17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Focused Passage
Proverbs 27:17
Faithful Friendship, Honest Rebuke, Guarded Praise, Wise Stewardship, and the Testing of the Heart
The chapter moves from humility before tomorrow and restraint in praise, to anger, jealousy, rebuke, and friendship, to appetite and neighborly loyalty, to prudence, surety, and speech timing, to relational sharpening and service, to the heart's reflection and testing by praise, and finally to careful stewardship of flocks, fields, and household provision.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 17
Cross-references
Original words
As iron בַּרְזֶ֣ל H1270 Noun - masculine singular sharpens יָ֑חַד H2300 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular iron בְּבַרְזֶ֣ל H1270 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular so one man וְ֝אִ֗ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular sharpens יַ֣חַד H2300 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . פְּנֵֽי־ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct another רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
BSB notes
- Hebrew sharpens the face of another or sharpens the countenance of a friend