Proverbs 9:4
in Proverbs 9“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
KJV
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
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This verse in Proverbs 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWhoso is simple - Let the young, heedless, and giddy attend to my teaching. Him that wanteth understanding - Literally, he that wanteth a heart; who is without couraye, is feeble and fickle, and easily drawn aside from the holy commandment.
This site's exposition
Wisdom has built her house
on Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom “has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars,” and seven is the book's figure of completeness. The words “Leave your folly behind, and you will live” name the cost before the gift, an exchange the guest must make to sit down.
This site's exposition
she says to him who lacks judgment
Clarke notes that lacks judgment reads literally wants a heart, a man feeble, fickle and easily drawn aside. The young man of 7:7 was described with these words. Wisdom calls him first.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Whoso is simple, Let him turn to me," she says, alluding manifestly to the holy apostles, who traversed the whole world, and called the nations to the knowledge of Him in truth, with their lofty and divine preaching. And again, "And to those that want understanding she said"-that is, to those who have not yet obtained the power of the Holy Ghost.
"Wisdom has prepared her table, she has slain her victims, she has mingled her wine in the bowl and cries with a loud voice, Turn in to me and eat the bread which I have prepared for you, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Whoever is simple, let him come to me, etc. He calls the humble the simple; he calls the foolish those who have no arrogance of worldly wisdom. But he calls such to make them wise and noble by his teaching.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Our Saviour came, not to call the righteous, but sinners, not the wise in their own eyes, who say they see ( John ix. 41 ), but the simple, those who are sensible of their simplicity and ashamed of it, and him that is willing to become a fool, that he may be wise, 1 Cor. iii. (2.) What the invitation is. [1.] We are invited to Wisdom's house: Turn in hither.
), that it is folly, is here very unjustly retorted upon the ways of virtue; but the day will declare who are the fools.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,.... Into Wisdom's house, so well built and furnished; the church of Christ, as a house of instruction; a school, where such who are "simple", weak, and foolish, may learn. Here are many instructors; saints instruct one another; ministers of the word are teachers; yea, Father, Son, and Spirit, here teach and instruct, and none teach like them.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| פֶ֭תִי | feti | [is] naive | H6612 → | 19 times |
| יָסֻ֣ר | yasur | let him turn aside | H5493 → | 299 times |
| הֵ֑נָּה | henah | here | H2008 → | 49 times |
| חֲסַר־ | chasar- | [one] lacking of | H2638 → | 17 times |
| לֵ֝֗ב | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אָ֣מְרָה | ʾamerah | she says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לּֽוֹ׃ | lo | to him |
מִי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
פֶ֭תִי[is] naive
fetiH6612 →19 times
יָסֻ֣רlet him turn aside
yasurH5493 →299 times
הֵ֑נָּהhere
henahH2008 →49 times
חֲסַר־[one] lacking of
chasar-H2638 →17 times
לֵ֝֗בheart
levH3820 →595 times
אָ֣מְרָהshe says
ʾamerahH559 →5305 times
לּֽוֹ׃to him
lo
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
Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:16
“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”
- Psalms 8:2
From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.
- Matthew 16:17
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
- Luke 10:21–24
At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them…
- 1 Corinthians 1:18–29
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- Matthew 21:16
Through
Proverbs 6:32He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
it leads to
- Proverbs 7:7
I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
- Proverbs 7:22–23
He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
- Proverbs 7:7
Through
Proverbs 8:5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
it leads to
- Proverbs 1:22
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Proverbs 1:22
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; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 2:11.