Topical Encyclopedia
Cunning, in the biblical context, often carries a negative connotation, associated with deceit, craftiness, and the manipulation of truth for personal gain. The term is frequently used to describe actions or characteristics that are shrewd or sly, often with an underlying sense of moral ambiguity or outright immorality.
Old Testament ReferencesIn the Old Testament, cunning is first introduced in the narrative of the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:1 describes the serpent as "more cunning than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made." Here, cunning is linked with the serpent's ability to deceive Eve, leading to the fall of man. This sets a precedent for understanding cunning as a tool for deception and rebellion against God.
The book of Proverbs frequently warns against the dangers of cunning behavior.
Proverbs 12:23 states, "A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself, but a foolish heart proclaims its folly." While shrewdness can be seen as a form of wisdom, it is often juxtaposed with folly when used for deceitful purposes.
Proverbs 14:8 further notes, "The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them," highlighting the distinction between wise discernment and deceptive cunning.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, cunning is often associated with the Pharisees and other religious leaders who sought to entrap Jesus with their questions. In
Matthew 22:15 , it is recorded, "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted to trap Jesus in His words." Their cunning attempts to undermine Jesus' authority and teachings are consistently portrayed as morally corrupt and spiritually blind.
The Apostle Paul also addresses cunning in his epistles. In
2 Corinthians 4:2 , Paul writes, "Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God." Here, Paul contrasts the integrity of his ministry with the cunning deceit of false teachers, emphasizing the importance of truth and transparency in the Christian life.
Theological ImplicationsCunning, as depicted in the Bible, often serves as a warning against the misuse of intelligence and skill for selfish or harmful purposes. It is a reminder of the human propensity to twist truth and manipulate situations for personal advantage, often at the expense of others and in defiance of God's will. The biblical narrative consistently calls believers to pursue wisdom and discernment, grounded in righteousness and truth, rather than cunning and deceit.
Practical ApplicationFor Christians, the biblical portrayal of cunning serves as a cautionary tale. Believers are encouraged to cultivate wisdom and discernment, aligning their actions with God's truth and righteousness.
Ephesians 4:14-15 exhorts, "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head." This passage underscores the importance of maturity in faith, characterized by truthfulness and love, as opposed to the deceitful cunning that leads to spiritual instability.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Knowing; skillful; dexterous.
2. (a.) Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious; curious; as, cunning work.
3. (a.) Crafty; sly; artful; designing; deceitful.
4. (a.) Pretty or pleasing; as, a cunning little boy.
5. (a.) Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity.
6. (n.) The faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose; fraudulent skill or dexterity; deceit; craft.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CUNNINGkun'-ing (chakham, chashabh): In Bible-English "cunning" means always "wise" or "skilful"; the word does not occur in the bad sense, and it is found in the Old Testament only. The chief Hebrew words are chakham, "wise," "skilful" (2 Chronicles 2:7 the King James Version "a man cunning to work in gold";2 Chronicles 2:13Isaiah 3:3 the King James Version, etc.); chashabh, "to think," "devise," "desire" (Exodus 26:1, 31;Exodus 28:6, 15 the King James Version, etc.). We have also da`ath, "knowledge" (1 Kings 7:14 the King James Version); bin, "to be intelligent" (1 Chronicles 25:7 the King James Version); machasbebheth, "thought," "device," "design" (Exodus 31:4;Exodus 35:33, 15 the King James Version); 'aman, "artificer" (Songs 7:1 the King James Version); yadha`, "to know," once translated "cunning" (Daniel 1:4 the King James Version).
For cunning the American Standard Revised Version gives "skilful" (Exodus 31:4, etc.;Isaiah 3:3 "expert"); for "cunning work" the work of the "skilful workman" (Exodus 26:1, 31, etc., the English Revised Version "cunning workman"); for "curious," "skilfully woven," the English Revised Version "cunningly woven" (Exodus 28:8, etc.).
W. L. Walker
Greek
3834. panourgia -- cleverness, craftiness... craftiness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: panourgia Phonetic Spelling:
(pan-oorg-ee'-ah) Short Definition:
cunning, craftiness Definition
...3835. panourgos -- ready to do anything, crafty, skillful
... crafty, skillful. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: panourgos Phonetic
Spelling: (pan-oor'-gos) Short Definition:cunning, crafty Definition...
3789. ophis -- a snake
... Probably from optanomai (through the idea of sharpness of vision); a snake,
figuratively, (as a type of slycunning) an artful malicious person, especially...
258. alopex -- a fox
... fox. Of uncertain derivation; a fox, ie (figuratively) acunning person -- fox.
(alopekes) -- 2 Occurrences. (alopeki) -- 1 Occurrence. 257, 258. alopex. 259...
Strong's Hebrew
2791. cheresh -- silently, secretly... 2790b, 2791. cheresh. 2791a . silently, secretly. Transliteration: cheresh
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-resh) Short Definition:
cunning.
cunning, secretly
...1847. daath -- knowledge
...cunning, ignorantly, knowledge, unawares wittingly. From yada'; knowledge --cunning,
(ig-)norantly, know(-ledge), (un-)awares (wittingly). see HEBREW yada'....
