Proverbs 15:33
in Proverbs 15The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom; And before honor goeth humility.
KJV
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
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This verse in Proverbs 15
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThe fear of the Lord - See note on Pro 1:7. Much is spoken concerning this fear; 1. It is the beginning of wisdom. 2. It is also the beginning of knowledge. 3. It is the instruction of wisdom. Wisdom derives its most important lessons from the fear of God. He who fears God much, is well taught. And before honor is humility - That is, few persons ever arrive at honor who are not humble; and those who from low life have risen to places of trust and confidence, have been remarkable for humility.
This site's exposition
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, the chapter's collection landing again on the motto that opened the book at 1:7, humility named here as its companion rather than its opposite. Before honour is humility states the order plainly: humility comes first, and whatever honour follows is not the thing a wise man aimed at directly. Bridges reads the closing verse as the whole chapter's summary, every soft answer and every merry heart finally resting on the same fear of the Lord.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The instruction of wisdom - i. e., The discipline that leads to wisdom.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִרְאַ֣ת | yirat | [the] fear of | H3374 → | 45 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מוּסַ֣ר | musar | [is the] correction of | H4148 → | 50 times |
| חָכְמָ֑ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וְלִפְנֵ֖י | velifnei | and [is] <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כָב֣וֹד | khavod | honor | H3519 → | 200 times |
| עֲנָוָֽה׃ | ʾanavah | humility | H6038 → | 5 times |
יִרְאַ֣ת[the] fear of
yiratH3374 →45 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מוּסַ֣ר[is the] correction of
musarH4148 →50 times
חָכְמָ֑הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וְלִפְנֵ֖יand [is] <to> before
velifneiH6440 →2123 times
כָב֣וֹדhonor
khavodH3519 →200 times
עֲנָוָֽה׃humility
ʾanavahH6038 →5 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
it leads to
- Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Ecclesiastes 12:13
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
- Psalms 111:10
Through
1 Peter 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
it leads to
- James 4:6
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
- James 4:6
Through
James 4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
it leads to
- Psalms 147:6
The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.
- Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
- Psalms 147:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.