Original Word: תָּבוּן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tabuwn
Pronunciation: teh-boo-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-boon')
KJV: discretion, reason, skilfulness, understanding, wisdom
NASB: understanding, discernment, reasonings, skill, skillful, skillfully
Word Origin: [from H995 (בִּין - understand)]

1. intelligence
2. (by implication) an argument
3. (by extension) caprice, a sudden, impulsive change of mind

fruit, gain, increase, revenue

And (feminine) tbuwnah {teb-oo-naw'}; or towbunah {to-boo-naw'}; from biyn; intelligence; by implication, an argument; by extension, caprice -- discretion, reason, skilfulness, understanding, wisdom.

see HEBREW biyn

Word Origin
from bin
Definition
an understanding
NASB Translation
discernment (1), reasonings (1), skill (1), skillful (1), skillfully (1), understanding (37).

תְּבוּנָה noun feminine understanding Deuteronomy 32:28 27t.; suffix תְּבוּנָתִי Proverbs 5:1 7t.; תובנתו Job 26:12 Kt (Qr תְּבוּנָתוֺ); תְּבוּנָם Hosea 13:2 for תְּבוּנָתָם see De Psalm 27:5; תְּבוּנָוֺת Psalm 49:4 + 4t.; תְּבוּנוֺתֵיכֶם Job 32:11; —

1 the act Job 26:12; Psalm 78:72; Psalm 136:5; Proverbs 3:19; Proverbs 21:30; Proverbs 24:3; Jeremiah 10:12 (= Jeremiah 51:15) Ezekiel 28:4; Hosea 13:2; Obadiah 7..

2 the faculty Exodus 31:3; Exodus 35:31; Exodus 36:1 (P) Deuteronomy 32:28 (poetry) Job 12:12,13; Proverbs 2:6,11; Proverbs 28:16; Isaiah 44:19; אִישׁ תְּבוּנָה Proverbs 10:23; Proverbs 15:21; Proverbs 17:27; Proverbs 20:5; אִישׁ תְּבוּנוֺת Proverbs 11:12 (= Obadiah 8 where אישׁ omitted by scribal error); דֶּרֶךְ תְּבוּנָה Isaiah 40:14.

3 the object of knowledge Proverbs 2:3; Proverbs 3:13; Proverbs 5:1; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 18:2; Proverbs 19:8; Psalm 49:4; Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28; 1 Kings 5:9; 1 Kings 7:14; תטה לבך לתבונה incline thy mind to understanding Proverbs 2:2; reasons Job 32:11.

4 personified Proverbs 8:1 as teacher.

תְּבוּנָם, תובנתו see below תְּבוּנָה. above

בֵּיצָה see below בזץ

בַּיִר see below באר

Definition and Scope

תָּבוּן denotes perceptive insight that penetrates beneath surface data to the principles that govern reality. Unlike mere accumulation of facts, it draws right conclusions from accurate observations and therefore fuels wise decision-making, skillful craftsmanship, sound governance, and reverent worship.

Understanding in the Character and Works of God

Scripture anchors genuine תָּבוּן in the LORD Himself. “Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His” (Job 12:13). He employed it in creation: “By understanding He made the heavens” (Psalm 136:5), and “By understanding He set the heavens in place” (Proverbs 3:19). His תָּבוּן is limitless (Psalm 147:5), establishing Him as the ultimate source and standard of discernment.

Covenant Witness and National Testimony

Israel’s obedience to God’s statutes would display “wisdom and understanding” before the surrounding nations (Deuteronomy 4:6). Possession of תָּבוּן was therefore missional, showcasing the superiority of divine revelation over pagan speculation. The absence of it spelled disaster: “For they are a nation devoid of counsel; there is no understanding among them” (Deuteronomy 32:28).

Wisdom Literature’s Emphasis

Proverbs uses the noun more than any other book, urging its pursuit as treasure (Proverbs 2:2-3), praising those who gain it (3:13), equating it with security (2:11), moral steadfastness (15:21), and prosperity (24:3). It is better than silver (16:16) and indispensable to strategy: “There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD” (21:30). Folly, in contrast, rejoices when תָּבוּן is absent (10:23; 12:11).

Craftsmanship and Spirit-Empowered Skill

Bezalel and his colleagues were “filled…with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship” for the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:3; 35:31; 36:1-2). תָּבוּן enabled them to translate heavenly patterns into earthly beauty, demonstrating that artistic excellence is a Spirit-given stewardship, not merely human talent.

