Proverbs 27:12
in Proverbs 27The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
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 27
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Be wise, my son
on Proverbs 27:11-14
"Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart" opens a short group of household counsel. The prudent see danger and take cover while the simple pay the penalty. Verse 14 closes the group, for a neighbor blessed "with a loud voice early in the morning" hears a curse.
This site's exposition
The prudent see danger and take cover
The prudent see trouble coming and hide from it, while the simple walk straight on into it. The verse sits in a cluster of household counsel that opens with a father's plea in verse 11. Foresight is the wisdom that plea asks for.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A prudent man foreseeth the evil,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A prudent man foreseeth the evil - The very same as Pro 22:3.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
A cunning man saw harm He sees the retribution coming upon the earth and hides from it by withdrawing from sin, but the fools did not hide and passed on the way of harm.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
because he stood surety for a stranger A man who stood surety brings about that the judge should say to the creditor, “Take his garment.”
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עָר֤וּם | ʾarum | a sensible [person] | H6175 → | 11 times |
| רָאָ֣ה | raah | he sees | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| רָעָ֣ה | raah | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| נִסְתָּ֑ר | nistar | he hides himself | H5641 → | 80 times |
| פְּ֝תָאיִ֗ם | petayim | naive people | H6612 → | 19 times |
| עָבְר֥וּ | ʾaveru | they pass on | H5674 → | 556 times |
| נֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃ | neenashu | they are punished | H6064 → | 9 times |
עָר֤וּםa sensible [person]
ʾarumH6175 →11 times
רָאָ֣הhe sees
raahH7200 →1300 times
רָעָ֣הevil
raahH7451 →662 times
נִסְתָּ֑רhe hides himself
nistarH5641 →80 times
פְּ֝תָאיִ֗םnaive people
petayimH6612 →19 times
עָבְר֥וּthey pass on
ʾaveruH5674 →556 times
נֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃they are punished
neenashuH6064 →9 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 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 22:3
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.
- Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.
- Psalms 91:2
I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
- Psalms 144:2
He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
- Psalms 61:3–4
For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy.
- 2 Samuel 22:3
Through
Proverbs 22:3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
it leads to
- Proverbs 14:16
A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
- Proverbs 29:1
A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
- Proverbs 14:16
Through
Hebrews 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…
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.
- Genesis 6:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).