acknowledging them 2 S 7:20; Na 1:7 1 Ch 17:18 +; יְדַעְתִּיךָ בְּשֵׁם Ex 33:12 (JE); = take notice of, regard ψ 1:6; 31:8; 37:18; so of Isr. as chosen people Am 3:2; Ho 13:5 (Assyrian ilu šâ îdûšu, God who regardeth him, HptBAS i. 15) cf. Gn. 18:19; 39:6 (J) Dt 33:9 Jb 9:21. e.g. Genesis 29:5
- 3. know a person carnally, sq. acc.: man subj. Gn 4:1, 17, 25; 24:16; 38:26 (all J), 1 S 1:19; Ju 19:25; 1 K 1:4; woman subj. Gn 19:8 (J), Nu 31:17, 18, 35 (all P), Ju 11:39; יֹדַעַת מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר Ju 21:11; לֹא יָֽדְעָה אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר v 12; man subj. and obj. (of sodomy) Gn 19:5 (J), Ju 19:22. e.g. Genesis 4:1
- 4.
- a. know how to do a thing, be able to do it, often c. לֹא and sq. inf.: לֹא יָֽדְעוּ עֲשׂוֹת־נְכֹחָה Am 3:10 they know not how to do right; לֹא יָדַעְתִּי דַבֵּר Je 1:6; 6:15; 1 K 3:7; Is 56:11(×11), c. לְ 50:4 Ec 10:15; לֹא יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר Ec 4:13 know not how to be admonished (v 17 know that); inf. abs. ידע מָאוֹס בָּרָע וּבָחוֹר בַּטּוֹב Is 7:15, 16. e.g. Amos 3:10
- b. be skilful in, especially pt., sq. acc. יֹדֵעַ צַיִד Gn 25:27 (J) skilled in hunting; ידע סֵפֶר skilled in a book, learned Is 29:11, 12(×12); as pl. cstr. יוֹדְעֵי נֶ֑הִי Am 5:16 knowers of lamentation, professional mourners; יֹדְעֵי הַיָּם 1 K 9:27 skilled in the sea, 2 Ch 8:18; especially sq. inf. יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן 1 S 16:18 skilled in playing, 1 K 5:20; 2 Ch 2:6, 7, 13: יֹדֵעַ מְנַגֵּן בַּכִּנּוֹר 1 S 16:16 knowing, (as) a player on the lyre (v. Dr). e.g. Genesis 25:27
- 5. abs. have knowledge, be wise: לַיֹּדְעִים Ec 9:11 (‖ חֲכָמִים, נְבֹנִים); especially have knowledge of God and duty, or in practical affairs Is 1:3 (‖ בין), 56:10; often c. acc. cogn.: דַּעַת Pr 17:27; 30:3; בִּינָה Is 29:24; Pr 4:1; 2 Ch 2:12, cf. יוֹדְעֵי בִּינָה לָעִתִּים 1 Ch 12:33 (Baer), Est 1:13; also יֹדְעֵי דָּת וָדִין v 13; יֹדְעֵי דַעַת וּמְבִינֵי מַדָּע Dn 1:4; obj. שֶׂכֶל וּבִינָה 2 Ch 2:11 (‖ בֵּן חָכָם); חָכְמָה וּמוּסָר Pr 1:2 (‖ הבין אִמְרֵי בִּינָה); חָכְמָה Pr 24:14; Ec 8:16. e.g. Ecclesiastes 9:11
Niphal
- Pf. נוֹדַע Gn 41:21 + 10 times; וְנוֹדַע consec. 1 S 6:3 + 2 times; 3 fs. וְנוֹדְעָה Lv 4:14; Is 66:14, etc.; Impf. יִוָּדַע Gn 41:31 + 10 times; יִוָּדֵ֑עַ Pr 10:9; וַיִּוָּדַ֫ע Est 2:22; 3 fs. תִּוָּדֵ֑עַ Pr 14:33; 2 fs. תִּוָּֽדְעִי Ru 3:3; וָאִוָּדַע Ez 20:5; Inf. sf. הִוָּֽדְעִי Je 31:19; Pt. נוֹדָע ψ 76:2 + 2 times;— e.g. Genesis 41:21
