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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Prudence; Prudent
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proÌ„ō´dens, proÌ„ō´dent: In the Old Testament “prudence†is the translation of ערמה, ‛ormaÌ„h (); also in the King James Version of שׂכל, sekhel (, the Revised Version (British and American) “discretionâ€); and “prudent†is the translation of ערוּ×, ‛aÌ„ruÌ„m, “subtle†(, ; , etc.; compare ; ), and of בּין, bı̄n (, the Revised Version margin “skillfulâ€; ; ; ; , the American Standard Revised Version “understanding,†etc.), with other words. In the New Testament “prudence†occurs once as the translation of φÏοÌνησις, phroÌneÌ„sis (); “prudent†is in the King James Version the translation of συνετοÌÏ‚, sunetoÌs, changed in the Revised Version (British and American) to “understanding†(; ); in , the American Standard Revised Version has “the discerning,†the English Revised Version retains “prudent.†In its etymological sense of seeing beforehand (contraction of “providenceâ€), “prudence†does not occur in the New Testament. As forethought, foresight, prudence was reckoned one of the cardinal virtues by the ancient ethical writers. See the remarks of Coleridge on its lower and higher character in his Aids to Reflection, Aphor. 29.