'Knowledge' in the Bible

And [in that garden] the Lord God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.

but [only] from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil you shall not eat, otherwise on the day that you eat from it, you shall most certainly die [because of your disobedience].”

Joseph spoke harshly to them, “What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can indeed practice divination and foretell [everything you do without outside knowledge of it]?”

God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice [of them] and was concerned about them [knowing all, understanding all, remembering all].

I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and skill, in understanding and intelligence, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship,

and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom and skill, with intelligence and understanding, and with knowledge in all [areas of] craftsmanship,

‘If anyone sins after he hears a public adjuration (solemn command to testify) when he is a witness, whether he has seen or [otherwise] known [something]—if he fails to report it, then he will bear his guilt and be held responsible.

then it shall be, if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat as a sin offering.

The oracle of him who hears the words of GodAnd knows the knowledge of the Most High,Who sees the vision of the Almighty,Falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered:

But you shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, without blemish.

It was shown to you so that you might have [personal] knowledge and comprehend that the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him.

“Do not go on boasting so very proudly,Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;For the Lord is a God of knowledge,And by Him actions are weighed (examined).

And Hiram [king of Tyre] sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, along with the servants of Solomon.

“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.

Give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in [performing my duties] before this people, for [otherwise] who can rule and administer justice to this great people of Yours?”

God replied to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for riches, possessions or honor and personal glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you may rule and administer justice to My people over whom I have made you king,

wisdom and knowledge have been granted you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor will those who will come after you.”

Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding—

“Should a wise man [such as you] utter such windy and vain knowledge [as we have just heard]And fill himself with the east wind [of withering, parching, and violent accusations]?

“Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

“Can anyone teach God knowledge,Seeing that He judges those on high?

“How you have counseled the one who has no wisdom!And how abundantly you have provided sound wisdom and helpful insight!

“It is hidden from the eyes of all the livingAnd concealed from the birds of the heavens.

“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;I also will give you my opinion [about Job’s situation] and tell you plainly what I think.’

“I too will give my share of answers;I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge.

“Hear my words, you wise men,And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.

“Therefore He knows of their works,And He overthrows them in the night,So that they are crushed and destroyed.

‘Job speaks without knowledge,And his words are without wisdom and insight.

Job uselessly opens his mouthAnd multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”

“I will bring my knowledge from afar,And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

“For truly my words are not false;He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.

“Do you know about the layers of thick clouds [and how they are balanced and poised in the heavens],The wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge,

“Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom]By words without knowledge?

“[You said to me] ‘Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge?’Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered that which I did not understand,Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Have all the workers of wickedness and injustice no knowledge,Who eat up my people as they eat bread,And do not call upon the Lord?

Day after day pours forth speech,And night after night reveals knowledge.

Have workers of wickedness no knowledge or no understanding?They eat up My people as though they ate breadAnd have not called upon God.

Give the king [knowledge of] Your judgments, O God,And [the spirit of] Your righteousness to the king’s son [to guide all his ways].

They say, “How does God know?Is there knowledge [of us] with the Most High?”

“Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him;I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never].

He who instructs the nations,Does He not rebuke and punish,He who teaches man knowledge?

Teach me good judgment (discernment) and knowledge,For I have believed and trusted and relied on Your commandments.

Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is too high [above me], I cannot reach it.

That prudence (good judgment, astute common sense) may be given to the naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled],And knowledge and discretion (intelligent discernment) to the youth,

The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence];But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.

“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?

Because they hated knowledgeAnd did not choose the fear of the Lord [that is, obeying Him with reverence and awe-filled respect],

Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]And discover the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives [skillful and godly] wisdom;From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

For [skillful and godly] wisdom will enter your heartAnd knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

By His knowledge the deeps were broken upAnd the clouds drip with dew.

That you may exercise discrimination and discretion (good judgment),And your lips may reserve knowledge and answer wisely [to temptation].

“They are all straightforward to him who understands [with an open and willing mind],And right to those who find knowledge and live by it.

“Take my instruction rather than [seeking] silver,And take knowledge rather than choicest gold,

“I, [godly] wisdom, reside with prudence [good judgment, moral courage and astute common sense],And I find knowledge and discretion.

“Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;I am understanding, power and strength are mine.

The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence],And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

Wise men store up and treasure knowledge [in mind and heart],But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,But through knowledge and discernment the righteous will be rescued.

Whoever loves instruction and discipline loves knowledge,But he who hates reproof and correction is stupid.

A shrewd man is reluctant to display his knowledge [until the proper time],But the heart of [over-confident] fools proclaims foolishness.

Every prudent and self-disciplined man acts with knowledge,But a [closed-minded] fool [who refuses to learn] displays his foolishness [for all to see].

A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none [for his ears are closed to wisdom],But knowledge is easy for one who understands [because he is willing to learn].

Leave the presence of a [shortsighted] fool,For you will not find knowledge or hear godly wisdom from his lips.

The naive [are unsophisticated and easy to exploit and] inherit foolishness,But the sensible [are thoughtful and far-sighted and] are crowned with knowledge.

The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable,But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge [sifting it as chaff from the grain];But the hearts of [shortsighted] fools are not so.

The mind of the intelligent and discerning seeks knowledge and eagerly inquires after it,But the mouth of the [stubborn] fool feeds on foolishness.

He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).

The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge,And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).

Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.

Cease listening, my son, to instruction and disciplineAnd you will stray from the words of knowledge.

There is gold, and an abundance of pearls,But the lips of knowledge are a vessel of preciousness [the most precious of all].

The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and the one who has it,But He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

Listen carefully and hear the words of the wise,And apply your mind to my knowledge;

Have I not written to you excellent thingsIn counsels and knowledge,

Apply your heart to disciplineAnd your ears to words of knowledge.

And by knowledge its rooms are filledWith all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong,And a man of knowledge strengthens his power;

When a land does wrong, it has many princes,But when the ruler is a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability endures.

The righteous man cares for the rights of the poor,But the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom,Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom].

I spoke with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom and experience, more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge.”

For in much [human] wisdom there is much displeasure and exasperation; increasing knowledge increases sorrow.

For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, yet gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.

For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God. This too is vanity and chasing after the wind.

It has not seen the sun nor had any knowledge; yet it has more rest and is better off than he.

For wisdom is a protection even as money is a protection,But the [excellent] advantage of knowledge is that wisdom shields and preserves the lives of its possessors.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.

Furthermore, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered and searched out and arranged many proverbs.

Therefore My people go into exile because they lack knowledge [of God];And their honorable men are famished,And their common people are parched with thirst.

And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,The Spirit of counsel and strength,The Spirit of knowledge and of the [reverential and obedient] fear of the Lord—

They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LordAs the waters cover the sea.

Then in that dayThe nations will make supplications to the Root of JesseWho will stand as a signal for the peoples;And His resting place will be glorious.

And so the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know [heed, honor, and cherish] the Lord in that day. They will even worship with sacrifices [of animals] and offerings [of produce]; they will make a vow to the Lord and fulfill it.

In the generations to come Jacob will take root;Israel will blossom and sprout,And they will fill the surface of the world with fruit.

They say “To whom would He teach knowledge?And to whom would He explain the message?Those just weaned from milk?Those just taken from the breast?

The heart (mind) of those who act impulsively will discern the truth,And the tongue of the stammerers will hurry to speak clearly.