- 1. be made known, be or become known, of things Gn 41:31 (sq. בְּ), Ex 2:14 (both E), Lv 4:14 (P), Ju 16:9; 2 S 17:19; Na 3:17; Zc 14:7 (sq. לְ), ψ 77:20; 79:10 (sq. בְּ), 88:13 (sq. בְּ); of hand of י׳ Is 66:14 (sq. אֶת); c. subj. cl. Ex 21:36; 33:16 (both JE), Dt 21:1; 1 S 6:3 (sq. לְ), 1 K 18:36 Ez 36:32 (sq. לְ), Ru 3:14; Ec 6:10; Est 2:22 (sq. לְ); of pers., Pr 31:23 (sq. בְּ) Is 61:9 (sq. בְּ and בְּתוֹךְ); of י׳ ψ 76:2 (sq. בְּ); = be revealed, discovered, of pers. 1 S 22:6; Je 28:9; Pr 10:9; of things Ne 4:9; Pr 12:16; 14:33. e.g. Genesis 41:31
- 2. make oneself known, of pers., sq. לְ Ru 3:3, usually of God (י׳) Ex 6:3 (P; ‖ וָאֵרָא אֶל־), Is 19:21; Ez 20:5, sq. לְעֵינֵי 38:23; sq. אֶל־ 20:9; sq. בְּ 35:11 ψ 48:4; without prep. 9:17. e.g. Ruth 3:3
- 3. be perceived (pass. of Qal), of perception by the eye Gn 41:21 (E), ψ 74:5. e.g. Genesis 41:21
- 4. be instructed (pass. of Hiph.) Je 31:19, in spiritual sense, through chastisement. e.g. Jeremiah 31:19
Piel
- Pf. 2 ms. יִדַּ֫עְתָּ, only ידעתה שַׁחַר מְקֹמוֹ Jb 38:12 Kt; read with Qr יִדַּעְתָּ הַשַּׁחַר cause to know, sq. 2 acc.; so ψ 104:19 according to Bae, who reads יִדַּע, after Aq Symm. e.g. Job 38:12
Po
- Pf. 1 s. יוֹדַעְתִּי 1 S 21:3 I have caused to know, i.e. directed, sq. acc., but read יוֹעַדְתִּי or יָעַדְתִּי, from יעד, so 𝔊 We Dr. e.g. 1 Samuel 21:3
Pual
- Pt. known מידעת Is 12:5 Kt (Qr מוּדַעַת v. Hoph.); elsewhere as subst. = acquaintance מְיֻדָּעִי ψ 55:14; מְיֻדָּעָיו 2 K 10:11; מְיֻדָּעַי ψ 88:9 Jb 19:14 (‖ קְרוֹבָ֑י), ψ 88:19 (‖ אֹהֵב and רֵעַ); מְיֻדָּעָ֑י ψ 31:12, Kt מידע Ru 2:1 (Qr מוֹדַע q.v. infr.) e.g. Isaiah 12:5
Hiphil
- Pf. הוֹדִיעַ ψ 98:2; הוֹדִיעַ֫נִי Je 11:18; הוֹדַ֫עְתָּ 1 K 1:27 + 2 times; הוֹדָ֑עְתָּ Jb 26:3, etc.; Impf. יוֹדִיעַ ψ 103:7 Is 38:19; juss. יֹדַ֫ע Nu 16:5; וַיֹּדַע Ju 8:16; יוֹדִיעֶנּוּ Is 40:13, 14; 2 ms. תּוֹדִיעַ Hb 3:2; תּוֹדִיעֵנִי ψ 16:11; 51:8; 1 s. אוֹדִיעַ ψ 89:2 Ez 39:7; אוֹדִיעָה Pr 1:23 Is 5:5; יוֹדִיעוּ Jb 32:7; יוֹדִעֻם Ez 44:23; נוֹדִיעָה 1 S 14:12; Imv. הוֹדַע Pr 9:9 + 3 times (הוֹדַ֑ע ψ 90:12); sf. חוֹדִיעֵנִי Jb 10:2 + 6 times, etc.; Inf. cstr. הוֹדִיעַ 2 S 7:21 + 3 times; הֹדִיעַ 1 Ch 17:19; הוֹדִיעֵנִי 1 S 28:15, etc.; Pt. מוֹדִיעֲךָ Dn 8:19; מוֹדִיעָם Je 16:21; מוֹדִיעִים Is 47:13 2 Ch 23:13;—make known, declare, c. acc. rei Nu 16:5 (P), Ez 39:7; 1 Ch 17:19; Jb 26:3 ψ 89:2; 98:2; 106:8; obj. om. Hb 3:2; teach, c. acc. rei Jb 32:7; sq. inf. ψ 90:12 and (peculiarly) מ׳ לְהַלֵּל 2 Ch 23:13 i.e. led in praising; c. לְ pers. Pr 9:9; c. acc. pers. Is 