Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding
In the flow of the scriptures are many hidden treasures. The Bible is written so that all truth is not only found in its pages, but it is written so that it's pages compliment all life. In the way the Bible differentiates between knowledge, wisdom, and understanding we can learn some beautiful things. Knowledge, it is most commonly translated from the Hebrew word da'at (yadah, to know). And, it is seen as a predominantly masculine 'entity'. As in, "Adam knew Eve his wife" Knowledge is essentially gained information. The more information one accruses the more knowledgeable one becomes. As examples of knowldge:
Two plus two equal four.
The capital of France is Paris.
There are 3.78 liters in a gallon.
German and Dutch are related languages.
George Washington was the first president of the United States. Knowledge is straightforward, logical, and rather obvious. It is an inherently masculine 'attribute'. Wisdom (chochmah in Hebrew), on the other hand, is decidedly feminine. In the following verse we will see that wisdom is seen as feminine in the Tanach. "Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:" Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge effectively. Wisdom is the ability to take the kernels of knowledge one has and build them into a new thing... an answer to an issue. Wisdom thinks, wisdom meditates, wisdom builds solutions. Without the presence of the feminine attribute of wisdom to take the seeds of information and develop them into a solution the masculine accrual of knowledge is fruitless and sterile. We need to avail ourselves to as much information as we possibly can, but that knowledge then needs to be married to wisdom in order for it to be of any benefit. It is a relatively simple thing to learn information, to have knowledge; but wisdom is a gift from God. The amazing thing is that when knowledge and wisdom are brought together they can produce understanding (tavun and sachal in Hebrew). Understanding is the ability to know what to do in any given situation. It is the child of the marriage of knowledge and widom. The Torah wants us to be amazed at God's concepts. Well, I am. Hence, the following statement: First the wife (wisdom) and then the child (understanding). "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." Proverbs 4:7