The concept of "penetrate" in the Bible often relates to the idea of piercing, entering, or understanding deeply. This term can be applied both physically and metaphorically within the scriptural context.

1. Physical Penetration: In the physical sense, penetration is often associated with warfare and weaponry. For example, in the context of battle, arrows and swords are described as penetrating the armor or bodies of enemies. This imagery is used to convey the severity and impact of conflict. In 1 Samuel 17:49, David's stone "struck the Philistine on the forehead, and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground" . Here, the penetration of the stone signifies the decisive victory granted by God.

2. Spiritual and Moral Penetration: The Bible frequently uses the concept of penetration to describe the discernment and understanding of the human heart and mind. Hebrews 4:12 states, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart" . This passage highlights the penetrating power of God's Word to reach the innermost parts of a person, revealing true intentions and thoughts.

3. Divine Insight and Knowledge: God's ability to penetrate human understanding is a recurring theme. In Psalm 139:1-2, David acknowledges God's intimate knowledge of him: "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar" . This divine penetration into human life underscores God's omniscience and the futility of attempting to hide anything from Him.

4. Metaphorical Penetration in Wisdom and Understanding: The pursuit of wisdom and understanding is often depicted as a form of penetration. Proverbs 2:10-11 states, "For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you" . Here, the penetration of wisdom into the heart is portrayed as a transformative process that brings protection and joy.

5. Penetration of Light and Truth: The imagery of light penetrating darkness is a powerful biblical metaphor for the revelation of truth and the dispelling of ignorance. John 1:5 declares, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" . This verse speaks to the penetrating power of Christ, the Light of the World, who brings truth and salvation to a fallen world.

In summary, the concept of penetration in the Bible encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, illustrating the profound impact of God's Word, wisdom, and presence in the lives of individuals and the world.1. (v. t.) To enter into; to make way into the interior of; as, light penetrates darkness.

2. (v. t.) To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to touch with feeling; to make sensible; to move deeply; as, to penetrate one's heart with pity.

3. (v. t.) To pierce into by the mind; to arrive at the inner contents or meaning of, as of a mysterious or difficult subject; to comprehend; to understand.

4. (v. i.) To pass; to make way; to pierce. Also used figuratively.

1338. diikneomai -- to go through, penetrate
... to go through, penetrate. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diikneomai Phonetic
Spelling: (dee-ik-neh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I pass through, pierce ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1338.htm - 6k

1358. diorusso -- to dig through (as of breaking into a house)
... break through. From dia and orusso; to penetrate burglariously -- break through
(up). see GREEK dia. see GREEK orusso. (diorussousin) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1358.htm - 6k

4044. peripeiro -- to put on a spit, hence to pierce
... pierce through. From peri and the base of peran; to penetrate entirely, ie Transfix
(figuratively) -- pierce through. see GREEK peri. see GREEK peran. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4044.htm - 6k

1413. gadad -- to penetrate, cut
... 1412, 1413. gadad. 1414 . to penetrate, cut. Transliteration: gadad Phonetic
Spelling: (gaw-dad') Short Definition: cut. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/1413.htm - 6k

2713. chaqar -- to search
... A primitive root; properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimately -- find out,
(make) search (out), seek (out), sound, try. 2712, 2713. chaqar. 2714 . ...
/hebrew/2713.htm - 6k

3554. kavah -- to burn, scorch, brand
... burn. A primitive root; properly, to prick or penetrate; hence, to blister (as smarting
or eating into) -- burn. 3553, 3554. kavah. 3555 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/3554.htm - 6k

5365. naqar -- to bore, pick, dig
... dig, pick out, pierce, put thrust out. A primitive root; to bore (penetrate, quarry) --
dig, pick out, pierce, put (thrust) out. 5364, 5365. naqar. 5366 . ...
/hebrew/5365.htm - 6k

The Father of Constantine Allows the Name of Christ to be Extended ...
... Book I. Chapter VI."The Father of Constantine allows the Name of Christ to be Extended;
Constantine the Great prepared it to Penetrate Everywhere. ...
/.../chapter vi the father of constantine.htm