40:13; Ju 8:16 (but read וַיָּ֫דָשׁ, v. דושׁ); make known, declare, c. acc. rei, + לְ pers. Ex 18:20; Dt 4:9; Ne 8:12; 9:14 ψ 78:5; 103:7; 145:12; Is 38:19 (c. אל rei) 64:1; c. cl., + לְ pers. 1 S 10:8; make one know, c. cl. of thing and acc. (sf.) pers. Ex 33:12 Dt 8:3 1 S 6:2; 16:3; 28:15 Jb 10:2; 37:19; c. acc. rei + sf. pers. הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ וְאֵדָעֲךָ Ex 33:13 (JE) make me, I pray, to know thy ways, that I may know thee; Je 16:21 Ez 20:4; 22:2; 43:11; Is 40:14 (‖ וַיְלַמְּדֵהוּ דַעַת, also v a וַיְבִינֵהוּ), Pr 22:21; Jb 13:23 ψ 16:11; 25:4 (‖ לַמְּדֵנִי), v 14 (on inf. c. לְ v. Ges§ 114. 2, R. 2, Exx.), 39:5; 51:8; 143:8 (‖ הַשְׁמִיעֵנִי); חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ 32:5 (‖ עֲוֹנִי לֹא־כִסִּיתִי); sq. 2 separate acc. Gn 41:39 (E), 1 S 14:12; Is 5:5 Ez 20:11; 16:2 Pr 1:23; Dn 8:19; acc. pers. om. Ex 18:16 (E); acc. rei om. Jos 4:22 = teach one (D), so Is 40:13, 2 S 7:21; 1 K 1:27; = answer Jb 38:3; 40:7; 42:4; c. sf. pers., acc. rei om. Je 11:18; 16:21 Pr 22:19; sq. acc. rei + בְּ ψ 77:15 thou hast made known thy might among the peoples, Is 12:4 1 Ch 18:8 = ψ 105:1; sq. cl. + בְּ pers. Ho 5:9; sq. בֵּין, teach the difference between, to discriminate between בֵּין הַטָּמֵא לְטָהוֹר Ez 22:26; + sf. pers. 44:23 (cf. Qal 1 d); sq. מִן partit. מוֹדִעִים לֶחֳדָשִׁים מֵאֲשֶׁר יָבוֹאוּ Is 47:13 who declare, at the new moons, of (the things) which are to come. e.g. Psalms 98:2
Hophal
- Pf. הוֹדַע Lv 4:23, 28 (v. Köi, 427); Pt. מוּדַעַת Qr Is 12:5 (> Kt מְיֻדַּעַת);—made known (Pt.) Qr Is 12:5 let this be made known in (בְּ) all the earth (> Kt Pu. Pt. which is not elsewhere in this sense); sq. אֵלָיו if his sin be made known unto himself Lv 4:23, 28 (P). e.g. Leviticus 4:23
Hithpael
- Impf. אֶתְוַדָּ֑ע Nu 12:6 (E), sq. אֶל־ make oneself known to, of י׳; Inf. הִתְוַדַּע אֶל־ Gn 45:1 (E), of Joseph. e.g. Numbers 12:6
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. know (NH id.; Aramaic יְדַע, ܝܺܕܰܥ Ph. ידע; Ethiopic አይድዐ ii. i. indicate, announce, narrate; Assyrian idû, know, COTGloss.; Sab. ידע, especially in cpd. n.pr. DHMZMG 1875, 612)—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
יָדַע
- [to point out, select, love,]