2803. chashab -- to think, account
... make account of, conceive, consider, count,cunning man, work, workman, devise,.
A primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate...
4284. machashabah -- thought, device
... 4), thoughts (19), ways (1).cunning work, curious work, imagination, invented,
means, purpose, thought. Or machashebeth {makh-ash...
2450. chakam -- wise
...cunning man, subtil, wisehearted,. From chakam; wise, (ie Intelligent, skilful or
artful) --cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted), man)....
6191. arom -- to be shrewd or crafty
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to be shrewd or crafty NASB Word Usage become
shrewd (1), make shrewd (1), sensible (1), verycunning (1)....
542. omman -- a masterworkman, artist
...cunning workman. From 'aman (in the sense of training); an expert --cunning workman.
see HEBREW 'aman. 541, 542. omman. 543 . Strong's Numbers.
6122. oqbah -- insidiousness
... 6121b, 6122. oqbah. 6123 . insidiousness. Transliteration: oqbah Phonetic
Spelling: (ok-baw') Short Definition:cunning. Word Origin...
995. bin -- to discern
... attend, consider, becunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel,.
A primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish...
6175. arum -- crafty, shrewd, sensible
... crafty, prudent, subtil. Passive participle of aram;cunning (usually in a bad sense) --
crafty, prudent, subtil. see HEBREW aram. 6174, 6175. arum. 6176 ....
Library
Concerning theCunning of Leontius, Bishop of Antioch, and the...
... Book II. Chapter XIX."Concerning thecunning of Leontius, Bishop of Antioch,
and the boldness of Flavianus and Diodorus. At Antioch...
"Bring not Therefore YourCunning Man, that Has Skill in Words...
... [Way-2-10] "Bring not therefore yourcunning man, that has skill in words?
"Bring not therefore yourcunning man, that has skill...
A Good Declaring of Certain Doubts that May Fall in this Word...
... EIGHTH CHAPTER A good declaring of certain doubts that may fall in this word treated
by question, in destroying of a man's own curiosity, ofcunning, and of...
How a Man Shall have Him in this Work against all Thoughts, and...
... SEVENTH CHAPTER How a man shall have him in this work against all thoughts, and
specially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, ofcunning, and of...
Seeking Richly Rewarded
... These are just the type of many men in the world; they are strong men, they are
cunning men, they are thoroughly up to the times"smart, sharp men....
The Longbeards' Saga. AD 400
... Over the camp-fires Drank I with heroes, Under the Donau bank, Warm in the snow
trench: Sagamen heard I there, Men of the Longbeards,Cunning and ancient, Honey...
Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
... The King of Tyre sent to Solomon a testimony which was eloquent in his praise:
"I have sent acunning man endued with understanding . . . ....
Now There were Few Barriers Between the Emperor and the People. .....
... Then for a moment thecunning emperor laughed silently.... The old emperor, leaning
forward, touched the arm of the young man and gave him acunning glance....
Results of Transgression
... Them hath He filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver,
and of thecunning workman, and of the embroiderer, . . ....
Gifts and Talents.
... and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and
in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devisecunning works, to...
Thesaurus
Cunning (43 Occurrences)... 2. (a.) Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious; curious; as,
cunning work.
... 4. (a.) Pretty or pleasing; as, a
cunning little boy.
...Craftiness (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Dexterity in devising and effecting a purpose;
cunning; artifice; stratagem. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia....
Cunningly (3 Occurrences)
... (adv.) In acunning manner; withcunning.... Psalms 64:6 They plot injustice, saying,
"We have made a perfect plan!" Surely man's mind and heart arecunning....
Craft (14 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.)Cunning, art, or skill, in a bad sense, or applied to bad purposes; artifice;
guile; skill or dexterity employed to effect purposes by deceit or shrewd...
Sleight (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.)Cunning; craft; artful practice; as,
sleight of hand. 2. (n.) An artful trick; sly artifice; a...
Subtilty (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.)Cunning; skill; craft. 4. (n.) Slyness in design; artifice; guile; acunning
design or artifice; a trick; subtlety. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia....
Unscrupulous (2 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:10 said, "You who are full of every kind of craftiness and unscrupulous
cunning--you son of the Devil and foe to all that is right--will you never...
Overreach (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (vt) To deceive, or get the better of, by artifice orcunning; to outwit; to
cheat. 3. (vi) To reach too far.... 6. (vi) To cheat bycunning or deception....
Workman (22 Occurrences)
... For "of ("with")cunning work" (Exodus 26:1, 31; Exodus 28:6, 15; 36:8, 35; 39:3,
8), the American Standard Revised Version has "the work of the skillful...
Workfellow (1 Occurrence)
... For "of ("with")cunning work" (Exodus 26:1, 31; Exodus 28:6, 15; 36:8, 35; 39:3,
8), the American Standard Revised Version has "the work of the skillful...
Resources
What is guile in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a bulwark in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the purpose of the church? | GotQuestions.orgCunning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
