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Proverbs 28:26 — Word Study

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WLCבּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃

BSAHe who trustsbâṭach [has confidence, relies] in himselflêb [his own heart, feelings] is a foolkᵉçîyl [stupid, silly, rejecting God] but one who walkshâlak [lives, follows] in wisdomchokmâh [prudence, good judgment] will be safemâlaṭ [delivered, escape danger]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (yi.ma.Let) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 28:26quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse contrasts two types of people: those who rely on themselves and those who seek wisdom.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, reflecting on the nature of trust and wisdom.
Where we areIn the book of Proverbs, which offers practical wisdom for living.
The hard wordכְסִ֑יל
Take awayTrusting in oneself leads to folly, while wisdom provides safety.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbבָּטַח The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Proverbs 28:26

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Wisdom and Trust in Proverbsgenerated

25A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
26He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
27Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
28When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish.

Proverbs 28:26 highlights the contrast between self-reliance and wisdom. The surrounding verses discuss themes of greed and generosity, illustrating the broader context of moral behavior and its consequences. Trusting in the Lord is emphasized as a path to prosperity, while self-trust is deemed foolish. This reflects the wisdom literature's focus on the importance of seeking understanding and guidance beyond oneself.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 3:5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
22 Kings 8:13“But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
3Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
4Mark 7:21–23For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
5Mark 14:27–31Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בּוֹטֵ֣חַ, bo.Te.achgenerated

The word בּוֹטֵ֣חַ (bo.Te.ach) is a participle from the verb בָּטַח (batach), meaning to trust or have confidence. It implies a sense of reliance and security, often in a personal or relational context. The parsing as a masculine singular participle indicates an active subject, someone who embodies the quality of trust.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in relation to trusting in God. In this verse, it highlights the folly of relying solely on one's own understanding, contrasting with the wisdom of seeking guidance.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses trusts for בּוֹטֵ֣חַ and wisdom for בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses connected by the conjunction וְ (ve), which introduces the second thought. The first clause describes the one who trusts in himself, while the second clause describes the one who walks in wisdom.

The finite verbs are בּוֹטֵ֣חַ (trusts) and הוֹלֵ֥ךְ (walks), each governing their respective subjects. The structure emphasizes the contrast between self-trust and wise living.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בּוֹטֵ֣חַ as πέποιθεν (pepoithen), which carries a similar meaning of having confidence or trust. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the concept of trust across both Hebrew and Greek texts.

For כְסִ֑יל, the LXX uses ἄφρων (aphron), which also denotes foolishness, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning and emphasizing the folly of self-reliance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 28:26 contrasts two types of people: those who trust in themselves and are considered fools, and those who walk in wisdom and will be safe. This verse teaches that relying on one's own understanding can lead to foolishness, while seeking wisdom leads to safety.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to trust in oneself?

Trusting in oneself implies relying on one's own understanding, feelings, or judgment, which can lead to foolish decisions.

How does wisdom provide safety?

Wisdom offers practical guidance and understanding, helping individuals make better choices that lead to safety and well-being.

What is the significance of the contrast between a fool and a wise person?

The contrast highlights the consequences of one's choices: foolishness leads to danger while wisdom provides protection.

How can I apply this verse in my life?

You can apply this verse by seeking wisdom in your decisions, rather than relying solely on your own understanding.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I tend to rely on my own understanding rather than seeking wisdom?
  2. How can I cultivate a habit of seeking wisdom in my daily decisions?
  3. What are some examples of foolishness that I have seen in myself or others when trusting in oneself?
  4. How can I encourage others to seek wisdom instead of self-reliance?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 28:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool,.... Since the thoughts and imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are only evil, and that continually; they are vain and vague, sinful and corrupt; the

Read John Gill on Proverbs 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He that trusteth in his own heart; who trusts to his own wit, neglecting or slighting the advice of others, and the counsel of God himself. Is a fool; and shall receive the fruit of his folly, to wit, destruction. Whoso walketh wisely, distrusting his own judgment, and seeking the advice of others, and especially of God, as all truly wise men do, he shall be delivered from those dangers and mischiefs which fools bring upon themselves; whereby he showeth himself to be a wise man.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.Ver. 26. He that trusteth to his own heart is a fool.] He that saith, Consilii satis est in me mihi: I am wise enough to order my own business, and need no advice of others, seek no success from above, - Ajax acknowledged no other God but his sword, Polyphemus but his belly, - this man is a fool, a proud fool, and he shall be sure to be hampered. But whoso walketh wisely.] Taking others into counsel, and God above all, as David: "I will hearken," saith he, "what the Lord God saith unto me." "He shall be delivered," either from trouble, or in it - either with an outward or an inward…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 28 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) He that trusteth in his own heart, is confident in his own wisdom (comp. 1 Corinthians 3:18, sqq.); he will perish in his folly. But whoso walketh wisely.—Literally, in wisdom, which begins with the “fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 9:10), “shall be delivered” from the trouble into which the “fool” is brought by his self-confidence.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 28 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool] For his heart, which is deceitful and desperately wicked, will infallibly deceive him.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 28 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The contrast between the wisdom of him who trusts in the Lord, and the folly of self-trust.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 28 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

