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Proverbs 22:3

in Proverbs 22

The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

KJV

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

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This verse in Proverbs 22

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

The prudent see danger and take cover

on Proverbs 22:3-5

"The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences." Humility and the fear of the LORD bring "wealth and honor and life." Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse, and he who guards his soul stays far from them.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Proverbs · Written before 735.

proposed

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, etc. Many of the leaders believed in the Lord, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue: for they were prudent, seeing the danger of impending persecution, and …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

are punished--that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.

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

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

A prudent man foreseeth the evil - God in mercy has denied man the knowledge of futurity; but in its place he has given him hope and prudence. By hope he is continually expecting and anticipating good; by prudence he derives and employs means to secure it. His experience shows him that there are many natural evils in a current state, the course of which he can neither stem nor divert: prudence shows him beforehand the means he may use to step out of their way, and hide himself.

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.

  • עָר֤וּם׀a sensible [person]

    ʾarumH6175 →11 times

  • רָאָ֣הhe sees

    raahH7200 →1300 times

  • רָעָ֣הtrouble

    raahH7451 →662 times

  • וְנִסְתָּ֑רand he hides himself

    veyisaterH5641 →80 times

  • וּ֝פְתָיִ֗יםand naive people

    ufetayimH6612 →19 times

  • עָבְר֥וּthey pass on

    ʾaveruH5674 →556 times

  • וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃and they are punished

    veneenashuH6064 →9 times

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

Related verses

18 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 27:12The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.29 worksProverbs 14:16A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.28 worksProverbs 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.16 works1 Thessalonians 5:2–6For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.11 worksHebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.10 worksProverbs 7:7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,9 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 7:22–23He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,8 worksIsaiah 26:20–21Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.8 worksExodus 9:20–21Those among Pharaoh’s officials who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their servants and livestock to shelter,7 worksHebrews 6:18Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.6 worksProverbs 9:16–18“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.5 worksMatthew 24:15–18So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),5 worksExodus 2:15When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.5 worksMatthew 24:16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.5 worksProverbs 14:15The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.5 worksRomans 16:18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.4 worksActs 23:17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”3 worksHosea 13:13Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.3 works

The walk

8 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 29:1

    A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 6:15

      Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

    • 1 Samuel 2:25

      If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since…

    • Proverbs 28:18

      He who walks with integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

    • Proverbs 1:24–31

      Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

    • Zechariah 7:11–14

      But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.

  • Through

    Hebrews 11:7

    By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes…

    it leads to

    • Genesis 6:13

      Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth.

    • 1 Peter 3:20

      who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.

    • 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.

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 22 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).

Read on in Proverbs 22 →