These sources explore how the terms chochma (wisdom), bina (understanding), and da'at (knowledge) appear throughout the Hebrew Bible, particularly in poetic and narrative passages that describe divine wisdom, human understanding, and the bestowal of these qualities for creative and spiritual purposes.
כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה יִתֵּן חׇכְמָה מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה
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What the sources say
The passages together show that חכמה, בינה/תבונה, and דעת frequently appear as a cluster throughout Tanach: Shemot 31:3 and Shemot 35:31 both describe Bezalel as filled with a divine spirit of חכמה, תבונה, and דעת for every craft, offering two of the clearest triple occurrences in the Torah.
Mishlei continues the pattern most densely: Mishlei 2:6 states that God grants חכמה while דעת and תבונה come from God's mouth, and Mishlei 3:19–20 attributes the very founding of the earth to חכמה, the establishing of the heavens to תבונה, and the splitting of the depths to דעת.
Outside of Mishlei, Iyov 28:12–28 frames the search for חכמה and בינה as a cosmic riddle, ultimately resolving that fear of God is חכמה and turning from evil is בינה, while Melachim Alef 5:9–14 records that God granted Solomon חכמה and תבונה in extraordinary measure.
Devarim 4:6 rounds out the picture by presenting Israel's observance of the commandments itself as their חכמה and בינה in the eyes of the nations, showing the terms applied to collective national life as well.
משלי ב׳:ו׳
Proverbs 2:6
This verse states that Hashem gives wisdom (chokhmah); from His mouth come knowledge (da'at) and understanding (tevunah/binah). It is one of the central Biblical formulations linking the three terms together.
כִּֽי־יְ֭הֹוָה יִתֵּ֣ן חׇכְמָ֑ה מִ֝פִּ֗יו דַּ֣עַת וּתְבוּנָֽה׃
For GOD grants wisdom; Knowledge and discernment are by God’s decree.
משלי ג׳:י״ט-כ׳
Proverbs 3:19-20
These verses describe God founding the earth with wisdom and establishing the heavens with understanding, while the depths split through His knowledge. They are a classic source for the relationship between chokhmah, binah, and da'at.
יְֽהֹוָ֗ה בְּחׇכְמָ֥ה יָסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כּוֹנֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃ בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃
GOD founded the earth by wisdom And established the heavens by understanding; By God’s knowledge the depths burst apart, And the skies distilled dew.
איוב כ״ח:י״ב-כ״ח
Job 28:12-28
The poem asks where wisdom can be found and concludes that fear of the Lord is wisdom and turning from evil is understanding. It is a major poetic treatment of wisdom and insight in Tanakh.
וְֽ֭הַחׇכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃ וְֽ֭הַחׇכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֑וֹא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ׀ לָאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חׇכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃ {פ}
But where can wisdom be found; Where is the source of understanding? But whence does wisdom come? Where is the source of understanding? [God] said to humankind, “See! Fear of the Sovereign is wisdom; To shun evil is understanding.”
מלכים א ה׳:ט׳-י״ד
I Kings 5:9-14
The description of Solomon's wisdom emphasizes his expansive knowledge, insight, and ability to speak about many subjects. It is a major narrative locus for chokhmah in Tanakh.
וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים חׇכְמָ֧ה לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּתְבוּנָ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְרֹ֣חַב לֵ֔ב כַּח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃
God endowed Solomon with wisdom and discernment in great measure, with understanding as vast as the sands on the seashore.
שמות כ״ח:ג׳
Exodus 28:3
Regarding the priestly garments, God commands that skilled artisans be filled with a spirit of wisdom (chokhmah). The verse shows wisdom as divinely bestowed craftsmanship.
וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־כׇּל־חַכְמֵי־לֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּאתִ֖יו ר֣וּחַ חׇכְמָ֑ה וְעָשׂ֞וּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֧י אַהֲרֹ֛ן לְקַדְּשׁ֖וֹ לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִֽי׃
Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill, to make Aaron’s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest.
שמות ל״ה:ל״א
Exodus 35:31
The verse repeats that God filled Betzalel with divine spirit, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. It reinforces the idea that these qualities are gifts for holy creative work.
וַיְמַלֵּ֥א אֹת֖וֹ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּחׇכְמָ֛ה בִּתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכׇל־מְלָאכָֽה׃
endowing him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft,
דברים ד׳:ו׳
Deuteronomy 4:6
Israel's laws are described as a source of wisdom and understanding before the nations. The verse connects Torah observance with public recognition of wisdom.
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חׇכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃
Observe them faithfully, for that will be proof of your wisdom and discernment to other peoples, who on hearing of all these laws will say, “Surely, that great nation is a wise and discerning people.”
שמות ל״א:ג׳
Exodus 31:3
Betzalel is said to be filled with divine spirit, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for crafting the Mishkan. This is one of the clearest Tanakh passages explicitly pairing the three terms.
וָאֲמַלֵּ֥א אֹת֖וֹ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּחׇכְמָ֛ה וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכׇל־מְלָאכָֽה׃
I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft;