בִּין bîyn — to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand
Translated in the KJV as attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know.
a primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand.
bîyn in each stem
Qal (Pa'al)
Imperfect (yiqtol) 39Wayyiqtol 7Imperative 5Jussive 5Cohortative 3Perfect (qatal) 3Infinitive absolute 1Participle (active) 1
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
Hiph'il
Participle (active) 28Imperative 13Infinitive construct 10Perfect (qatal) 6Imperfect (yiqtol) 3Wayyiqtol 2
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.
Niph'al
Participle (active) 20Perfect (qatal) 1Participle (passive) 1
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.
Hitpolel
Imperfect (yiqtol) 10Perfect (qatal) 4Imperative 3Wayyiqtol 2Jussive 2
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
Polel
Imperfect (yiqtol) 1
He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
Hitpa'el
Imperfect (yiqtol) 1
For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›