'Able' in the Bible

and I said to them: "We ourselves have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations as we were able. But now you yourselves have sold your brothers so they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word [to say].

And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'

And these are those coming up from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer -- and they have not been able to declare the house of their fathers, and their seed, whether they are of Israel --

So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly which included men and women and all those able to understand what they heard. (This happened on the first day of the seventh month.)

He was reading it in the wide place in front of the water-doorway, from early morning till the middle of the day, in the hearing of all those men and women whose minds were able to take it in; and the ears of all the people were open to the book of the law.

And they gave out the words of the book the law of God, clearly, and gave the sense of it, so that their minds were able to take it in.

The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the surrounding peoples to obey the law of God—

All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 able men.

As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.

and Haman recounteth to Zeresh his wife, and to all his friends, all that hath met him, and his wise men say to him, and Zeresh his wife, 'If Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou art not able for him, but dost certainly fall before him.'

The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples.

Hath one tried a word with thee? -- Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?

Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:

If one were to seek to argue with him, he won't be able to answer him even once in a thousand times.

Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.

Though you see that I am not an evil-doer; and there is no one who is able to take a man out of your hands?

Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?

Even though he kills me, I'll continue to hope in him. At least I'll be able to argue my case to his face!

Is any one able to take up the argument against me? If so, I would keep quiet and give up my breath.

Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.

And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?

Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?

I am looking for him on the left hand, but there is no sign of him; and turning to the right, I am not able to see him.

“His survivors will be buried because of the plague,And their widows will not be able to weep.

For a dread unto me is calamity from God, And because of His excellency I am not able.

Indeed, I paid close attention to you all, but none of you were able to refute Job or answer his arguments convincingly.

For I am not able to give names of honour to any man; and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.

If thou art able -- answer me, Set in array before me -- station thyself.

Who has the wisdom to be able to count the clouds, or to empty the water jars of heaven,

Shaking with passion, he is biting the earth; he is not able to keep quiet at the sound of the horn;

Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him,And [if you are so able] tread down the wicked where they stand.

Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.

Will your business be able to buy him, Will you divide him among your merchant friends?

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.

The arrow is not able to put him to flight: stones are no more to him than dry stems.

Thou hast known that for all things Thou art able, And not withheld from Thee is any device:

Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion; they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble];He sets me [securely] upon my high places.

I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.

I am able to see all my bones; their looks are fixed on me:

There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

The wicked borrows and does not pay back,But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.

For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, "When will I be able to go and appear in God's presence?"

(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)

When he dies, he will not be able to take it all with him his possessions will not follow him to the grave,

Carefully consider this, you who reject God! Otherwise I will rip you to shreds and no one will be able to rescue you.

They are absolutely terrified, even by things that do not normally cause fear. For God annihilates those who attack you. You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.

When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;

The brave-hearted have been plundered;they have slipped into their final sleep.None of the warriors was able to lift a hand.

He divided the sea so that they were able to cross; he caused the water to stand in a single location.

They spoke against God, saying,“Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?

It's true that Moses struck the rock so that water flowed forth and torrents of water gushed out, but is he also able to give bread or to supply meat for his people?"

So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.

O Lord, God of my salvation, I have been crying to you for help by day and by night:

No enemy will be able to exact tribute from him; a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.

What man now living will not see death? will he be able to keep back his soul from the underworld? (Selah.)

Who is able to give an account of the great acts of the Lord, or to make clear all his praise?

The Lord is on my side; I will have no fear: what is man able to do to me?

Knowledge too wonderful for me, It hath been set on high, I am not able for it.

The wise will hear and increase their learning,And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth],

Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?

If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.

Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.

The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?

For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four -- it is not able to bear:

Everything is wearisome, more than man is able to express. The eye is never satisfied by seeing, nor the ear by hearing.

A crooked thing one is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.

Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he.

Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent?

Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"

No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?

Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

Many waters are not able to quench the love, And floods do not wash it away. If one give all the wealth of his house for love, Treading down -- they tread upon it.

Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become to me like burden, I am not able to bear [them].

And it cometh to pass in the days of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, gone up hath Rezin king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, to Jerusalem, to battle against it, and he is not able to fight against it.

And they will give so much milk that he will be able to have butter for his food: for butter and honey will be the food of all who are still living in the land.

For before the child is able to say, Father, or, Mother, the wealth of Damascus and the goods of Samaria will be taken away by the king of Assyria.

“Is not Calno [conquered] like Carchemish [on the Euphrates]?Is not Hamath [subdued] like Arpad [her neighbor]?Is not Samaria [in Israel] like Damascus [in Aram]?

Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her imagesJust as I have done to Samaria and her idols?” [declares Assyria].

There will be so few trees left in his forest, a child will be able to count them.

And it hath come to pass, when it hath been seen, That weary hath been Moab on the high place, And he hath come unto his sanctuary to pray, And is not able.

No head or tail, palm or reed,will be able to do anything for Egypt.

And I will put the key of the house of David on his shoulder, and he shall open and no one [will be able to] shut; and he shall shut and no one [will be able to] open.

And the vision of the whole is to you, As words of the sealed book, That they give unto one knowing books, Saying, 'Read this, we pray thee,' And he hath said, 'I am not able, for it is sealed;'

At that time the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll, and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness.

Though he is wise, and able to send evil, and his purpose will not be changed; but he will go against the house of the evil-doers, and against those to whom they are looking for help.

Your cords have become loose; they were not able to make strong the support of their sails, the sail was not stretched out: then the blind will take much property, the feeble-footed will make division of the goods of war.

Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.

For the underworld is not able to give you praise, death gives you no honour: for those who go down into the underworld there is no hope in your mercy.

In the hollow of whose hand have the waters been measured? and who is able to take the heavens in his stretched-out fingers? who has got together the dust of the earth in a measure? who has taken the weight of the mountains, or put the hills into the scales?

Let all the nations come together, and let the peoples be present: who among them is able to make this clear, and give us word of earlier things? let their witnesses come forward, so that they may be seen to be true, and that they may give ear, and say, It is true.