Strong's H4284 · Hebrew
מַחֲשָׁבָה
machăshâbâh · /makh-ash-aw-baw'/
Definition
a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)
KJV: cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.
Root / derivation: or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת; from H2803 (חָשַׁב);
KJV usage breakdown
How the Authorized (KJV) translators rendered מַחֲשָׁבָה across 52 verses.
Every occurrence (KJV)
52 verses use this word, grouped by book — the translated form is highlighted.
Exodus4 verses
To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exodus 35:32And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exodus 35:33And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
Exodus 35:35Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
1 Chronicles2 verses
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
1 Chronicles 29:18O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: prepare: or, stablish
2 Chronicles2 verses
The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.
2 Chronicles 26:15And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. spread: Heb. went forth
Esther3 verses
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. and besought: Heb. and she wept, and besought him
Esther 8:5And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: devised: Heb. the device which he: or, who wrote
Esther 9:25But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. when: Heb. when she came
Job2 verses
Psalms6 verses
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. bringeth: Heb. maketh frustrate
Psalms 33:11The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. to all: Heb. to generation and generation
Psalms 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. they cannot: or, none can order them unto thee
Psalms 56:5Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
Psalms 92:5O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
Psalms 94:11The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Proverbs8 verses
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Proverbs 12:5The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Proverbs 15:22Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
Proverbs 15:26The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. pleasant: Heb. words of pleasantness
Proverbs 16:3Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Commit: Heb. Roll
Proverbs 19:21There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Proverbs 20:18Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Proverbs 21:5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
Isaiah6 verses
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. the unrighteous: Heb. the man of iniquity abundantly: Heb. multiply to pardon
Isaiah 55:8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 55:9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. destruction: Heb. breaking
Isaiah 65:2I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
Isaiah 66:18For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
Jeremiah11 verses
O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
Jeremiah 6:19Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
Jeremiah 11:19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. the tree: Heb. the stalk with his bread
Jeremiah 18:11Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
Jeremiah 18:12And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
Jeremiah 18:18Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. with: or, for the tongue
Jeremiah 29:11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. expected: Heb. end and expectation
Jeremiah 49:20Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.
Jeremiah 49:30Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you. get: Heb. flit greatly
Jeremiah 50:45Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
Jeremiah 51:29And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
Lamentations2 verses
Daniel2 verses
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. peaceably: or, into the peaceable and fat, etc forecast: Heb. think his thoughts
Daniel 11:25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
Topics that use this word
Frequently asked questions
What does Strong's H4284 (machăshâbâh) mean?
a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)
How many times does H4284 appear in the Bible?
Strong's H4284 (מַחֲשָׁבָה) appears in 52 verses of the King James Version, most often translated “thoughts.”
How is machăshâbâh translated in the KJV?
In the KJV, Strong's H4284 is rendered as “thoughts” (27×), “devices” (8×), “device” (4×), “imaginations” (3×), among other words.
Where does the Hebrew word מַחֲשָׁבָה come from?
or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת; from H2803 (חָשַׁב);