Focused Passage

Proverbs 2:12-22

Seeking Wisdom as Treasure: The LORD Gives Discernment and Guards the Way of the Upright

The chapter moves from seeking wisdom, to receiving wisdom from the LORD, to being internally transformed by wisdom, to being protected from wickedness and adultery, to remaining in the way of covenant life.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity,

13from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness,

14from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil,

15whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.

16It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words

17who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.

18For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits.

19None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life.

20So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright will inhabit the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

22but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be uprooted.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Cross-references

Psalms 1:1Classic cross-references Proverbs 13:20Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 15:33Classic cross-references Proverbs 16:29Classic cross-references Proverbs 3:31Classic cross-references

Original words

to deliver youלְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָH5337Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularfrom the wayמִדֶּ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-m | Noun - common singularof evilרָ֑עH7451Adjective - masculine singularfrom the manמֵ֝אִ֗ישׁH376Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularwho speaksמְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularperversityתַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃H8419Noun - feminine plural

Verse 13

Cross-references

1 John 1:6Classic cross-references Psalms 119:10Classic cross-references Psalms 82:5Classic cross-references John 3:19Classic cross-references Proverbs 4:19Classic cross-references

Original words

from those who leaveהַ֭עֹ֣זְבִיםH5800Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthe straightיֹ֑שֶׁרH3476Noun - masculine singularpathsאָרְח֣וֹתH734Noun - common plural constructto walkלָ֝לֶ֗כֶתH1980Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin the waysבְּדַרְכֵי־H1870Preposition-b | Noun - common plural constructof darknessחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃H2822Noun - masculine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Proverbs 10:23Classic cross-references Romans 1:32Classic cross-references Jeremiah 11:15Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 13:6Classic cross-references Luke 22:4Classic cross-references

Original words

from those who enjoyהַ֭שְּׂמֵחִיםH8056Article | Adjective - masculine pluraldoingלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתH6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructevilרָ֑עH7451Adjective - masculine singularand rejoiceיָ֝גִ֗ילוּH1523Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralin the twistednessבְּֽתַהְפֻּכ֥וֹתH8419Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructof evilרָֽע׃H7451Adjective - masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Psalms 125:5Classic cross-references Proverbs 21:8Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:5Classic cross-references Philippians 2:15Classic cross-references Isaiah 59:8Classic cross-references

Original words

whoseאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativepathsאָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣םH734Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine pluralare crookedעִקְּשִׁ֑יםH6141Adjective - masculine pluraland whose waysבְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃H4570Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralare deviousוּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗יםH3868Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural

Verse 16

Cross-references

Proverbs 5:3Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 7:26Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 6:18Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:24Classic cross-references Proverbs 7:5Classic cross-references

Original words

It will rescue youלְ֭הַצִּ֣ילְךָH5337Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularfrom the forbiddenזָרָ֑הH2114Adjective - feminine singularwomanמֵאִשָּׁ֣הH802Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularfrom the strangerמִ֝נָּכְרִיָּ֗הH5237Preposition-m | Adjective - feminine singularwith seductiveהֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃H2505Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singularwordsאֲמָרֶ֥יהָH561Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

Or wayward wife
Or adulteress

Verse 17

Cross-references

Malachi 2:14Classic cross-references Matthew 19:6Classic cross-references Ezekiel 16:59Classic cross-references Ezekiel 16:8Classic cross-references Jeremiah 3:4Classic cross-references

Original words

who abandonsהַ֭עֹזֶבֶתH5800Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularthe partnerאַלּ֣וּףH441Noun - masculine singular constructof her youthנְעוּרֶ֑יהָH5271Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand forgetsשָׁכֵֽחָה׃H7911Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularthe covenantבְּרִ֖יתH1285Noun - feminine singular constructof her Godאֱלֹהֶ֣יהָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 7:26Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 6:9Classic cross-references Proverbs 15:24Classic cross-references Proverbs 5:5Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:32Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionher houseבֵּיתָ֑הּH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularsinks downשָׁ֣חָהH7743Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositiondeathמָ֣וֶתH4194Noun - masculine singularand her tracksמַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃H4570Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singulartoוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe departed spiritsרְ֝פָאִ֗יםH7496Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

Hebrew to the Rephaim

Verse 19

Cross-references

Acts 2:28Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 7:26Classic cross-references Judges 16:21Classic cross-references Psalms 16:11Classic cross-references Psalms 81:12Classic cross-references

Original words

Noneכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho go to herבָּ֭אֶיהָH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular. . .לֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlereturnיְשׁוּב֑וּןH7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun[or]וְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlenegotiateיַ֝שִּׂ֗יגוּH5381Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe pathsאָרְח֥וֹתH734Noun - common plural constructof lifeחַיִּֽים׃H2416Noun - masculine plural

Verse 20

Cross-references

Psalms 112:5Classic cross-references Hebrews 6:12Classic cross-references 3 John 1:11Classic cross-references Jeremiah 6:16Classic cross-references Proverbs 13:20Classic cross-references

Original words

Soלְמַ֗עַןH4616Conjunctionyou will followתֵּ֭לֵךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin the waysבְּדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof the goodטוֹבִ֑יםH2896Adjective - masculine pluraland keep toתִּשְׁמֹֽר׃H8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe pathsוְאָרְח֖וֹתH734Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural constructof the righteousצַדִּיקִ֣יםH6662Adjective - masculine plural

Verse 21

Cross-references

Psalms 37:29Classic cross-references Psalms 37:9Classic cross-references Psalms 7:10Classic cross-references Psalms 51:6Classic cross-references Psalms 84:11Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe uprightיְשָׁרִ֥יםH3477Adjective - masculine pluralwill inhabitיִשְׁכְּנוּH7931Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe landאָ֑רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularand the blamelessוּ֝תְמִימִ֗יםH8549Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine pluralwill remainיִוָּ֥תְרוּH3498Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralin itבָֽהּ׃Preposition | third person feminine singular

Verse 22

Cross-references

Psalms 37:28Classic cross-references Psalms 52:5Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:22Classic cross-references Isaiah 3:10Classic cross-references Psalms 94:23Classic cross-references

Original words

but the wickedוּ֭רְשָׁעִיםH7563Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine pluralwill be cut offיִכָּרֵ֑תוּH3772Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralfromמִמֶּֽנָּה׃פH4480Preposition | third person feminine singularthe landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularand the unfaithfulוּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗יםH898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural{will} be uprootedיִסְּח֥וּH5255Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

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