Proverbs 3:20
Proverbs 3:20 in Multiple Translations
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
It was through his knowledge the waters of the deep were broken open, and the clouds sent down the dew.
By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
By his knowledge he caused the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 3:20
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 3:20 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּ֭/דַעְתּ/וֹ
תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת
נִבְקָ֑עוּ
וּ֝/שְׁחָקִ֗ים
יִרְעֲפוּ
טָֽל
בְּ֭/דַעְתּ/וֹ
daʻath
H1847
knowledge
Prep | N-fs | Suff
תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת
tᵉhôwm
H8415
abyss
N-cp
נִבְקָ֑עוּ
bâqaʻ
H1234
to break up/open
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
וּ֝/שְׁחָקִ֗ים
shachaq
H7834
cloud
Conj | N-mp
יִרְעֲפוּ
râʻaph
H7491
to drip
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
טָֽל
ṭal
H2919
dew
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 3:20
בְּ֭/דַעְתּ/וֹ
daʻath
H1847
"knowledge"
Prep | N-fs | Suff
In the Bible, daath means knowledge or understanding, like when Solomon asked God for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:9. It involves skill and perception, and is often linked to wisdom. This concept appears in the book of Proverbs.
Definition: 1) knowledge 1a) knowledge, perception, skill 1b) discernment, understanding, wisdom
Usage: Occurs in 91 OT verses. KJV: cunning, (ig-) norantly, know(-ledge), (un-) awares (wittingly). See also: Genesis 2:9; Proverbs 14:7; Psalms 19:3.
תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת
tᵉhôwm
H8415
"abyss"
N-cp
Tehom refers to the deep waters of the ocean or sea, including the subterranean water supply. It can also describe the primeval ocean or the abyss.
Definition: 1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea 1a) deep (of subterranean waters) 1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea) 1c) primeval ocean, deep 1d) deep, depth (of river) 1e) abyss, the grave
Usage: Occurs in 35 OT verses. KJV: deep (place), depth. See also: Genesis 1:2; Psalms 78:15; Psalms 33:7.
נִבְקָ֑עוּ
bâqaʻ
H1234
"to break up/open"
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
This Hebrew word means to break or open something, like a door or a wall, and is used in the Bible to describe God breaking through to help his people, as seen in Psalm 107:16.
Definition: 1) to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cleave, cleave open 1a2) to break through, break into 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cleft, be rent open, be split open 1b2) to be broken into 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cleave, cut to pieces, rend open 1c2) to break through, break down 1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be ripped open, be torn open 1d2) to be rent 1d3) to be broken into 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to break into 1e2) to break through 1f) (Hophal) to be broken into 1g) (Hithpael) to burst (themselves) open, cleave asunder
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win. See also: Genesis 7:11; Psalms 78:13; Psalms 74:15.
וּ֝/שְׁחָקִ֗ים
shachaq
H7834
"cloud"
Conj | N-mp
This noun refers to a cloud or a thin vapor in the sky, as in Psalm 36:5 where God's faithfulness reaches to the clouds. It can also mean the firmament or heaven, like in Genesis 1:20 where birds fly across the sky. The word appears about 20 times in the Bible.
Definition: 1) dust, cloud 1a) fine dust 1b) (thin) cloud
Usage: Occurs in 21 OT verses. KJV: cloud, small dust, heaven, sky. See also: Deuteronomy 33:26; Psalms 68:35; Psalms 18:12.
יִרְעֲפוּ
râʻaph
H7491
"to drip"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to drip or trickle, often used to describe liquid or water flowing slowly. It appears in the book of Job and Psalms, describing the gentle flow of water.
Definition: 1) to trickle, drip 1a) (Qal) to trickle, drip 1b) (Hiphil) to trickle
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: distil, drop (down). See also: Job 36:28; Psalms 65:13; Psalms 65:12.
טָֽל
ṭal
H2919
"dew"
N-ms
In the Bible, this word means dew, or the moisture that covers plants and grass overnight. It is often used to describe the natural world and the cycle of nature.
Definition: dew, night mist Aramaic equivalent: tal (טַל "dew" H2920)
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: dew. See also: Genesis 27:28; Job 29:19; Psalms 110:3.
Study Notes — Proverbs 3:20
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 3:20 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 3:20
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 3:20
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 3:20
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 3:20
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
- Sermons on Proverbs 3:20
Context — The Blessings of Wisdom
18She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
19The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
20By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
21My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment. 22They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 7:11 | In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. |
| 2 | Psalms 65:9–12 | You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth. You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth. You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty. The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy. |
| 3 | Job 36:27–28 | For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist, which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind. |
| 4 | Genesis 27:28 | May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth— an abundance of grain and new wine. |
| 5 | Job 38:8–11 | Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’? |
| 6 | Job 38:26–28 | to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives, to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew? |
| 7 | Genesis 1:9 | And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. |
| 8 | Psalms 104:8–9 | the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them— You set a boundary they cannot cross, that they may never again cover the earth. |
| 9 | Joel 2:23 | Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 14:22 | Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things. |
Proverbs 3:20 Summary
Proverbs 3:20 tells us that God's knowledge is what governs the natural world, including the water cycle and the weather. This means that He is actively involved in sustaining His creation, and that His wisdom and power are what hold everything together (as seen in Colossians 1:17). Just as the clouds drip with dew to water the earth, God provides for our needs and cares for us. By trusting in His knowledge and wisdom, we can have confidence in His provision and care for us, just as Psalm 23:1-4 describes God as our Shepherd who guides and provides for us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that the 'watery depths were broken open' in Proverbs 3:20?
