וָ/אֶתְבּוֹנֵ֤ן

𐤅/𐤀𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤍

bîyn

and I looked closely

To perceive or understand, especially through careful observation or discernment; to have insight or comprehension. The verb often denotes an active process of distinguishing or discerning between things, such as understanding a message, situation, or instruction; in some contexts, it can also mean to be wise or prudent in decisions and actions.

H995

1 Kings 3:21 · Word #8

Lexicon H995

Lemmaבִּין
Lemma (Paleo)𐤁𐤉𐤍
Transliterationbîyn
Strong'sH995
DefinitionTo perceive or understand, especially through careful observation or discernment; to have insight or comprehension. The verb often denotes an active process of distinguishing or discerning between things, such as understanding a message, situation, or instruction; in some contexts, it can also mean to be wise or prudent in decisions and actions.

Morphology HC/Vrw1cs All morphology codes

Part of Speech V — Verb — An action or state
Binyan r — Hithpolel — Variant intensive reflexive
Conjugation w — Sequential Imperfect — Imperfect with waw-consecutive, narrating past events
Person 1 — 1st person — First person ("I" / "we")
Gender c — Common — Common (both genders)
Number s — Singular — Singular

Common Translation

Phraseand I looked closely

SIBI-P1 Translation H995-47

and I carefully discerned

Morphological NotesVerb; Hithpolel (reflexive-intensive); sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol); 1st person common singular.
Rendering RationaleThe rendering reflects the root בין, meaning to distinguish or discern. The Hithpolel stem conveys an intensive or reflexive nuance—engaging oneself in deliberate discernment—while the sequential imperfect 1cs with prefixed ו marks the past narrative sense, "and I…".

View full lexicon entry for H995 →

SILEX v2

SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)

and I looked closely

Same as P1No — adjusted for context
RationaleP1 'and I carefully discerned' is very literal but 'and I looked closely' is a more accurate translation in narrative, matching the careful observation implied by the verb and the context.