'Unable' in the Bible
Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was unable to conceive children; and the Lord granted his prayer and Rebekah his wife conceived [twins].
When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to get his pledge [back] from the woman, he was unable to find her.
If she cannot afford a lamb then she shall take two turtledoves or young pigeons, one as a burnt offering, the other as a sin offering; the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
But if he is unable to redeem it, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of the purchaser until the Year of Jubilee; but at the Jubilee it shall revert, and he may return to his property.
‘Now if your fellow countryman becomes poor and his hand falters with you [that is, he has trouble repaying you for something], then you are to help and sustain him, [with courtesy and consideration] like [you would] a stranger or a temporary resident [without property], so that he may live among you.
Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from him which he did not make clear to her.
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken down what you have built.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to go to Tarshish.
Elihu’s anger burned against Job’s three friends because they had found no answer [and were unable to determine Job’s error], and yet they had condemned Job and declared him to be in the wrong [and responsible for his own afflictions].
The wicked borrows and does not pay back,But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.
Open your mouth for the mute,For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless;
“As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,Whose carved images were greater and more feared than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
“The yoke of my transgressions is bound;By His hand they are knit and woven together.They have come upon my neck.He has made my strength fail;The Lord has put me into the handOf those against whom I cannot stand.
so that the kingdom would be in subjection, unable to restore itself and rise again, but that by keeping his covenant it might continue.
The great [judgment] day of the Lord is near,Near and coming very quickly.Listen! The [voice of the] day of the Lord!The warrior cries out bitterly [unable to fight or to flee].
“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’
But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother, ‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fiery hell.
And He said, “Are you still so dull [and unable to put things together]?
And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?
In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were ridiculing and mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself!
But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.
And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had an illness caused by a spirit (demon). She was bent double, and could not straighten up at all.
And another said, ‘I have [recently] married a wife, and for that reason I am unable to come.’
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is unable to finish [the building], all who see it will begin to ridicule him,
for I will give you [skillful] words and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.
Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word.
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.
Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
The men who were traveling with him [were terrified and] stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.
Now, watch! The hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, [so blind that you will be] unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he groped around, seeking people to lead him by the hand.
and when the ship was caught in it and could not head against the wind [to gain stability], we gave up and [letting her drift] were driven along.
However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ!
We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair;
For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.