Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 17:17 in Multiple Translations
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
A true friend is always there to love you, and family provides help when troubles come.
A friende loueth at all times: and a brother is borne for aduersitie.
At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
Friends love others all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 17:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 17:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּ/כָל
עֵ֭ת
אֹהֵ֣ב
הָ/רֵ֑עַ
וְ/אָ֥ח
לְ֝/צָרָ֗ה
יִוָּלֵֽד
בְּ/כָל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
עֵ֭ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
N-cs
אֹהֵ֣ב
ʼâhab
H157
to love
V-Qal
הָ/רֵ֑עַ
rêaʻ
H7453
neighbor
Art | N-ms
וְ/אָ֥ח
ʼâch
H251
brother
Conj | N-ms
לְ֝/צָרָ֗ה
tsârâh
H6869
dearth
Prep | N-fs
יִוָּלֵֽד
yâlad
H3205
to beget
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 17:17
בְּ/כָל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
עֵ֭ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
אֹהֵ֣ב
ʼâhab
H157
"to love"
V-Qal
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Definition: : lover 1) to love 1a) (Qal) 1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual 1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom 1a3) human love for or to God 1a4) act of being a friend 1a4a) lover (participle) 1a4b) friend (participle) 1a5) God's love toward man 1a5a) to individual men 1a5b) to people Israel 1a5c) to righteousness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) lovely (participle) 1b2) loveable (participle) 1c) (Piel) 1c1) friends 1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers) 2) to like Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)
Usage: Occurs in 195 OT verses. KJV: (be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend. See also: Genesis 22:2; Psalms 116:1; Psalms 4:3.
הָ/רֵ֑עַ
rêaʻ
H7453
"neighbor"
Art | N-ms
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Definition: 1) friend, companion, fellow, another person 1a) friend, intimate 1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense) 1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)
Usage: Occurs in 173 OT verses. KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other. See also: Genesis 11:3; Job 42:7; Psalms 12:3.
וְ/אָ֥ח
ʼâch
H251
"brother"
Conj | N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Definition: : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance
Usage: Occurs in 572 OT verses. KJV: another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'. See also: Genesis 4:2; Genesis 42:13; Numbers 25:6.
לְ֝/צָרָ֗ה
tsârâh
H6869
"dearth"
Prep | N-fs
A vexer is someone who causes trouble or distress, like a rival wife, used in the Bible to describe relationships or situations that cause anguish or affliction, as seen in the book of Genesis.
Definition: death, destitution
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. See also: Genesis 35:3; Psalms 116:3; Psalms 9:10.
יִוָּלֵֽד
yâlad
H3205
"to beget"
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 30:19; 2 Samuel 21:22.
Study Notes — Proverbs 17:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 17:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 17:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 17:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 17:17
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 17:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
- Sermons on Proverbs 17:17
Context — Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. 19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 18:24 | A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. |
| 2 | John 15:13–14 | Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 20:17 | And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. |
| 4 | Proverbs 19:7 | All the brothers of a poor man hate him— how much more do his friends avoid him! He may pursue them with pleading, but they are nowhere to be found. |
| 5 | 1 Samuel 18:3 | Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. |
| 6 | Hebrews 2:11 | For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. |
| 7 | Ruth 1:16 | But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. |
| 8 | 2 Samuel 1:26 | I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. |
| 9 | Esther 4:14 | For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” |
| 10 | 1 Samuel 23:16 | And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God, |
Proverbs 17:17 Summary
This verse reminds us that true friends love and support each other no matter what, even in tough times. It's like having a brother or sister who is always there for you, through good and bad. Just as God loves us unconditionally, as seen in John 3:16, we can show this kind of love to our friends and family by being loyal and committed to them. By doing so, we reflect God's heart of love and build strong, lasting relationships, as encouraged in Proverbs 27:6 and Ephesians 4:15.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to love at all times?
To love at all times means to demonstrate unwavering commitment and loyalty, just as God loves us unconditionally, as seen in John 3:16 and Romans 8:38-39.
How can I be a good friend according to this verse?
Being a good friend involves standing by others through thick and thin, as Proverbs 17:17 suggests, and also being willing to speak truth and wisdom into their lives, as seen in Proverbs 27:6 and Ephesians 4:15.
What is the significance of a brother being born for adversity?
The idea of a brother being born for adversity highlights the importance of having close relationships that can withstand challenges and difficulties, much like the bond between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel 18:1-4.
How can I apply this verse to my relationships with others?
Applying this verse to your relationships involves being intentional about showing love, care, and commitment to others, especially during difficult times, as Galatians 6:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 encourage us to do.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean for me to love my friends and family at all times, and how can I demonstrate this in practical ways?
- How can I be a source of comfort and support for those going through adversity, just as a brother is described in this verse?
- What are some ways I can prioritize building strong, enduring relationships in my life, and what role does this verse play in that pursuit?