26. He that trusteth — From the apparent lack of antithesis in these two proverbs (25 and 26) one might conjecture that they constituted a quatrain, with the alternate or inverted parallelisms; the

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 28 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The one who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will escape.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoever walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Hee that trusteth in his owne heart, is a foole: but he that walketh in wisdome, shall be deliuered.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He that confideth in his own heart is a fool; but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Whoso is trusting in his heart is a fool, And whoso is walking in wisdom is delivered.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Whoever is trusting in his heart is a fool, || And whoever is walking in wisdom is delivered.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

He that trusteth in his own sense is a fool; but whoso walketh in wisdom, will ever escape.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

One who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks in wisdom will keep away from danger.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool: but he that walketh wisely, he shall be saved.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

People who trust their own minds are foolish, but those who follow wise ways will be kept safe.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He whose faith is in himself is foolish; but everyone walking wisely will be kept safe.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseclauseverbבּוֹטֵ֣חַ[one.who].trustsprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֭innoun phraseלִבּhis.ownוֹheartclausesubjectה֣וּאhepredicateכְסִ֑יל[is].a.foolוְandclauseclauseverbהוֹלֵ֥ךְ[one.who].walksprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֝inחָכְמָ֗הwisdomclausesubjectה֣וּאheverbיִמָּלֵֽטhe.will.be.delivered

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text (MT) of Proverbs 28:26 reads, "בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃" which translates to, "He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe." The Septuagint (LXX) has a word-by-word correspondence that matches 6 of the 8 words in the MT, indicating a degree of agreement, but the specific wording and structure differ as it reflects the Greek translation style. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a direct comparison for this verse, so their readings are not available for this study. Overall, the MT and LXX show significant alignment in meaning, though variations exist in their expression.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭לִבּוֹ ה֣וּא כְסִ֑יל וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗ה ה֣וּא יִמָּלֵֽט׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בּוֹטֵ֣חַπέποιθενבְּ֭לִבּוֹκαρδίᾳכְסִ֑ילἄφρωνוְהוֹלֵ֥ךְδὲבְּ֝חָכְמָ֗הσοφίᾳיִמָּלֵֽט׃σωθήσεται

6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Proverbs 28:26בָּטַח[one who] t[one who] trustבָּטַחלֵבin own hearin own heart hiלֵבהוּאheheהוּאכְּסִיל[is] a fool[is] a foolכְּסִילהָלַךְand [one whand [one who] wהָלַךְחָכְמָהin wisdomin wisdomחָכְמָההוּאheheהוּאמָלַטhe will be he will be deliמָלַטכָּסַלbe stupidbe stupidכָּסַלחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםחָסָהto seek reto seek refugeחָסָהלֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתמָגֵןshieldshieldמָגֵןשֶׁ֫קֶרdeceptiondeceptionשֶׁ֫קֶרחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵראִוֶּ֫לֶתfollyfollyאִוֶּ֫לֶתדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהתְּבוּנָהunderstandunderstandingתְּבוּנָהדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתנוּסto fleeto fleeנוּס
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 28:26

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
בּוֹטֵ֣חַbo.Te.ach [one who] trusts H982 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
120× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To trust means to have confidence or faith in something or someone, like the Israelites trusting in God to lead them through the desert, as seen in Psalm 23.
Amplified meaning
has confidence, relies
Tyndale gloss
to trust
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּטַח (batach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to trust or have confidence. It conveys a sense of security and boldness, both in a personal sense and when causing others to feel secure. The entries indicate its use in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, covering aspects of trust and confidence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּטַח vb. trust

Qal

trust

be confident

Hiph. cause to trust, make secure

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H982 בָּטַח trust . trust

. be confident

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

982 batach baw-takh'

a primitive root; properly, to hie for refuge (but not so

precipitately as 2620); figuratively, to trust, be confident

or sure:--be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one,

woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.

see HEBREW for 02620

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּטַח (ba.tach) — to trust.

1) to trust

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to trust, trust in

1a2) to have confidence, be confident

1a3) to be bold

1a4) to be secure

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to trust, make secure

2) (TWOT) to feel safe, be careless

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
בְּ֭לִבּוֹbe.li.bo in own heart his H3820 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Amplified meaning
his own heart, feelings
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
ה֣וּאhu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
כְסִ֑ילkhe.Sil [is] a fool H3684 Adj
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a fool or someone who is stupid and silly. It is often used to describe people who reject God's wisdom. The Bible uses this word to warn against foolish behavior.
Amplified meaning
stupid, silly, rejecting God
Tyndale gloss
fool
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּסִיל (kciyl) refers to a fool or a stupid person. It is derived from a root meaning 'fat' and is used figuratively to describe someone who is foolish, simple-minded, or arrogant. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing a lack of wisdom or understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּסִיל 70 n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3684 כְּסִיל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3684 kciyl kes-eel'

from 3688; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or

silly:--fool(-ish).

