Proverbs 6:3
in Proverbs 6then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;
KJV
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
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This verse in Proverbs 6
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Gregory the DialogistThe Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 4 · Written before 604.
For whosoever is put over others for an example of life is admonished not only to keep watch himself, but also to arouse his friend. For it is not enough for him to keep watch in living well, if he do not also sever him when he is set over from the torpor of sin. For it is well said, "Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor let thine eyelids slumber." For indeed to give sleep to the eyes is to cease from earnestness, so as to neglect altogether the care of our subordinates.
This site's exposition
struck hands in pledge with a stranger
on Proverbs 6:1-5
A son has “put up security for your neighbor” and “struck hands in pledge with a stranger,” and his own promise holds him fast. The son must break free at once, “like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,” putting safety before pride.
This site's exposition
Go, humble yourself
Barnes takes the neighbor as the companion whose debt was guaranteed, and he has the son press him hard until the bond is given back. Pride has no place in the plea. The son who signed must go in person and humble himself.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore, do what I say, my son, etc. Run, hurry, rouse your friend. Not only remember to keep vigil yourself by living well, but also detach by preaching the one over whom you preside from the body of sin.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Delays are dangerous, and feeble efforts will not serve." See what care God, in his word, has taken to make men good husbands of their estates, and to teach them prudence in the management of them. Godliness has precepts, as well as promises, relating to the life that now is. But how are we to understand this?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Better, “Do this now, O my son, and free thyself when thou hast come into thy friend’s house; go, how thyself down (perhaps “stamp with thy foot,” or “hasten”), press hotly upon thy friend. By persuasion, and if need be, by threats, get back the bond which thou hast been entrapped into signing:” The “friend” is, as before, the companion, not the creditor.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
come . . . friend--in his power. humble . . . sure thy friend--urge as a suppliant; that is, induce the friend to provide otherwise for his debt, or secure the surety.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Do this - deliver thyself - Continue to press him for whom thou art become surety, to pay his creditor; give him no rest till he do it, else thou mayest fully expect to be left to pay the debt.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֲשֵׂ֨ה | ʾaseh | do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| זֹ֥את | zot | this | H2063 → | |
| אֵפ֪וֹא׀ | ʾefo' | then | H645 → | |
| בְּנִ֡י | beni | O son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל | vehinatzel | and deliver yourself | H5337 → | 212 times |
| כִּ֘י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בָ֤אתָ | vata | you have come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְכַף־ | vekhaf- | in [the] palm of | H3709 → | 192 times |
| רֵעֶ֑ךָ | reekha | neighbor your | H7453 → | 188 times |
| לֵ֥ךְ | lekh | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס | hitrapes | humble yourself | H7511 → | |
| וּרְהַ֥ב | urehav | and importune | H7292 → | |
| רֵעֶֽיךָ׃ | reeikha | neighbor your | H7453 → | 188 times |
עֲשֵׂ֨הdo
ʾasehH6213 →2628 times
זֹ֥אתthis
zotH2063 →
אֵפ֪וֹא׀then
ʾefo'H645 →
בְּנִ֡יO son my
beniH1121 →4930 times
וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗לand deliver yourself
vehinatzelH5337 →212 times
כִּ֘יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בָ֤אתָyou have come
vataH935 →2568 times
בְכַף־in [the] palm of
vekhaf-H3709 →192 times
רֵעֶ֑ךָneighbor your
reekhaH7453 →188 times
לֵ֥ךְgo
lekhH1980 →1546 times
הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗סhumble yourself
hitrapesH7511 →
וּרְהַ֥בand importune
urehavH7292 →
רֵעֶֽיךָ׃neighbor your
reeikhaH7453 →188 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
James 4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 147:6
The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.
- Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
- Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- James 4:6–7
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- 1 Peter 5:6
Through
Psalms 31:8You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
it leads to
- Job 36:16
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
- Deuteronomy 32:30
How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
- Job 36:16
Through
2 Samuel 24:14David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”
it leads to
- Psalms 119:156
Great are Your mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your ordinances.
- Psalms 119:156
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; Gregory the Dialogist, The Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 4; 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.