196. evili

Lexical Summary

evili: Foolish

Original Word: אֱוִלִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: eviliy
Pronunciation: eh-vee-LEE
Phonetic Spelling: (ev-ee-lee')
KJV: foolish
NASB: foolish
Word Origin: [from H191 (אֱוִיל - fool)]

1. silly, foolish
2. hence (morally) impious

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

foolish

From 'eviyl; silly, foolish; hence (morally) impious -- foolish.

see HEBREW 'eviyl

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as evil
Definition
foolish
NASB Translation
foolish (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֱוִלִי adjective id. Zechariah 11:15.

Topical Lexicon

Scope and Nuance of the Term

אֱוִלִי portrays folly not as intellectual deficiency but as moral obstinacy—a willful resistance to God-given wisdom. It exposes leadership that ignores divine counsel, trusting instead in human schemes that cannot stand before the Sovereign LORD.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Isaiah 19:11 – The prophet indicts Egypt’s royal advisors: “The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wisest counselors give senseless advice”. Their proud claim to ancient wisdom is unmasked as empty pretension once Yahweh moves in judgment.
2. Zechariah 11:15 – The prophet is instructed, “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd”, introducing a parable of a leader who neglects, exploits, and finally destroys the flock, prefiguring both corrupt rulers in Israel’s history and the ultimate antichrist figure who will mislead many.

Historical Setting

• Isaiah speaks during a period when Judah looked to Egypt for political security against Assyria. Egypt’s vaunted sages, however, prove powerless, illustrating how international alliances built on godless counsel invite ruin.
• Zechariah ministers after the Babylonian exile. His portrayal of the “foolish shepherd” warns the restored community that future leaders could still fall into the same pattern of self-serving governance that precipitated earlier exiles.

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty over Nations: Both passages assert that earthly expertise collapses when God purposes judgment (Isaiah 19:12).
• Leadership Accountability: Shepherd imagery highlights God’s concern for His people and His intolerance of negligent oversight (Zechariah 11:16-17).
• Wisdom versus Folly: Scripture consistently contrasts the fear of the LORD—“the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)—with the stubbornness embodied in אֱוִלִי.

Christological Overtones

The “foolish shepherd” of Zechariah accentuates, by contrast, the Good Shepherd who “lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Where the foolish shepherd devours, Christ nourishes; where the former abandons, Christ seeks and saves the lost.

Ministry Implications

• Discernment: Churches must evaluate counsel and strategy by Scripture rather than cultural prestige or political pragmatism.
• Shepherd Leadership: Pastors and elders are warned against apathy, exploitation, or self-promotion. The New Testament amplifies this standard—“shepherd the flock of God … not for shameful gain, but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2).
• Intercession for Rulers: Isaiah’s oracle invites prayer that national leaders would humble themselves, acknowledging the limits of human wisdom.

Practical Application

Believers are called to embrace true wisdom by trusting the LORD, submitting to His Word, and rejecting the arrogance that pretends independence from Him. In personal decisions, church governance, and civic engagement, the choice remains: heed folly that flatters but fails, or pursue wisdom that saves and endures.

Forms and Transliterations

אֱוִלִֽי׃ אֱוִלִים֙ אולי׃ אולים ’ĕ·wi·lî ’ĕ·wi·lîm ’ĕwilî ’ĕwilîm eviLi eviLim

Englishman's Concordance

Isaiah 19:11
HEB: אַךְ־ אֱוִלִים֙ שָׂ֣רֵי צֹ֔עַן
INT: are mere foolish the princes of Zoan

Zechariah 11:15
HEB: כְּלִ֖י רֹעֶ֥ה אֱוִלִֽי׃
NAS: for yourself the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
KJV: unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
INT: the equipment shepherd of a foolish

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 196
2 Occurrences

’ĕ·wi·lî — 1 Occ.
’ĕ·wi·lîm — 1 Occ.