see HEBREW for 03688

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּסִיל (ke.sil) — fool.

fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 5:5; 14:1; 53:1; 74:18-22; 107:17; Pr 1:7,22; 3:35; 9:6-8,13-17; 10:1,8,10,13,14,18,23; 14:1,7-9,15; 15:7,20,21; 17:24,25; 18:2,6,7; 19:13; 20:3; 21:20; 26:3-12; 29:9,11; Ec 4:5; 7:9; 10:11-15; Mt 7:26,27; Tit 3:3

→ PARABLES OF

Of the foolish virgns Mt 25:1-13

Of the rich fool Lu 12:16-20

[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
וְהוֹלֵ֥ךְve.ho.Lekh and [one who] walks H1980 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
lives, follows
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
בְּ֝חָכְמָ֗הbe.cha.khe.Mah in wisdom H2451 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
153× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Wisdom refers to skill, prudence, or good judgment in areas like war, administration, or religion, as seen in the book of Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
prudence, good judgment
Tyndale gloss
wisdom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָכְמָה (chokmah) means wisdom and encompasses various forms of skill, including in war and administration, as well as shrewdness and ethical prudence. It is built from the root word for wisdom, חָכַם (chakam). The term appears in contexts related to both practical and religious matters.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכְמָה n.f. wisdom

skill in war

wisdom, in administration

shrewdness, wisdom

wisdom, prudence in religious affairs

wisdom, ethical and religious

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2451 חָכְמָה wisdom . skill in war

. wisdom, in administration

. shrewdness, wisdom

. wisdom, prudence in religious affairs

. wisdom, ethical and religious

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2451 chokmah khok-maw'

from 2449; wisdom (in a good sense):--skilful, wisdom,

wisely, wit.

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) — wisdom.

1) wisdom

1a) skill (in war)

1b) wisdom (in administration)

1c) shrewdness, wisdom

1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)

1e) wisdom (ethical and religious)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wiz'-dum:

1. Linguistic

2. History

3. Religious Basis

4. Ideals

5. Teaching of Christ

6. Remainder of the New Testament

(1) James

(2) Paul

7. Hypostasis

LITERATURE

1. Linguistic:

In the Revised Version (British and American) the noun "wisdom" and its corresponding adjective and verb ("be wise," "act wisely," etc.) represent a variety of Hebrew words: bin (binah, and in the English Revised Version tebunah), sakhal (sekhel, sekhel), lebh (and in the English Revised Version labhabh), tushiyah (and in the English Revised Version Te`em, `ormah, piqqach. None of these, however, is of very frequent occurrence and by far the most common group is the verb chakham, with the adjective chakham, and the nouns chokhmah, chokhmoth, with something over 300 occurrences in the Old Testament (of which rather more than half are in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Cokhmah, accordingly, may be treated as the Hebrew…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of Joseph Ge 41:16,25-39; Ac 7:10

→ Of Moses Ac 7:22

→ Of Bezaleel Ex 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1

→ Of Aholiab Ex 31:6; 35:34,35; 36:1

→ Of other skilled artisans Ex 36:2

→ Of women Ex 35:26

→ Of Hiram 1Ki 7:14; 2Ch 2:14

→ Of Solomon 1Ki 3:12,16-28; 4:29-34; 5:12; 10:24

[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
ה֣וּאhu' he H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3ms — Pronoun
HPp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[one who] trusts in own heart his he [is] a fool and [one who] walks in wisdom he he will be delivered
יִמָּלֵֽט׃yi.ma.Let he will be delivered H4422 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
95× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to escape or be delivered, like slipping away to safety. It is used in the Bible to describe people being saved from danger, like in the book of Psalms. The KJV translates it as deliver or escape.
Amplified meaning
delivered, escape danger
Tyndale gloss
to escape
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַט (malat) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to escape or slip away. It encompasses various nuances such as delivering, saving, and even giving birth in specific contexts. The entries indicate that it can refer to both physical escape and the act of laying eggs. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָלַט] vb. slip away (not in Qal)

Niph.

slip away

escape

pass. be delivered

Pi.

lay (eggs)

let escape

deliver

Hiph.

give birth to a male child

deliver

Hithp.

slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)

escape

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4422 מָלַט slip away . . slip away

. escape

. pass. be delivered

. . lay (eggs)

. let escape

. deliver

. . give birth to a male child

. deliver

. . slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)

. escape

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4422 malat maw-lat'

a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by

implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively,

to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit

sparks:--deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone,

let go, preserve, save, X speedily, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַט (ma.lat) — to escape.

1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered

1a)(Niphal)

1a1) to slip away

1a2) to escape

1a3) to be delivered

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs)

1b2) to let escape

1b3) to deliver, save (life)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to give birth to

1c2) to deliver

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape

1d2) to escape

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVNi3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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