Proverbs 8:32
in Proverbs 8Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.
KJV
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
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This verse in Proverbs 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Now therefore, my sons, listen to me
on Proverbs 8:32-36
The poem turns back into the father's appeal. “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD” gathers the chapter's promise into one line. The alternative is stated plainly: “he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death”.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
), do every thing that she prescribes, keep within the hedges of her ways, and not transgress them, keep in the tracks of her ways, proceed and persevere in them. " Hear instruction and be wise; let it be a means to make you wise in ordering your conversation." What we know is known in vain if it do not make us wise,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children,.... Children of his and his Father, with whom his delights were; predestinated to the adoption of children; children of the covenant and promise, given to him as such in the covenant; for whom he became man, suffered and died, to gather together regenerated ones, by which they appear to be the children of God: these Wisdom here addresses in the most affectionate manner; Christ, having finished the account and description of himself, reassumes his former exhortation, Pro 8:5; and enforces it by the several particulars in the above description.
"Read the word written, sit under the word preached, bless God for both, and hear him in both speaking to you." Let children age, and what they hearken to then, it is likely, they will be so seasoned by as to be governed by all their days. Let Wisdom's children justify Wisdom by hearkening to her and show themselves to be indeed her children.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Now therefore - Since I delight so much in conveying instruction; since I have the happiness of the children of Adam so much at heart, hearken unto me; and this is for your own interest, for blessed are they who keep my ways.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The old exhortation with a new force. The counsels are no longer those of prudence and human experience, but of a Wisdom eternal as Yahweh, ordering all things.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| בָ֭נִים | vanim | O children | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שִׁמְעוּ־ | shimu- | listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| לִ֑י | li | to me | ||
| וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י | veashrei | and how blessed! | H835 → | 45 times |
| דְּרָכַ֥י | derakhai | [are those who] ways my | H1870 → | 707 times |
| יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃ | yishmoru | they observe | H8104 → | 468 times |
וְעַתָּ֣הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
בָ֭נִיםO children
vanimH1121 →4930 times
שִׁמְעוּ־listen
shimu-H8085 →1159 times
לִ֑יto me
li
וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗יand how blessed!
veashreiH835 →45 times
דְּרָכַ֥י[are those who] ways my
derakhaiH1870 →707 times
יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃they observe
yishmoruH8104 →468 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
Luke 11:28But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
it leads to
- Psalms 112:1
Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 6:47–48
I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them:
- Luke 8:21
But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out.”
- James 1:21–25
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.
- John 13:17
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- Psalms 112:1
Through
Psalms 128:1Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!
it leads to
- Psalms 119:1
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Psalms 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
- Luke 1:50
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
- Psalms 119:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.