How Charity Contains in it the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.
... 5?�. Knowledge, to know the true good, to which we are to aspire, and the true evil
which we are to fly; 6?�. Understanding, thoroughly to penetrate the first ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xv how charity contains.htm

Whether Understanding is a Gift of the Holy Ghost?
... 6. Now there are many kinds of things that are hidden within, to find which
human knowledge has to penetrate within so to speak. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether understanding is a gift.htm

Whether Mutual Indwelling is an Effect of Love?
... and vice versa. Objection 2: Further, nothing can penetrate within a whole,
except by means of a division of the whole. But it is ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether mutual indwelling is an.htm

Christ, to Perform the Office of Mediator, Behoved to Become Man.
... The Son of God behoved to come down. Man in innocence could not penetrate to
God without a Mediator, much less could he after the fall. ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 12 christ to perform.htm

The Method of Prayer
... Those who read fast reap no more advantage than a bee would by only skimming over
the surface of the flower, instead of waiting to penetrate into it, and ...
/.../guyon/a short and easy method of prayer/chapter ii the method of.htm

Thoughts on Mind and on Style
... of premises, and there is perhaps a kind of intellect that can search with ease
a few premises to the bottom and cannot in the least penetrate those matters in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section i thoughts on mind.htm

Whether the Gift of Understanding is Distinct from the Other Gifts ...
... in that wisdom is concerned with judgment, while understanding renders the mind
apt to grasp the things that are proposed, and to penetrate into their very ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the gift of understanding 5.htm

1875-1877. Mrs. Way's Sewing --Class for Jewesses --Bible Flower ...
... loveliness is clouded, when we turn to gloomy, stifling courts and lanes in the
crowded cities, where gleams of sunshine scarce ever penetrate; the lives of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter vi 1875-1877 mrs ways.htm

Walamir and St. Telemachus
... Speed, Alaric! Thou shalt penetrate to the City.". I suppose that the warrior
read the doubt in my face, for he smiled and said, "And ...
/.../chapter lix walamir and st.htm

Penetrate (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (vt) To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to touch with feeling;
to make sensible; to move deeply; as, to penetrate one's heart with pity. ...
/p/penetrate.htm - 7k

Pierce (30 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To thrust into, penetrate, or transfix, with a pointed instrument. ... 3. (vt)
Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a mystery. ...
/p/pierce.htm - 15k

Enter (372 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To come or go into; to pass into the interior of; to pass within the outer
cover or shell of; to penetrate; to pierce; as, to enter a house, a closet ...
/e/enter.htm - 39k

Thrill (2 Occurrences)
... Hence, to affect, as if by something that pierces or pricks; to cause to have a
shivering, throbbing, tingling, or exquisite sensation; to pierce; to penetrate...
/t/thrill.htm - 7k

Profound (7 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) An abyss. 7. (vt) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate
far down. 8. (vi) To dive deeply; to penetrate. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/p/profound.htm - 8k

Strike (168 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate; to set in the earth; as, a
tree strikes its roots deep. 6. (vt) To punish; to afflict; to smite. ...
/s/strike.htm - 46k

Stick (47 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) To penetrate with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to stab; hence,
to kill by piercing; as, to stick a beast. 8. (n.) To ...
/s/stick.htm - 23k

Gore (9 Occurrences)
... fesse point. 6. (vt) To pierce or wound, as with a horn; to penetrate with
a pointed instrument, as a spear; to stab. 7. (vt) To ...
/g/gore.htm - 11k

Willows (5 Occurrences)
... In many of the streams of Moab it forms a complete screen, which the sun's
rays can never penetrate to evaporate the precious moisture. ...
/w/willows.htm - 11k

Work (4564 Occurrences)
... 16. (n.) To make one's way slowly and with difficulty; to move or penetrate laboriously;
to proceed with effort; -- with a following preposition, as down, out ...
/w/work.htm - 12k

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