Proverbs 25:13
in Proverbs 25Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
KJV
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
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This verse in Proverbs 25
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAs the cold of snow in the time of harvest,.... As water as cold as snow; or as a breeze of air, such as in a time of snow; and so Jarchi, "as the cold of the days of snow, which a man desires in summer, and not snow simply, for snow itself is not good in the time of harvest;'' see Pro 24:
This site's exposition
Like the cold of snow in the time
"Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him" praises reliability. The line "he refreshes the soul of his masters" names the effect directly. The messenger who simply does what he was sent to do is valued.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, etc. It seems altogether inopportune to snow in the time of harvest. For we read below: As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so is honor unseemly for a fool. But nevertheless, in the …
The cold of snow in the harvest, etc. There is some quiet for those who preach from the persecution of the resisters. It is therefore rightly said, As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so is the faithful legate to him who …
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A picture of the growing luxury of the Solomonic period. The “snow in harvest” is not a shower of snow or hail, which would be terrifying and harmful rather than refreshing (compare 1Sa 12:17-18); but, rather, the snow of Lebanon or Hermon put into wine or other drink to make it more refreshing in the scorching heat of May or June at the king’s summer palace on Lebanon (1Ki 9:19, note; Son 7:4, note). More reviving even than the iced wine cup was the faithful messenger. Contrast Pro 10:26.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Snow from mountains was used to cool drinks; so refreshing is a faithful messenger (Pr 13:17).
As the cold of snow - That snow was frequent in Judea, is well known; and that in the East they have snow-houses - places dug under ground, where they lay up snow for summer use - is also a fact. By means of the mass of snow desposited in them the icy temperature is kept up, so that the snow is easily preserved. The common method of cooling their wine, which is as easy as it is effectual, is by dipping a cloth in water, wrapping it round the bottle, and then hanging the bottle in the heat of the sun. The strong evaporation carries off the caloric from the wine, and the repetition of the wet cloth in the same exposure, makes the wine almost as cold as ice. How agreeable this must be in a burning climate, may be easily conceived. Perhaps it is this to which the wise man refers; for it is a fact that they could have no snow in harvest unless such as had been preserved as mentioned above; but this could be only in a few places, and within the reach of a very few persons. But cooling their liquors by the simple mode of evaporation already explained, was within the reach even of the laborers in the harvest field. I think the text favors this supposition; for כצנת שלג ketsinnerth sheleg, need not be referred to snow itself procuring cold, but to a coldness like that of snow, procured by evaporation. If this interpretation be allowed, all difficulty will be removed.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Like the cold of snow Like the cold of the days of snow (winter), for which a person longs at harvest, but not actual snow, because snow is not beneficial during harvest.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Clouds and wind, etc. When there is a false hope—when the heavens thicken with clouds and the wind blows—people hope that it will rain. Now if it does not rain, they are troubled and their eyes languish.
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. 5 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
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כְּצִנַּת־ | ketzinat- | [is] like [the] cold of | H6793 → | |
| שֶׁ֨לֶג׀ | sheleg | snow | H7950 → | 20 times |
| בְּי֬וֹם | beyom | on a day of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| קָצִ֗יר | katzir | harvest | H7105 → | 54 times |
| צִ֣יר | tzir | an envoy | H6735 → | 12 times |
| נֶ֭אֱמָן | neemon | faithful | H539 → | 106 times |
| לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יו | lesholechav | to [those who] sent him | H7971 → | 845 times |
| וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ | venefesh | and [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣יו | ʾadonav | masters his | H113 → | 333 times |
| יָשִֽׁיב׃ פ | yashiv | he will restore | H7725 → | 1056 times |
כְּצִנַּת־[is] like [the] cold of
ketzinat-H6793 →
שֶׁ֨לֶג׀snow
shelegH7950 →20 times
בְּי֬וֹםon a day of
beyomH3117 →2304 times
קָצִ֗ירharvest
katzirH7105 →54 times
צִ֣ירan envoy
tzirH6735 →12 times
נֶ֭אֱמָןfaithful
neemonH539 →106 times
לְשֹׁלְחָ֑יוto [those who] sent him
lesholechavH7971 →845 times
וְנֶ֖פֶשׁand [the] life of
venefeshH5315 →754 times
אֲדֹנָ֣יוmasters his
ʾadonavH113 →333 times
יָשִֽׁיב׃ פhe will restore
yashivH7725 →1056 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
Proverbs 25:25Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:30
The light of the eyes cheers the heart, and good news nourishes the bones.
- Romans 10:15
And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
- Psalms 63:1
O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
- Proverbs 15:30
Through
Proverbs 26:6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:26
Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.
- Proverbs 13:17
A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
- Proverbs 10:26
Through
Proverbs 13:17A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 33:7–8
As for you, O son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word from My mouth and give them the warning from Me.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:2
Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
- Ezekiel 33:7–8
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; 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.