Proverbs 8:28 — Word Study
WLCבְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃
BSAwhen He establishedʼâmats [made firm, strengthened] the cloudsshachaq [vapor, thin mist] abovemaʻal [higher, in the sky] when the fountainsʻayin [springs, sources] of the deeptᵉhôwm [abyss, ocean] gushed forthʻâzaz [became strong, flowed freely]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ | when made firm he | Preposition, verb piel infinitive construct common, suffix |
| שְׁחָקִ֣ים | [the] clouds | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| מִמָּ֑עַל | above | Preposition |
| בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז | when became strong | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| עִינ֥וֹת | [the] springs of | Noun common, feminine plural construct |
| תְּהוֹם׃ | [the] deep | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth, |
| KJV | When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: |
| ASV | When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, |
| YLT | In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep, |
| WEB | when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong, |
| BBE | When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed: |
The translations agree on the meaning of the key terms in this verse.
The verse consists of two main actions described in a sequential manner, emphasizing God's creative acts.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 8:28
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 — The Role of Wisdom in Creationgenerated
Proverbs 8:28 reflects on the moment of creation when God established the heavens and the earth. Wisdom speaks of being present with God during the creation of the world, highlighting the divine order and the power of God's word. This passage is part of a larger discourse that emphasizes the significance of Wisdom in the creation narrative, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
The Key Word — בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ, be.'a.me.Tzogenerated
The verb אָמֵץ (amats) is a piel infinitive construct meaning 'to strengthen' or 'to make firm'. It conveys the idea of establishing something with strength and firmness, as seen in contexts like Deuteronomy 31:6 where it encourages bravery.
In this verse, it describes God's action in establishing the clouds, indicating His power and authority in creation. The parsing as an infinitive construct shows that it functions as a verbal noun, emphasizing the act of making firm.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses 'established' for בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ governs the sentence, with several clauses describing different actions of God. The structure highlights God's creative acts in a sequence, emphasizing the establishment of the clouds and the deep springs.
The syntax indicates a poetic parallelism, where each clause builds upon the previous, illustrating the comprehensive nature of God's creative work.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ as ἐποίει (epoiei), meaning 'He made'. This choice emphasizes the act of creation, aligning with the Hebrew understanding of establishing and strengthening.
This translation choice reflects a consistent interpretation of God's creative power, though it may broaden the focus from mere establishment to the act of making in a more general sense.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 8:28 describes how God established the clouds and the deep springs during creation. Wisdom speaks of being there when these things were made, highlighting God's power and authority in the creative process.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's creative power in forming the natural elements of the world, demonstrating His authority over creation.
Wisdom is personified as being present with God during creation, indicating its integral role in the order of the universe.
The fountains represent the sources of water, which are essential for life, emphasizing God's provision and control over nature.
These images illustrate the vastness and depth of God's creation, reflecting His power and the intricate design of the world.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see God's creative power in the world around me?
- How can I apply the concept of Wisdom in my daily life?
- What does it mean to me that God is in control of creation?
- How can I recognize and appreciate the beauty of nature as a reflection of God's work?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Christian writers often referenced this verse to illustrate the role of Wisdom in creation, highlighting its significance in theological discussions.
This Wisdom uttered made the sky, The sky and light and all besides; All by the Word’s almighty power Were fashioned, for the Word was God.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 8 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 8:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhen he established the clouds above,.... In which the waters are bound, and yet are not rent under them; and where, in the thin air, they hang heavy with them; where they are weighed by measure, and
Read John Gill on Proverbs 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhen he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he established the clouds above.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleEstablished, Heb. strengthened, by his word and decree, which alone upholds the clouds in the air, which of themselves are thin and weak bodies, and would quickly be dissolved or dispersed. When he strengthened the fountains; when he shut up the several fountains in the cavities of the earth, and kept them there as it were by a song hand for the use of mankind. Of the deep; which have their original from the deep, either from the sea, or from the abyss of waters in the bowels of the earth.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:Ver. 28. When he established the clouds above.] That they might be kept there, as it were in tuns and bottles, till he would have them to pour down their dew, or rain.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28) When he established the clouds above.—Literally, made firm; comp. Genesis 1:6. When he strengthened the fountains of the deep.—More probably, when they flowed forth with strength.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 8 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 28. The clouds above] שחקים shechakim, "the ethereal regions," taking in the whole of the atmosphere, with all its meteors, clouds, vapours, &c.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. established the clouds) Rather, made firm the skies, R.V. he strengthened] Rather, when the fountains of the deep became strong, R.V. The same Heb. word is used of the sea, Nehemiah 9:11; Isaiah 43:16, “the mighty waters.”