- In what ways can I reflect God's unconditional love, as seen in John 3:16, in my relationships with others, especially during challenging times?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times,.... A true, hearty, faithful friend, loves in times of adversity as well as in times of prosperity: there are many that are friends to persons, while they are in
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
A friend, a sincere and hearty friend, loveth at all times, not only in prosperity, but also in adversity, when false friends forsake us. A brother, who is so not only by name and blood, but by brotherly affection, is born for adversity; was sent into the world for this among other ends, that he might comfort and relieve his brother in his adversity. So this proverb compareth a friend with a brother, and showeth that a friend doth that freely, and by choice, which a brother doth by the force and obligations of nature. But this last clause may be, and is by divers, otherwise rendered, and he (to wit, the friend) is born a brother (or, becomes or is made a brother, i.e. puts on brotherly affection, as if he had received a second birth, and was born his brother; such expressions being not unusual, both in Scripture and in other authors) in or against the time of adversity. So the sense is, He is a friend at all times, but in adversity he is more than all ordinary friend, even a brother.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.Ver. 17. A friend loveth at all times.] Such a friend was Jonathan; Hushai the Archite; Ittai the Gittite, who stuck close to David when he was at his lowest point. But such faithful friends are in this age all for the most part gone in pilgrimage, as he once said, and their return is uncertain. David met with others, besides those above mentioned, that would be the causes, but not the companions, of his calamity - that would fawn upon him in his flourish, but forsake him in his trouble. "My lovers and friends stand aloof," &c. The ancients pictured Friendship in the shape of a fair young man, bare-headed, meanly appareled, having on the outside of his garment written, ‘ To live and to die with you,’ and on his forehead, Summer and winter. His breast was open, so that his heart might be seen; and with his finger he pointed to his heart, where was written, Longe, prope - Far and near. And a brother is born for adversity.] Birth binds him to it; and although at other times fratrum concordia rara, brethren may jar and jangle, yet at a straight and in a stress, good-nature will work, and good blood will not belie itself. And as in the natural, so in the spiritual brotherhood, misery breeds unity. Ridley and Hooper, that when they were both bishops, differed so much about ceremonies, could agree well enough, and be mutual comforts one to another, when they were both prisoners.
Esther concealed her kindred in hard times; but God’ s people cannot. Moses must rescue his beaten brother out of the hand of the Egyptian, though he venture his life by it. Bishop Morton. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, being wounded and overthrown by the Duke of Alencon at the battle of Agincourt, was rescued by his brother, King Henry V, who, bestriding him, delivered him from danger, &c. - Speed.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
(17) A friend loveth at all times . . .—Rather, The (true) friend loveth at all times, and (as) a brother is born for adversity.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
Verse 17. A friend loveth at all times] Equally in adversity as in prosperity. And a brother, according to the ties and interests of consanguinity, is born to support and comfort a brother in distress.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 17:17
17. a brother is born] Or (making a friend the subject clauses) is born as a brother, R.V. marg. A friend love friend’s love always, but with the love of a born brother in adversity. So was it with Jonathan and David (1 Samuel 18-20.); but the proverb admits of the highest application. See Introd. p. 30.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 17:17
Some take the proverb to describe (as in Proverbs 18:24) the “friend that sticketh closer than a brother:” and render: At all times, a friend loveth, but in adversity he is born (i. e., becomes) a brother.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 17:17
17. A friend… brother — The critics differ as to the sense of the latter part of this verse.
Sermons on Proverbs 17:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(2 Samuel) Counselors and Comfort by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of David and his trusted advisors during a time of conflict with Absalom. Jonathan and Ahimaz risk their lives to gather informati |
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Philosophies of Leadership Dec 88 by George Verwer | In this sermon, the speaker shares his philosophy of leadership and the importance of forgiveness. He emphasizes the need for mercy and how it is rooted in God's love and the sacri |
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The Friend of Disciples by W.F. Anderson | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the second charity of a friend, which is an openness of heart and mind. He uses the analogy of a slave who only receives orders from his maste |
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Hebrews 10:19-25 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the significance of entering the holiest through the blood of Jesus, emphasizing the new and living way He has consecrated for believers. He encourag |
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Spring in the Desert by John Hames | John Hames preaches about finding springs in the desert of life, symbolizing faith, hope, joy, love, friendship, contentment, and prayer as sources of life, happiness, and peace am |
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And Saul Hearkened Unto the Voice of Jonathan. by F.B. Meyer | F.B. Meyer emphasizes the noble act of Jonathan in advocating for David despite the potential fallout with his father, Saul. Jonathan's willingness to stand up for his friend illus |
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Travelling--Nonconformists by John Newton | John Newton reflects on the various trials and calamities in the world caused by sin, expressing gratitude for God's protection over him and his loved ones. He acknowledges the pai |