Many pithy (concise and forcefully expressive) sayings are used in everyday conversation. However, most people have no idea of their origins.
It should be no surprise that many of the sayings are found in the Bible and long pre-date their use. This reveals how the Bible has always had a great influence on man’s life, relationships, and even common, everyday language.
The fact that so many of these sayings are still in use today underscores the timeless relevance of God’s Word.
Conversation Starters
Get the book, Who Said That? Common Everyday Sayings. Learn the sayings that originate in the Bible, and the next time you hear one of these sayings, ask, “Who said that?” Be ready to share the biblical origin and turn the conversation to one of spiritual importance. Use the biblical sayings from Who Said That? to start conversations about Jesus!
Now, who said...
“Yada, Yada, Yada”
Excerpt from the book “Who Said That? Common Everday Sayings from the Bible.”
The phrase “yada, yada, yada” was popularized in the late 1990s by its repeated use in conversations on the 1997 Seinfeld TV episode titled “The Yada Yada.” This phrase has come to mean “and so on and so forth” but also has a more literal meaning.
It is used primarily in informal conversation to eliminate undesirable or insignificant details, thereby replacing portions of a story or explanation. Because it is assumed that the listener is aware of the information omitted, the phrase implies “you know what I’m talking about.”
Most people who use this phrase have no idea of its biblical origin. Yada is the Hebrew word that means “to know,” so this phrase can easily be understood to mean “you know, you know, you know.”
Yada in the Bible
Although the repetitive, three-times use of the word yada is not found in the Bible to replace words or portions of text, the word “yada” is used a lot. Some examples include the following (NKJV, all emphasis and bracketed information added):
Exodus 29:46 “And they shall know [yada] that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.
Job 9:2 “Truly I know [yada] it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God? 
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know [yada] that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!Habbakuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled With the knowledge [yada] of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.
The God of all creation knows (yada) you!
Exodus 33:17 So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know [yada] you by name.”
Psalm 37:18 The LORD knows [yada] the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
Psalm 139:1-2 O LORD, You have searched me and known [yada] me. You know [yada] my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew [yada] you…
The big question is: Do you know Him?
Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know [yada] that whatever God does, It shall be forever.
Ecclesiastes 7:25 I applied my heart to know [yada], To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things…
Psalm 9:10 And those who know [yada] Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 39:4 “LORD, make me to know [yada] my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know [yada] how frail I am.
He knows you!
Psalm 44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows [yada] the secrets of the heart.
Psalm 69:5 O God, You know [yada] my foolishness; And my sins are not hidden from You.
Do you know Him?
Psalm 135:5 For I know [yada] that the LORD is great, And our Lord is above all gods.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows [yada] Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
In John 14:4, 6, Jesus said,
“…the way you know [yada]…
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Want to go to Heaven? Yada Jesus! (click here)
Read More: Who Said That?
- "Seeing Eye to Eye" Who Said That?
- "Shout it from the Rooftop" Who Said That?
- “No Rest for the Wicked" Who Said That?
- “Laughter is the Best Medicine” Who Said That?
- “I Wash My Hands of It” Who Said That?
- “My Right Hand Man” Who Said That?
- “Hold Your Tongue!” Who Said That?
- “Eat, Drink and Be Merry.” Who Said That? (and don’t guess Dave Matthews)
- “By the Skin of My Teeth!” Who Said That?
- “A House Divided Cannot Stand” Who Said That?
The Book Who Said That?
The book Who Said That? Common everyday sayings…where do they come from? shares more than 140 sayings.
Add this to an Easter Basket. Tuck it in a Christmas stocking. Give it as a hostess gift. Or buy it for yourself, BECAUSE... It's easy to start conversations but not always easy to start a conversation about matters of spiritual importance.
Turn the Talk
Jesus commissioned us to tell others about who He is and the saving grace He offers. So, we must listen for opportunities to "turn the talk." Hearing a common saying, or using one as you speak, opens the "door" to sharing its origin in the Bible and talking about the relevance of the Bible and the significance of the Person who wrote it!
Who Said That? 
can also serve as a “tract” for your non-believing family and friends. It’s simply a look at the origins of sayings we all use...until you get to the last few pages. The book closes with the Hebrew saying, “Yada, yada, yada,” which means “you know, you know, you know.”
The statement is then made: “God knows [yada] you,” and the question is asked, “Do you know [yada] Him?” The question is followed by a gospel presentation and an invitation to repent and trust in Christ, making this book a simple way to share the gospel with an unsaved and often uninterested or unwilling-to-listen friend or family member.
All proceeds from products at the store go to support the ministry outreach of Reasons for Hope* Jesus.
About the Author: Shari Abbott is a Christian apologist, author, and the founder and president of Reasons for Hope* Jesus. She describes herself as a disciple of Jesus Christ, a wife to Steve, the mother of two daughters, and a grandmother of three. Shari is passionate about equipping and encouraging Christians to know Jesus better and to love Him more. She is the author of Why the Butterfly? A Book About Rightly Remembering; Remember Me – A Course In Rightly Remembering; Who Said That? Common Everyday Sayings; Got Questions? We have Reasons for Hope (Reasons Books 1, 2, 3 & 4); Fun with Shuns (biblical words ending in -tion); How to Witness to Jehovah’s Witnesses; A Room with a View of Eternity; and Hear, See, Speak No Evil (available at the Reasons for Hope*Jesus store or Kindle books at Amazon).*******
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A Room with a View of Eternity—The Last Will & Testament of Jesus Christ Take a seat at the Master's table. Learn about the riches He gives to all who are His. This book will bless and encourage you, give you hope, and help you live in the joy of your salvation and the riches of Christ that are yours.
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