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Proverbs 3:13

in Proverbs 3

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.

KJV

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

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This verse in Proverbs 3

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,.... Some connect these words with the preceding; as if the sense was, a good man, though he is chastened by the Lord, yet is a happy man; not only because his chastenings are in love and for good, but because he improves in spiritual knowledge and understanding by them; see Psa 94:12. Aben Ezra connects them with the former, but in a different manner, thus; "happy is the man that findeth wisdom", for by it he keeps from sinning, that chastisements may not come upon him.

This site's exposition

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom

on Proverbs 3:13-15

“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding” opens a hymn to wisdom, the praise chapter 8 gives at greater length. The words “she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold” price wisdom against the most stable forms of wealth.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Basil of Caesarea

HOMILY ON THE BEGINNING OF PROVERBS 4 · Written before 379.

proposed

The souls of those who are about to speak with wisdom should first be cleansed through divine fear. For to distribute the mysteries of salvation to the general public and to receive all persons equally, including those whose life is not adorned with purity and those who have not been examined and prepared to make reasonable use of the mysteries, is like pouring one's most precious ointment into a filthy vessel.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Proverbs · Written before 735.

proposed

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, etc. Because he was comforting those placed under discipline and correction, he adds what he had begun; insinuating that true blessedness of man is not to be free from adversity in the present, but to rejoice in the …

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

The first beatitude of the Proverbs introduces a new lesson. “Getteth understanding,” literally as in the margin, probably in the sense of “drawing forth from God’s store, from the experience of life” (as in Pro 8:35; Pro 18:22). The preciousness of wisdom is dwelt on here, not the use to be made of it.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

findeth--literally, "reaches," or "obtains by seeking." getteth--literally, "draws out," as metals by digging. The figure of Pr 3:13 carried out. it--that is, wisdom. merchandise of silver--acquisition by trading. fine gold--dug gold, solid as a nugget.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom - This refers to the advice given in Pro 2:4 (note); where see the note.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

Fortunate is the man who has found wisdom and a man who gives forth discernment One who learned wisdom until he is so accustomed to it that he can express it with his mouth.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Proverbs 3:13:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
as a father placates his son He desires to benefit his son and he placates him after striking him with the staff. So will the benefit be pleasant to you after the smiting.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Proverbs 3:12:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

7 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • אַשְׁרֵ֣יhow blessed!

    ʾashreiH835 →45 times

  • אָ֭דָם[is] a person

    ʾadomH120 →551 times

  • מָצָ֣א[who] he finds

    matza'H4672 →455 times

  • חָכְמָ֑הwisdom

    chokhmahH2451 →153 times

  • וְ֝אָדָ֗םand a person

    veadamH120 →551 times

  • יָפִ֥יק[who] he obtains

    yafikH6329 →7 times

  • תְּבוּנָֽה׃understanding

    tevunahH8394 →42 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Proverbs 8:34Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.13 worksProverbs 8:32–35Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.10 worksProverbs 4:5–9Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.8 worksEcclesiastes 9:15–18Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.4 worksProverbs 2:4if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,1 works1 Kings 10:23–24So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.1 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 18:1He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.0 works1 Kings 10:1–9Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.0 works

The walk

5 stops

Each 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 2:4

    if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,

    it leads to

    • Matthew 13:44

      The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that…

    • Matthew 19:29

      And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal…

    • Proverbs 16:16

      How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.

    • Job 28:12–20

      But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?

    • Proverbs 8:18–19

      With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.

Where this verse is studied

About Proverbs

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Proverbs: the study guide →Read Proverbs 3 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Basil of Caesarea, HOMILY ON THE BEGINNING OF PROVERBS 4; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.

Read on in Proverbs 3 →