Governance, Justice, and Leadership

Sound leadership requires discernment. “A leader lacking understanding is a great oppressor” (Proverbs 28:16), whereas the king who listens to counsel and acts with תָּבוּן secures stability (Proverbs 8:14-15). The Chronicler commends men like Solomon whose petitions for חָכְמָה (wisdom) implicitly include תָּבוּן for judging the people justly.

Prophetic and Messianic Dimensions

Isaiah 40:14 highlights God’s self-sufficiency: none could “show Him the way of understanding.” Yet Isaiah also foresees a royal “Shoot” on whom the Spirit of the LORD would rest “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding” (Isaiah 11:2, using the cognate). The Messiah therefore embodies the ideal human possessor of תָּבוּן, fulfilling what fallen Israel lacked.

Ethical and Pastoral Implications

1. Seek it prayerfully (cf. Solomon, 1 Kings 3; James 1:5).
2. Teach it diligently; parents are urged, “My son, do not forget my teaching…Keep sound wisdom and discretion” (Proverbs 3:1, 21).
3. Model it in ministry decisions, avoiding reactionary judgments and pursuing Spirit-guided discernment.
4. Apply it missionally: observable Christian conduct informed by Scripture becomes a testimony to outsiders, paralleling Deuteronomy 4:6.
5. Cultivate it in creativity and vocation, acknowledging every skill as a trust from the Creator.

Select Occurrences

Exodus 31:3; 35:31; 36:1-2

Deuteronomy 4:6; 32:28

Job 12:13; 26:12

Psalm 136:5; 147:5

Proverbs 2:2-3, 2:6, 3:13, 3:19, 5:1, 8:1, 8:14, 10:23, 15:21, 16:16, 24:3, 28:16

Isaiah 40:14; 40:28

Across its forty-two occurrences תָּבוּן consistently links accurate perception of reality to the fear of the LORD, calling every generation to the same Spirit-given insight that crowns God’s people with wisdom, steadies their hands, and magnifies their witness.

בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה בִּתְבוּנָ֥ה בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃ בתבונה בתבונה׃ הַתְּבוּנָה֙ התבונה וּ֝בִתְבוּנָ֗ה וּ֝בִתְבוּנָתֹ֗ו וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה וּבִתְבוּנ֖וֹת וּבִתְבוּנָ֣תְךָ֔ וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבִתְבוּנָת֖וֹ וּתְבוּנָ֖ה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ וּתְבוּנָה֙ ובתבונה ובתבונות ובתבונתו ובתבונתך ותבונה ותבונה׃ כִּתְבוּנָם֙ כתבונם לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ לִ֝תְבוּנָתִ֗י לִתְבוּנָתֽוֹ׃ לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃ לתבונה לתבונה׃ לתבונתו לתבונתו׃ לתבונתי תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה תְּ֭בוּנוֹת תְּב֥וּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם תְּבוּנ֖וֹת תְּבוּנ֣וֹת תְּבוּנָ֑ה תְּבוּנָ֖ה תְּבוּנָ֣ה תְּבוּנָ֥ה תְּבוּנָֽה׃ תְבוּנָה֮ תְבוּנֽוֹת׃ תבונה תבונה׃ תבונות תבונות׃ תבונתיכם biṯ·ḇū·nāh biṯḇūnāh bitvuNah hat·tə·ḇū·nāh hattəḇūnāh hattevuNah kiṯ·ḇū·nām kiṯḇūnām kitvuNam lat·tə·ḇū·nāh lattəḇūnāh lattevuNah liṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯî liṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯōw liṯḇūnāṯî liṯḇūnāṯōw litvunaTi litvunaTo tə·ḇū·nāh ṯə·ḇū·nāh tə·ḇū·nō·ṯê·ḵem tə·ḇū·nō·wṯ ṯə·ḇū·nō·wṯ təḇūnāh ṯəḇūnāh təḇūnōṯêḵem təḇūnōwṯ ṯəḇūnōwṯ tevuNah tevuNot teVunoteiChem ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯə·ḵā ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯōw ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nāh ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nō·wṯ ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh ūḇiṯḇūnāh ūḇiṯḇūnāṯəḵā ūḇiṯḇūnāṯōw ūḇiṯḇūnōwṯ ūṯəḇūnāh utevuNah uvitvuNah uvitvuNatecha uvitvunaTo uvitvuNotInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts