Cunning

Cunning - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

CUNNING, a. [G. See Can.]

1. Knowing; skillful; experienced; well-instructed. It is applied to all kinds of knowledge, but generally and appropriately, to the skill and dexterity of artificers, or the knowledge acquired by experience.

Esau was a cunning hunter. Gen 23.

I will take away the cunning artificer. Isa 3.

A cunning workman. Exo 38.

2. Wrought with skill; curious; ingenious.

With cherubs of cunning work shalt thou make them. Exo 26.

[The foregoing senses occur frequently in our version of the scriptures, but are nearly or quite obsolete.]

3. Artful; shrewd; sly; crafty; astute; designing; as a cunning fellow.

They are resolved to be cunning; let others run the hazard of being sincere.

In this sense, the purpose or final end of the person may not be illaudalbe; but cunning implies the use of artifice to accomplish the purpose, rather than open, candid, or direct means. Hence,

4. Deceitful; trickish; employing stratagems for a bad purpose.

5. Assumed with subtilty; artful.

Accounting his integrity to be but a cunning face of falsehood.

CUNNING, n.

1. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity.

Let my right hand forget her cunning. Psa 137.

2. Art; artifice; artfulness; craft; shrewdness; the faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose. Hence in a bad sense, deceitfulness or deceit; fraudulent skill or dexterity.

Discourage cunning in a child; cunning is the ape of wisdom.

kun'-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" (2Ch 2:7 the King James Version "a man cunning to work in gold"; 2Ch 2:13; Isa 3:3 the King James Version, etc.); chashabh, "to think," "devise," "desire" (Ex 26:1,31; 28:6,15 the King James Version, etc.). We have also da`ath, "knowledge" (1Ki 7:14 the King James Version); bin, "to be intelligent" (1Ch 25:7 the King James Version); machasbebheth, "thought," "device," "design" (Ex 31:4; 35:33,15 the King James Version); 'aman, "artificer" (So 7:1 the King James Version); yadha`, "to know," once translated "cunning" (Da 1:4 the King James Version).

For cunning the American Standard Revised Version gives "skilful" (Ex 31:4, etc.; Isa 3:3 "expert"); for "cunning work" the work of the "skilful workman" (Ex 26:1,31, etc., the English Revised Version "cunning workman"); for "curious," "skilfully woven," the English Revised Version "cunningly woven" (Ex 28:8, etc.).

W. L. Walker

Definition

The term “shrewd” describes a person who is intelligent and clever, especially in practical matters.

• Often the term “shrewd” has a meaning that is partly negative since it usually also involves being selfish.
• A shrewd person is usually focused on helping himself, not others.
• Other ways to translate this term could include “cunning” or “crafty” or “smart” or “clever,” depending on the context.

Bible References

Word Data

• Strong’s: H2450, H6175, G54290