'Understand' in the Bible

Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’

But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.”

He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

“The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand,

God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice,

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

“All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.”

He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

“What do you know that we do not know?What do you understand that we do not?

“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;And how faint a word we hear of Him!But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

“The abundant in years may not be wise,Nor may elders understand justice.

“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,The thundering of His pavilion?

‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of menTo see if there are any who understand,Who seek after God.

When I pondered to understand this,It was troublesome in my sight

They do not know nor do they understand;They walk about in darkness;All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

A senseless man has no knowledge,Nor does a stupid man understand this:

Pay heed, you senseless among the people;And when will you understand, stupid ones?

Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses,But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

Make me understand the way of Your precepts,So I will meditate on Your wonders.

I understand more than the aged,Because I have observed Your precepts.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;You understand my thought from afar.

To understand a proverb and a figure,The words of the wise and their riddles.

The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,But the foolishness of fools is deceit.

Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord,How then can man understand his way?

Evil men do not understand justice,But those who seek the Lord understand all things.

The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor,The wicked does not understand such concern.

There are three things which are too wonderful for me,Four which I do not understand:

“An ox knows its owner,And a donkey its master’s manger,But Israel does not know,My people do not understand.”

He said, “Go, and tell this people:‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

“Render the hearts of this people insensitive,Their ears dull,And their eyes dim,Otherwise they might see with their eyes,Hear with their ears,Understand with their hearts,And return and be healed.”

Well then, where are your wise men?Please let them tell you,And let them understand what the Lord of hostsHas purposed against Egypt.

“As often as it passes through, it will seize you;For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night,And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.”

Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,“And My servant whom I have chosen,So that you may know and believe MeAnd understand that I am He.Before Me there was no God formed,And there will be none after Me.

They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

Thus He will sprinkle many nations,Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;For what had not been told them they will see,And what they had not heard they will understand.

“Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord.“It is an enduring nation,It is an ancient nation,A nation whose language you do not know,Nor can you understand what they say.

Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through?

“The heart is more deceitful than all elseAnd is desperately sick;Who can understand it?

“The anger of the Lord will not turn backUntil He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;In the last days you will clearly understand it.

The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn backUntil He has performed and until He has accomplishedThe intent of His heart;In the latter days you will understand this.

The Lord has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go into Egypt!” You should clearly understand that today I have testified against you.

Therefore you should now clearly understand that you will die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence, in the place where you wish to go to reside.

nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;

Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand though they are a rebellious house.

The king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.”

But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man.

So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”

He said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.

As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”

Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;Whoever is discerning, let him know them.For the ways of the Lord are right,And the righteous will walk in them,But transgressors will stumble in them.

“But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord,And they do not understand His purpose;For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.