- 1. to recognize, know; to find out. Pes. 87ᵇ כיון שי׳ שחטא when he was convinced that he had done wrong. Ib. ואין אתה יוֹדֵעַ אם וכ׳ and thou knowest not whether &c. Ib. יודע הקב"ה את ישראל וכ׳ the Lord knows that Israel cannot endure the cruel persecutions of Rome (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note); Yalk. Hos. 529. Shebu. 4ᵇ; ib. 5ᵃ ונעלם מבלל שי׳ it says, ‘and it escaped his memory’ (Lev. V, 3)—this proves that there was a time when he knew (the nature of his act, v. יְדִיעָה). Zeb. 115ᵇ דבר זה … ולא יְדָעוֹ וכ׳ this word (Ex. XXIX, 43) the Lord had said to Moses, but he did not understand it, until the sons of Aaron died. Ib. כיון שי׳ … יְדוּעֵי מקום הן when Aaron learned that his sons were the chosen of the Lord (Lev. X, 3); a. v. fr.—Part. pass. יָדוּעַ a) chosen. Pl. יְדוּעִים, constr. יְדוּעֵי, v. supra.—b) known, special, certain. Sifra Vayikra, Ḥobah, Par. 6, ch. VIII חטא י׳ a known (discovered) sin, v. יְדִיעָה. Y. Sot. I, 16ᶜ טומאה יְדוּעָה (not ידוע) an ascertained levitical uncleanness, opp. ספק; a. fr.—בְּיָדוּעַ it is sure. R. Hash. 20ᵇ בי׳ שנראה וכ׳ the moon must have been visible &c. Succ. 49ᵇ כל אדם … בי׳ שהוא וכ׳ a popular man (v. חֵן) is, you may be sure, a God-fearing man; a. fr. e.g. Leviticus 5:3
- 2. (euphem.) to have sexual intercourse with. Yeb. 57ᵃ בלא יְדָעָהּ when he never had connection with her. Esth. R. to III, 7 שלא יְדָעָהּ איש וכ׳ whom no man except her husband touched; a. e.
- to make known, inform. Gen. R. s. 22, beg. (ref. to Gen. IV, 1, reading יִדַּע for homiletical purposes) ה׳ דרך ארץ לכל he showed to all the way of the land (propagation, v. דֶּרֶךְ). Ḥull. V, 3 צריך להוֹדִיעַ must inform (the purchaser). Ab. IV, 22 לֵידַע להודיע ולהִוָּורַע to learn, to proclaim and to be made to feel (be thoroughly convinced). Sabb. 10ᵇ צריך להוֹדִיעוֹ must inform him. Ib. לך והוֹדִיעֵם go and tell them. Ib. הנותן … צריך לה׳ לאמו he who gives bread to a child must inform his mother; a. fr. e.g. Genesis 4:1
- to be informed, become conscious; to be made known. Shebu. I, 6 ה׳ ולא ה׳ whether he became conscious (of his transgression) or not. Sifra Vayikra, Ḥobah, ch. XX, Par. 12 (ref. to Lev. IV, 23; 28) את ה׳ שלהם when they become known; a. fr.—B. Bath. 113ᵇ הוֹדְעָה Ms. M. (v. אָרַע II). e.g. Leviticus 4:23
- same. Hor. III, 3. Ab. IV, 22, v. supra. Shebu. 9ᵇ שסופו לִיוָּדַע of which he is likely to be informed. Ḥull. 9ᵃ עד שיִוָּדַע לך, v. חֲזָקָה. Nidd. IX, 5, v. infra; a. fr.
- , Nithpa. נִתְוַודַּע
- 1. same. Bekh. 25ᵇ עד שיִתְוַורַּע הטומאה (Nidd. l. c. עד שיודע לך וכ׳) until he ascertains the exact place of uncleanness; Pes. 10ᵃ עד שתִּיוָּדַע לך Ms. M. (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.). Y. Sabb. III, 6ᵇ נתודע לו וכ׳ he found it out after sunset; a. fr.
