Proverbs 3:7
in Proverbs 3Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
KJV
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
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This verse in Proverbs 3
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIgnorance is constantly, so to speak, accompanied by rashness and leads people on to attach great importance to their wretched fancies. Thus those who are the victims of this malady entertain a great idea of themselves and imagine themselves possessed of such knowledge as no one can gainsay. For they forget, it seems, Solomon, who says, "Be not wise in your own eyes," that is, according to your own single judgment; and again, that "wisdom not put to the proof goes astray."
This site's exposition
Be not wise in your own eyes
on Proverbs 3:7-8
“Be not wise in your own eyes” restates the warning of verse 5 as self-estimation. Its pair, “fear the LORD and turn away from evil,” joins the book's motto to its practice. In this book the fear of the LORD shows itself in conduct.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
If there are any who are even in the catholic church and live evil lives, before they finish this life, let them hasten to give up the evil life, and let them not think that the catholic name is enough for salvation, if they do …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Do not be wise in your own eyes. Perhaps someone may think this command is the same as the one previously given, And do not rely on your own understanding; but there is a great difference: for one relies on his own understanding who prefers …
Fear the Lord, etc. Just as it is in Job: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (Job XXVI). For indeed, all the perfect ought to abstain from all evils, so that they always consider the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To fear the Lord, so as to depart from evil, is true wisdom and understanding ( Job xxviii. 28 ); those that have it are truly wise, but self-denyingly so, and not wise in their own eyes. For our encouragement thus to live in the fear of God it is here promised (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Be not wise in thine own eyes,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The great hindrance to all true wisdom is the thought that we have already attained it.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּהִ֣י | tehi | you be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| חָכָ֣ם | chakham | wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ | beeineikha | in own eyes your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יְרָ֥א | yera' | fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְס֣וּר | vesur | and turn aside | H5493 → | 299 times |
| מֵרָֽע׃ | mera' | from evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּהִ֣יyou be
tehiH1961 →3559 times
חָכָ֣םwise
chakhamH2450 →138 times
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָin own eyes your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
יְרָ֥אfear
yera'H3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְ֝הוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְס֣וּרand turn aside
vesurH5493 →299 times
מֵרָֽע׃from evil
mera'H7451 →662 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
Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
it leads to
- James 5:11
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- 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.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 14:14
then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
- Ezekiel 14:20
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
- James 5:11
Through
Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
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!
- Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
- Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One 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.
- Psalms 111:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
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; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 136; Fulgentius of Ruspe, ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 1:26.2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.