WISDOM. This word is given as follows in the Hebrew and Greek languages: 1. Khok-maw (Heb. has the special meaning of dexterity, skill in an art.
2. Bee-naw' (Heb. 3. Too-shee-yaw' (Heb. properly up rightness.
4. Saw-kal' (Heb. to be prudent, sfiect (G r. crook, sof-ee'ah and op6pnals, fron 'ay-sis). It denotes : (I) Prudence and discretion to perceive what is fit or unfit to be done, with respect to time, place, manner, instruments, or end, of an action (Eccles.
3).
(2) Knowledge of sciences: so Moses was learned in all the "wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts vii :22).
(3) Quickness of invention and dexterity with such "wisdom"; Bezaleel and Aholiab were quali fied to fashion the things of the Tabernacle (Exod. xxxi :2, 5).
(4) Craftiness in carrying on projects ; such was the wisdom of Pharaoh in oppressing the Hebrews (Exod. :io). The last three are called the "wis dom of this world" (I Cor. ii :6).
(5) Natural instinct and sagacity; thus the os trich is made "without wisdom" ( Job xxxix :17).
(6) True godliness, wherein one being taught of God to know his will seeks what is proper, shuns what is improper, and studies to perform every duty in the proper season thereof (Ps. xc: 12; Job xxviii :28) ; this wisdom is "from above," is a special gift of God ( James i :17).
(7) The "wisdom of God in the hand of Ezra," was either the law of God, which he studied the knowledge of, or his knowledge of it (Ezra vii: 25). The "wisdom" that Solomon had, implied knowledge of sciences, and sagacity and prudence for government (I Kings iii :9, 12). In the "wis dom" of God, the world "by wisdom" knew not God ; God wisely so ordered it that neither by the discoveries of God in the works of creation and providence, nor by all their philosophy, did the pagan nations attain to the true and saving knowl edge of God (I Cor. i:21).