Question 1

What does "Know" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Know" means "understand." The intimacy. Yada was used for the most intimate human act ('Adam knew Eve'), for God's knowledge of people ('Before I formed thee, I knew thee'), and for the goal of human existence ('that they might know thee'). Knowing God was not studying theology but entering an intimate, transformative relationship. Eternal life was not information but intimacy.

Question 2

Why did the word "Know" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Hebrew yada ('to know intimately/experience/encounter/be in relationship with') reduced to 'possess information about.' The most intimate word in Hebrew became a cognitive function. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but intellectualized (~1700).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Know"?

Accepted Answer

"Know" was replaced by: "understand" (though this intellectual comprehension; yada included physical, emotional, and relational dimensions); "be aware of" (though this surface-level; yada was the deepest possible encounter between persons); "have information about" (though this data possession; yada was experienced intimacy, not accumulated facts).

What Does “Know” Mean in the Bible?

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