Proverbs 8:14
in Proverbs 8Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
KJV
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
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This verse in Proverbs 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseCounsel is mine, and sound wisdom,.... The words and sentiments in this and the following clause are the same with those in Job 12:13; and scent to be taken from thence, which are spoken of God; and being here applied to Wisdom, show that a divine Person is meant; and are very applicable to him who the Wisdom of God, and the power of God; and on whom rests the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel, and of might, and of the fear of the Lord, 1Co 1:
This site's exposition
I wisdom dwell with prudence
on Proverbs 8:12-16
Wisdom keeps company: prudence, counsel, understanding, strength. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil plants the book's motto inside her self-description, and the hate list that follows (pride, arrogancy, the evil way, the froward mouth) makes the fear of the Lord concrete rather than a mood. By me kings reign is the claim that government itself runs on wisdom's credit, which Henry applies in both directions: rulers rule well by her, and rule at all by God's providence.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Counsel is mine, equity, etc. Let not human presumption exalt itself, for the fullness of virtues rests in the wisdom of God alone, and from this human weakness receives whatever virtue it has.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The redeemer is the eternal Word and wisdom, the Logos. He is the Wisdom that speaks to the children of men in the former part of the chapter. All divine revelation passes through his hand, and centres in him; but of him as the personal Wisdom, the second person in the Godhead, in the judgment of many of the ancients, Solomon here speaks,
Christ, as God, has strength and wisdom; wisdom and might are his; as Redeemer, he is the wisdom of God and the power of God. To all that are his he is made of God both strength and wisdom; in him they are laid up for us, that we may both know and do our duty. He is the wonderful counsellor and gives that grace which alone is sound wisdom.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Counsel is mine - Direction how to act in all circumstances and on all occasions must come from wisdom: the foolish man can give no counsel, cannot show another how he is to act in the various changes and chances of life. The wise man alone can give this counsel; and he can give it only as continually receiving instruction from God: for this Divine wisdom can say, תושיה Tushiyah, substance, reality, essence, all belong to me: I am the Fountain whence all are derived.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It also gives the elements of good character in counsel. sound wisdom-- (Pr 2:7). I . . . strength--or, "As for me, understanding is strength to me," the source of power (Ec 9:16); good judgment gives more efficiency to actions; 15, 16. of which a wisely conducted government is an example.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Fear of the Lord is to hate evil This is the discipline that wisdom announces to the people.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Kings reign with me for the judges and the judgments I teach them.
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. 4 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לִֽי־ | li- | [belong] to me | ||
| עֵ֭צָה | ʾetzah | counsel | H6098 → | 89 times |
| וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה | vetushiyah | and sound wisdom | H8454 → | 12 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| בִ֝ינָ֗ה | vinah | [am] understanding | H998 → | 38 times |
| לִ֣י | li | [belongs] to me | ||
| גְבוּרָֽה׃ | gevurah | strength | H1369 → |
לִֽי־[belong] to me
li-
עֵ֭צָהcounsel
ʾetzahH6098 →89 times
וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑הand sound wisdom
vetushiyahH8454 →12 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
בִ֝ינָ֗ה[am] understanding
vinahH998 →38 times
לִ֣י[belongs] to me
li
גְבוּרָֽה׃strength
gevurahH1369 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 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
Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
it leads to
- Luke 2:11
Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
- Matthew 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
- Jeremiah 23:5–6
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
- Luke 2:11
Through
Colossians 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- 1 Corinthians 1:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.