חֶשְׁבּוֹן (chesh.bon)
chesh.bon
explanation
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun cheshbon denotes an account, calculation, or reasoned argument. In the Hebrew Bible, it refers to the mental process of weighing options or the resulting statement of a case. It implies more than simple arithmetic; it suggests a deliberate effort to make sense of a situation through logic and reflection.
This word appears only three times in Scripture, all within the book of Ecclesiastes. There, the Preacher uses it to describe the human attempt to find meaning or justify existence through intellectual effort. The text highlights how people try to construct a coherent narrative or "account" of their lives, even when facing the uncertainty of mortality.
The term reflects the ancient understanding of wisdom as a form of practical reasoning. It is not merely abstract theory but a tool for navigating life’s complexities. By focusing on cheshbon, these verses underscore the tension between human effort to understand and the limits of that understanding.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word cheshbon describes more than a simple calculation; it is an explanation or reasoned account of life’s events. In Ecclesiastes, we see the Preacher using this term to describe the human effort to make sense of our experiences. It represents the deep desire to weigh options and find logic in situations that often feel chaotic or unfair.
When we face uncertainty, we naturally seek a coherent narrative for our lives. This word reminds us that seeking understanding is a valid part of the human condition. While we strive to construct these accounts through reflection and logic, the text also gently points out the limits of such intellectual efforts when confronting the mysteries of existence.
Ultimately, this perspective invites us to trust God even when our own reasoning falls short. We do not need to have every answer explained before we can walk in faith. Instead, we can offer our questions and our search for meaning to the One who holds all things together.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ explanation1×
- and/ an explanation1×
- an explanation1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֶשְׁבּֽוֹן\׃1×
- וְ/חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙1×
- וְ/חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Ecclesiastes 7:25
I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
The Preacher actively searches for wisdom and the scheme of things, illustrating the deliberate mental effort implied by cheshbon.
-
Ecclesiastes 7:27
“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
This verse explicitly uses the term to describe the Preacher's conclusion after weighing the complexities of human behavior and mortality.
-
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.
The mention of knowledge and wisdom in this context highlights the finite nature of human cheshbon when facing the reality of death.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Every Occurrence (3 verses across 1 books)
Ecclesiastes 3 verses
I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to…
Ecclesiastes 7:27“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in…