### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **daʻath**, represented by `{{H1847}}`, is the primary term for **knowledge**. It appears **93 times** across **91 unique verses** in the Bible, highlighting its significance. Derived from the verb "to know" `{{H3045}}`, **daʻath** is a broad concept that extends beyond mere facts to include awareness, skill, discernment, and even cunning.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H1847}}` is central to humanity's relationship with God from the very beginning. It is first mentioned as the "tree of the **knowledge** of good and evil," representing a pivotal and forbidden understanding [[Genesis 2:17]]. The pursuit or rejection of divine **knowledge** carries profound consequences. A lack of **knowledge** of God leads to destruction and captivity ([[Hosea 4:6]], [[Isaiah 5:13]]), while human **knowledge** without God can become foolish and perverse ([[Isaiah 44:25]], [[Jeremiah 10:14]]). Conversely, the **knowledge** of God is presented as more desirable than religious sacrifices [[Hosea 6:6]] and is a gift from the LORD that brings stability and salvation ([[Proverbs 2:6]], [[Isaiah 33:6]]).
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of **knowledge**:
* `{{H3045}}` **yâdaʻ** (to know): As the root verb, this word describes the act of knowing, from which the noun **daʻath** is derived. It signifies a deep, often experiential, knowing, such as when a man "hath **knowledge**" [[Proverbs 17:27]].
* `{{H2451}}` **chokmâh** (wisdom): This term is frequently paired with **daʻath**, indicating that true knowledge is inseparable from **wisdom**. The two are presented as divine gifts that flow from the spirit of the LORD [[Isaiah 11:2]] and are despised by fools [[Proverbs 1:7]].
* `{{H4148}}` **mûwçâr** (instruction): This word, meaning discipline or warning, highlights the process through which knowledge is acquired. To love **instruction** is to love **knowledge**, while despising it is a characteristic of fools ([[Proverbs 12:1]], [[Proverbs 1:7]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1847}}` is profound, establishing the very basis for a right relationship with God.
* **Foundation of Reverence:** True **knowledge** begins not with intellect but with reverence. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of **knowledge**" [[Proverbs 1:7]], framing it as a relational and moral state rather than a purely academic one.
* **Covenantal Consequences:** The rejection of **knowledge** is an act with dire covenantal implications. When the people reject **knowledge**, God rejects them from their priestly role, demonstrating that a relationship with Him is unsustainable without it [[Hosea 4:6]].
* **Messianic Justification:** **Knowledge** is a defining characteristic of the Messiah. The Spirit of the LORD endows him with the "spirit of **knowledge**" [[Isaiah 11:2]], and it is specifically "by his **knowledge**" that God's righteous servant will justify many [[Isaiah 53:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1847}}` represents far more than a simple awareness of facts. It is a cornerstone of biblical theology, defining the critical human choice between divine wisdom and self-reliant foolishness. From practical skill in workmanship [[Exodus 31:3]] to the profound, justifying **knowledge** of God's servant [[Isaiah 53:11]], **daʻath** encompasses the full spectrum of understanding. It illustrates that in the biblical worldview, what one knows—and particularly, whether one knows God—determines the path of life or destruction.
TRV