- 2. (v. מוֹדַע) to force one’s self upon the notice of, to pretend friendship for. Ab. I, 10 אל תִּתְוַדַּע לרשות do not make thyself a partisan of the (foreign) government.
יְדַע
- Targ. Gen. IV, 1; a. fr.—Ib. XXX, 26; a. fr:—Fut. יִדַּע, יִנְדַּע (fr. נדע). Targ. Ps. XXXIX, 5 אִידַּע Ms. (ed. אֵידַע). Targ. Ex. VIII, 6; a. fr.—Ber. 33ᵇ אנא לא האי יְדַעְנָע I learned nothing either about this &c. Snh. 103ᵃ (prov.—of one who derives no lesson from adversity or success) בכיי ליה למר ולא י׳ וכ׳ Ms. M. (ed. דלא, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.) they lament to you and you understand it not, they laugh to you and you understand it not; וי ליה למאן דלא י׳ וכ׳ (not למר) woe to him who knows not the difference between good and evil; a. fr.
- as preced. Hif. Targ. Ex. XXXIII, 13. Targ. Ps. CVI, 8 לאוֹדָעָה (Ms. לאַנְדָּ׳, v. supra); a. fr.—Snh. 11ᵇ מְהוֹדְעִין אנחנא וכ׳ we (the Sanhedrin) notify you &c.; Y. ib. I, 18ᵈ top מוֹדַעְנָא; Tosef. ib. II, 6 מְהוֹדַעְנָא (Var. מְהוֹדְעֵי אנחנא). Sabb. 33ᵇ מאן לוֹדְעֵיה לבר וכ׳ (Ms. M. מוֹדְעֵיה) Oh, that some one would inform the son of Yoḥai &c. Ned. 62ᵃ לאוֹדוּעֵי נפשיה to make one’s self known (as a scholar). Gen. R. s. 11 מנאן את מוֹדַע לי (some ed. מְיַדַּע) how will you prove it to me?; a. fr.
- same. Cant. R. to III, 6 לינא מְיַדַּע לדין וכ׳ shall I not let him know with whom he is dealing?. Gen. R. s. 11, v. supra.—Part. pass. מְיַדַּע friend. Targ. Ps. LXXXVIII, 9 מְיַדְּעַי Ms. (ed. מיודעי, hebraism).
- to be made known, to make one’s self known. Targ. O. Gen. XLV, 1. Ib. XLI, 21; a. fr.—[Targ. Y. Deut. XXI, 11 תתידעון, read: תיתרעון, as in v. 14.]—Hor. 2ᵃ כי מִתְיַדַּע להו לבי דינא if the court were made aware of it. Sabb. 71ᵇ א׳ ליה קודם וכ׳ he became aware of it before setting the sacrifice aside; a. e.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 509 distinct written forms H3045 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 449 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H3045, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
- דע dêaʻ H1843 knowledge
- דעת daʻath H1847 knowledge
- ידע yᵉdaʻ H3046 to know
- ידעני yiddᵉʻônîy H3049 soothsayer
- מדע maddâʻ H4093 knowledge
- מודע môwdaʻ H4129 kinsman
- מודעת môwdaʻath H4130 kindred
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- דעואל Dᵉʻûwʼêl H1845 Deuel
- ידוע Yaddûwaʻ H3037 Jaddua
- ידיעאל Yᵉdîyʻăʼêl H3043 Jediael
- ידע Yâdâʻ H3047 Jada
- ידעיה Yᵉdaʻyâh H3048 Jedaiah
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 13 — not the complete family. 5 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 830 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 874 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 3:5
- Exodus 1:8
- Leviticus 4:14
- Numbers 10:31
- Deuteronomy 1:13
- Joshua 2:4
- Judges 2:10
- Ruth 2:1
- 1 Samuel 1:19
- 2 Samuel 1:5
- 1 Kings 1:4
- 2 Kings 2:3
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