This phrase refers to God's power in creating the world, as seen in Genesis 1:9-10, where He separated the waters and formed the seas, and in Psalm 104:6-9, where He is described as setting a boundary for the waters.
How does God's knowledge relate to the natural world?
According to Proverbs 3:20, God's knowledge is what sustains and governs the natural world, including the water cycle, as described in Ecclesiastes 1:6-7, where the winds and rivers are said to continually cycle back to their starting points.
What is the significance of the 'clouds dripped with dew' in this verse?
The image of clouds dripping with dew is a picture of God's provision and care for His creation, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:2, where God's words are compared to dew, and in Psalm 65:9-13, where He is praised for watering the earth and causing it to grow.
How does this verse relate to our daily lives?
This verse reminds us that God is actively involved in sustaining His creation, and that His knowledge and wisdom are what govern the world, as stated in Colossians 1:17, where Christ is said to be holding all things together.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I have seen God's knowledge and power at work in the natural world?
- How can I trust in God's provision and care for me, just as He cares for the earth and its creatures?
- What are some areas of my life where I need to apply God's wisdom and knowledge, as described in this verse?
- How can I cultivate a deeper appreciation for God's creation and His role in sustaining it?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 3:20
By his knowledge the depths are broken up,.... From whence fountains and rivers flow, and whereby that great cavity was made which holds that large confluence of waters called the sea, Genesis 1:9.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 3:20
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
The depths are broken up; that great abyss or depth of waters, which was mixed with and contained in the bowels of the earth, did break forth into fountains and rivers for the use of men and beasts; which is justly remembered here as an illustrious effect of God’ s wisdom, by which the earth was made habitable, and the waters serviceable. The dew; under which the rain is comprehended, as being of the same nature and use.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
Proverbs 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.Ver. 20. The depths are broken up,] viz., Those great channels and hollow places made in the earth, to hold the waters, that they may not overflow the earth; and this the very philosophers are forced to confess to be a work of divine wisdom. Others by "depths" here understand fountains and floods breaking out, and as it were flowing from the nethermost parts of the earth, even as though the earth did cleave itself in sunder, to give them passage. And the clouds drop down the dew.] Clouds, the bottles of rain and dew, are vessels as thin as the liquor that is contained in them; there they hang, move, though weighty with their burden. How they are upheld, and why they fall here and now, we know not, and wonder.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
(20) Are broken up.—Or, burst forth: the word used in Genesis 7:11 of the breaking forth of the waters from the interior of the earth at the flood. (Comp. Job 38:8.) Drop down the dew.—Of great importance in countries where for months together there is no rain
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
Verse 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up] He determined in his wisdom how to break up the fountains of the great deep, so as to bring a flood of waters upon the earth; and by his knowledge those fissures in the earth through which springs of water arise have been appointed and determined; and it is by his skill and influence that vapours are exhaled, suspended in the atmosphere, and afterwards precipitated on the earth in rain, dews, &c. Thus the wisest of men attributes those effects which we suppose to spring from natural causes to the Supreme Being himself.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 3:20
20. are] Rather, were broken up, R.V. The reference is to Genesis 7:2, where the same Heb. word is used: “all the foundations of the great deep were broken up.” The two clauses of the verse give two typical examples: alike, when the pent-up forces of nature burst forth occasionally in their resistless might, and when her gentler agencies exert continually their beneficent influence, the wisdom of God is working.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 3:20
Compare Genesis 1:7; Genesis 7:11; Job 38. Looking upon the face of Nature, men see two storehouses of the living water, without which it would be waste and barren.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 3:20
19, 20. The Lord by wisdom — These verses seem to be added for the purpose of commending, in the strongest manner, the pursuit of wisdom. It is an attribute of God himself.
Sermons on Proverbs 3:20
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Danger of Doubting by C.H. Spurgeon | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the doubts and fears that can arise in times of trouble. He encourages the audience to trust in God's purposes and not to doubt His faithfulne |
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The Wickedness of Noah's Day by Carl McIntire | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Noah and the ark as a symbol of God's plan for deliverance. He emphasizes the desperate state of the human heart and the need f |
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Are Earthquakes Natural Disasters or the Result of Judgment for Sin? by Jack Hayford | Jack Hayford preaches on the three assignments every believer has: to show forth good works (Matthew 5:16), shine forth a clear witness (1 Peter 3:15), and sustain a life of effect |
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2 Peter 3:5 by John Gill | John Gill emphasizes the willful ignorance of those who profess Christianity yet choose to disregard the foundational truths of creation and divine judgment. He explains that the h |
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I Will Cause the Shower to Come Down in His Season by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the concept of sovereign mercy in his sermon 'I Will Cause the Shower to Come Down in His Season,' illustrating that only God has the authority to send rai |
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Rev. 22:1. the Life River by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar preaches about the 'Life River' described in Revelation 22:1, emphasizing its significance as a source of spiritual nourishment and blessings. He draws parallels bet |
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The Lordship of Christ by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the Lordship of Christ as the key to spiritual fullness, arguing that early Christians experienced a vibrant spiritual life because they acknowledged Je |