אֱוִיל (e.vil)
e.vil
fool(ish)
H:A-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 26 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word evil describes a person who is foolish, but its meaning goes beyond simple lack of intelligence. It refers to someone whose character is perverse or morally twisted. In the Bible, this term often labels those who actively despise wisdom and reject moral guidance. The sources note that an evil person might be quarrelsome, mock when guilty, or act with licentiousness, showing a deep-seated resistance to right living.
This word appears most frequently in Proverbs, where it stands in sharp contrast to the wise and prudent. For example, Proverbs 10:14 contrasts the wise, who store up knowledge, with the evile, whose hearts are unstable. It also appears in Job and Isaiah, such as when Isaiah describes the counselors of Egypt as evile (Isaiah 19:11), highlighting their ineffective and misguided leadership. The term captures a spiritual and ethical blindness rather than just an intellectual deficit.
Its root implies perversity or turning away from what is straight and true. Translators usually render it as "fool" or "foolish," which can sometimes sound mild in English. However, the Hebrew carries a heavier weight, pointing to a lifestyle that ignores divine order. This distinction helps readers see that biblical foolishness is primarily a moral failure, not just a cognitive one.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word evil describes more than a lack of intelligence; it points to a character that actively resists wisdom and moral guidance. In Scripture, this term labels those whose lives are twisted by pride or disobedience, often mocking correction rather than seeking it. It is not merely about being slow to learn, but about a heart that chooses its own path over divine order.
For your faith life, this distinction matters deeply. When you encounter resistance to truth, whether in yourself or others, remember that true wisdom begins with the fear of Yahweh. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that while fools despise instruction, those who listen find a fountain of life. This word invites us to examine our own hearts, asking if we are open to correction or if we have become defensive.
May you find peace in knowing that wisdom is available to all who seek it humbly. Let this understanding encourage you to value counsel and remain steadfast in truth, trusting that God’s guidance leads to life rather than ruin.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 26 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a fool11×
- fools5×
- and/ fools2×
- and/ a fool of2×
- [is] a fool2×
- the/ fool1×
- for/ a fool1×
- fool1×
- <to>/ a fool1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֱוִ֣יל4×
- אֱ֝וִ֗יל3×
- וֶ/אֱוִ֥יל2×
- אֱוִ֗יל2×
- אֱ֭וִלִים2×
- אֱ֭וִיל2×
- לֶֽ֭/אֱוִיל1×
- לֶֽ/אֱוִ֣יל1×
- וֶֽ֝/אֱוִילִ֗ים1×
- וֶ/אֱוִילִ֖ים1×
- הָ/אֱוִ֨יל\׀1×
- אֱוִֽיל\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
This verse establishes the core definition by contrasting those who despise instruction with those who find knowledge through reverence for Yahweh.
-
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.
It highlights the self-deception of the fool, who believes his own way is right and refuses to listen to wise counsel.
-
Job 5:3
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
This occurrence shows the destructive consequence of foolishness, where even those who seem established suddenly face ruin due to their character.
-
Psalms 107:17
Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.
It links foolishness directly to disobedience and iniquity, showing that this moral state leads to affliction rather than just intellectual error.