דֵּעָה
𐤃𐤏𐤄
dêʻâh
H1844 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Concrete and practical knowledge, discernment, or understanding acquired through perception, experience, or instruction. Beyond a general sense of knowledge, דֵּעָה often carries connotations of insight, awareness, and the ability to judge or discriminate correctly; it can refer to intellectual perception or comprehension (especially of divine matters) as well as pragmatic, skill-oriented understanding.
Semantic Range
knowledge, understanding, perception, discernment, insight, intellectual grasp, comprehension, awareness
Root / Etymology
From the root יָדַע (ידע), meaning 'to know, to perceive, to be aware.' דֵּעָה is a feminine abstract noun formed with the feminine ending -ָה, parallel to the masculine noun דֵּעַ (dea‘, 'knowledge').
Historical & Contextual Notes
דֵּעָה occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Job 6:13; 11:6; 26:3; Ps 139:6; Prov 2:10; 3:20; 8:12; Isa 11:9; 28:9). Its usage primarily points toward perceptive knowledge or the possession of understanding, often in matters pertaining to wisdom, discernment, or comprehension of deeper truths—especially the knowledge of YHWH or insight into God’s ways, but also including more general intellectual or moral understanding. The concrete nuance distinguishes it from more abstract or theoretical terms for wisdom like חָכְמָה (ḥokhmah, 'wisdom'). Later Jewish tradition and translation history, such as the Septuagint, often render דֵּעָה as γνῶσις (gnōsis, 'knowledge') or σύνεσις (synesis, 'understanding'), and English versions typically translate with 'knowledge' or 'understanding.' However, these renderings may not fully convey the sense of practical or divinely imparted insight implied in some biblical contexts. There is little evidence for a shift in meaning across biblical periods, though the word's association with divine understanding (as in Isa 11:9) becomes prominent in exilic and post-exilic texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of דֵּעַ; knowledge; knowledge.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ידע (y-d-ʿ) — to know, to perceive, to understand, to be aware
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1668 | דָּא | Know! |
| H1843 | דֵּעַ | Know! |
| H1845 | דְּעוּאֵל | God Knows |
| H1847 | דַּעַת | by his knowledge |
| H3028 | יַד | may he know |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1844-01 |
דֵּעָה֙ | deah | HNcfsa |
knowledge | perceptive knowledge | 4 |
H1844-02 |
דֵּעוֹת֙ | deot | HNcfpa |
of knowledge | insights | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1844-02 |
1 Samuel 2:3 | דֵּעוֹת֙ | deot | HNcfpa |
of knowledge | insights |
H1844-01 |
Isaiah 11:9 | דֵּעָה֙ | deah | HNcfsa |
knowledge | perceptive knowledge |
H1844-01 |
Isaiah 28:9 | דֵעָ֔ה | deah | HNcfsa |
knowledge | perceptive knowledge |
H1844-01 |
Jeremiah 3:15 | דֵּעָ֥ה | deah | HNcfsa |
knowledge | perceptive knowledge |
H1844-01 |
Psalms 73:11 | דֵּעָ֣ה | deah | HNcfsa |
knowledge | perceptive knowledge |
H1844-02 |
Job 36:4 | דֵּע֣וֹת | deot | HNcfpa |
of knowledge | insights |