Proverbs 22:29
in Proverbs 22Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.
KJV
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
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This verse in Proverbs 22
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The gift of a quick and ready intellect is to lead to high office, it is not to be wasted on a work to which the obscure are adequate.
This site's exposition
Do not move an ancient boundary stone
on Proverbs 22:28-29
Do not move an ancient boundary stone, a rule that protects inherited land under the law of Deuteronomy 19:14 and 27:17. The chapter closes on skilled and faithful work, for "He will be stationed in the presence of kings" and "will not stand before obscure men."
This site's exposition
a man skilled in his work
Skill in work carries a man into the presence of kings. Albert Barnes reads the verse as a word about gifts. A quick and ready mind is meant to lead to high office, and it belongs to tasks greater than the obscure can do.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Do you see a man quick in his work, etc. Whomever you see quick in his work, that is, in his good work, which was his duty to do, diligent and attentive, know that he will stand in the presence of the apostles in the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Seest thou a man diligent in his business?....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He shalt not stand before mean men - חשכים chashukkim, dark or obscure persons; men of no repute. Na he schal ben before un-noble men - Old MS. Bible. “Not amonge the symple people.” - Coverdale. The general meaning of the proverb is, “Every diligent, active man, shall be at once independent and respectable.”
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָזִ֡יתָ | chazita | you see | H2372 → | 55 times |
| אִ֤ישׁ׀ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מָ֘הִ֤יר | mahir | skilled | H4106 → | |
| בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹ | bimlakhto | in work his | H4399 → | 167 times |
| לִֽפְנֵֽי־ | lifnei- | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מְלָכִ֥ים | melakhim | kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִתְיַצָּ֑ב | yityatzav | he will take his stand | H3320 → | |
| בַּל־ | bal- | not | H1077 → | 73 times |
| יִ֝תְיַצֵּב | yityatzev | he will take his stand | H3320 → | |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פ | chashukim | insignificant [people] | H2823 → |
חָזִ֡יתָyou see
chazitaH2372 →55 times
אִ֤ישׁ׀a person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מָ֘הִ֤ירskilled
mahirH4106 →
בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹin work his
bimlakhtoH4399 →167 times
לִֽפְנֵֽי־<to> before
lifnei-H6440 →2123 times
מְלָכִ֥יםkings
melakhimH4428 →2525 times
יִתְיַצָּ֑בhe will take his stand
yityatzavH3320 →
בַּל־not
bal-H1077 →73 times
יִ֝תְיַצֵּבhe will take his stand
yityatzevH3320 →
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
חֲשֻׁכִּֽים׃ פinsignificant [people]
chashukimH2823 →
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
Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
- Ephesians 5:16
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
- Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- Psalms 6:5
For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
- Ecclesiastes 11:6
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
- Colossians 3:23
Through
Matthew 25:21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
it leads to
- Matthew 25:23
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
- John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- Matthew 25:23
Where this verse is studied
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); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.