Proverbs 29:3
in Proverbs 29A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father; But he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.
KJV
Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
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This verse in Proverbs 29
Commentary
6 notes on this verseIn my view, the sketch of a soul which yearns to preserve the blessed tradition without losing a single drop runs something like this: "When a man loves wisdom, his father's heart will be warmed." Wells which are constantly baled out provide a clearer water; wells which no one draws from turn to rottenness. Use keeps iron brighter; disuse produces rust in it. In general, exercise produces fitness in souls and bodies.
This site's exposition
When the righteous flourish
on Proverbs 29:2-4
"When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" opens a thread on rulers. Verse 3 applies the principle to one household and one son's choices. Verse 4 names what makes or breaks a land: "By justice a king brings stability to the land."
This site's exposition
A man who loves wisdom
A son who loves wisdom brings his father joy. Barnes notes that the second line turns from the father to the son's own ruin, as a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. Clement likens wisdom to a well kept clear by use.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Spendeth ... - The laws of parallelism would lead us to expect “troubleth his father,” but that is passed over as a thing about which the profligate would not care, and he is reminded of what comes home to him, that he is on the road to ruin. The king - The ruler, as the supreme fountain of all justice, and as the ideal judge, is contrasted with the taker of bribers.
But he that keepeth company - רעה roeh, he that feedeth harlots, יאבד yeabed, shall utterly destroy his substance. Has there ever been a single case to the contrary?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִֽישׁ־ | ʾish- | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֹהֵ֣ב | ʾohev | [who] loves | H157 → | 211 times |
| חָ֭כְמָה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| יְשַׂמַּ֣ח | yesamach | he makes glad | H8055 → | 155 times |
| אָבִ֑יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְרֹעֶ֥ה | veroeh | and [one who] associates with | H7462 → | 177 times |
| ז֝וֹנ֗וֹת | zonot | prostitutes | H2181 → | 94 times |
| יְאַבֶּד־ | yeabed- | he destroys | H6 → | 184 times |
| הֽוֹן׃ | hon | wealth | H1952 → | 26 times |
אִֽישׁ־a person
ʾish-H376 →1663 times
אֹהֵ֣ב[who] loves
ʾohevH157 →211 times
חָ֭כְמָהwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
יְשַׂמַּ֣חhe makes glad
yesamachH8055 →155 times
אָבִ֑יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
וְרֹעֶ֥הand [one who] associates with
veroehH7462 →177 times
ז֝וֹנ֗וֹתprostitutes
zonotH2181 →94 times
יְאַבֶּד־he destroys
yeabed-H6 →184 times
הֽוֹן׃wealth
honH1952 →26 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 10:1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
it leads to
- Proverbs 23:15–16
My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 23:24–25
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 1:1
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
- Proverbs 29:15
A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
- Proverbs 17:25
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
- Proverbs 23:15–16
Through
Proverbs 27:11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 119:42
Then I can answer him who taunts, for I trust in Your word.
- Proverbs 10:1
Through
Proverbs 6:26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
it leads to
- Luke 15:30
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
- Luke 15:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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); Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).