Focused Passage

Proverbs 20:2

The LORD Searches the Heart: Sobriety, Justice, Counsel, Speech, and Honest Measures

The chapter moves from appetite and conflict, to hidden purposes and integrity, to royal justice and human impurity, to work and speech, to surety, fraud, counsel, and gossip, to family honor, inheritance, vengeance, and dishonest scales, and finally to providence, vows, royal judgment, the LORD's searching lamp, and painful correction.

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

2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 2

Original words

The terrorאֵ֣ימַתH367Noun - feminine singular constructof a kingמֶ֑לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularis like the roarנַ֣הַםH5099Noun - masculine singularof a lionכַּ֭כְּפִירH3715Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoever provokes [him]מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹH5674Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularforfeitsחוֹטֵ֥אH2398Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularhis own lifeנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally sins against his own soul

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.