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 8 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible28. When he established the clouds — Stuart: “Fixed the clouds.” Patrick: “Made the watery clouds so firm in the air that they shall not fall down altogether, but by drops, upon the earth.”
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 8 →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
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
when he established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep grew strong,
Tyndale line
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,
When he made firm the sides above: when the fountains of the deep became strong:
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
Strictly literal
when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
In His strengthening clouds above, || In His making strong fountains of the deep,
When he fastened the skies above; when the springs of the deep became strong;
I was there when he established the clouds above and when the springs in the deep became fixed.
From the Latin
When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
Simplified
when he made the clouds in the sky above, when he created the springs of the oceans,
When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of Proverbs 8:28. The Septuagint corresponds closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the core elements of the verse.
בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם׃
5 of the 6 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.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 8:28
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.
אָמֵץ (amats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be strong, bold, or alert. It encompasses a range of actions such as strengthening oneself, being determined, and exhibiting courage. The word can also imply making firm or obstinate. Various forms of the verb express different nuances, including the Qal (to be strong), Piel (to strengthen), and Hithpael (to make oneself alert).
[אָמֵץ] vb. be stout, strong, bold, alert
Qal
be strong
Imv. be bold
Pi.
make firm, strengthen
assure, secure for oneself
harden, make obstinate
Hithp.
strengthen oneself
confirm oneself in a purpose, be determined
make oneself alert, make haste
Hiph. exhibit strength, be strong
base
H553 אָמֵץ be stout, strong, bold, alert .. be strong
. Imv. be bold
. . make firm, strengthen
. assure, secure for oneself
. harden, make obstinate
. . strengthen oneself
. confirm oneself in a purpose, be determined
. make oneself alert, make haste
. exhibit strength, be strong
553 'amats aw-mats'
a primitive root; to be alert, physically (on foot) or
mentally (in courage):--confirm, be courageous (of good
courage, stedfastly minded, strong, stronger), establish,
fortify, harden, increase, prevail, strengthen (self), make
strong (obstinate, speed).
אָמֵץ (a.mats) — to strengthen.
1) to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard
1a) (Qal) to be strong, brave, bold
1b) (Piel) to strengthen, secure (for oneself), harden (heart), make firm, make obstinate, assure
1c) (Hithpael) to be determined, to make oneself alert, strengthen oneself, confirm oneself, persist in, prove superior to
1d) (Hiphil) to exhibit strength, be strong, feel strong
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffixHR/Vpcc/Sp3ms
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.
שַׁ֫חַק (shachaq) refers to fine dust or a thin cloud. It is derived from a root meaning to beat small, and its range includes both physical dust and vaporous clouds, extending to concepts of the firmament or sky. The entries consistently emphasize its qualities of fineness and thinness.
שַׁ֫חַק n.m. dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
base
H7834 שַׁ֫חַק dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
7834 shachaq shakh'-ak
from 7833; a powder (as beaten small): by analogy, a thin
vapor; by extension, the firmament:--cloud, small dust,
heaven, sky.
see HEBREW for 07833
שַׁ֫חַק (sha.chaq) — cloud.
1) dust, cloud
1a) fine dust
1b) (thin) cloud
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
In the summer season of Palestine, were an unlooked-for phenomenon, 1Sa 12:17,18, and rising from off the Mediterranean, betokened rain, 1Ki 18:44 Lu 12:54. Clouds are the symbol of armies and multitudes, probably by their grand and majestic movements, Isa 60:8 Jer 4:13 Heb 12:1. They betokened the presence of Jehovah, as on mount Sinai,
Ex 19:9 24:12-18; in the temple, Ex 40:34 1Ki 8:10; in the cloudy…
מַ֫עַל (ma'al) refers to the concept of being above or upward. It is primarily used as a noun meaning 'higher part' but appears adverbially and prepositionally in phrases indicating positions such as 'above' or 'on higher ground.' The word is built from a root meaning 'to go up' and is found in various contexts in the Old Testament.
מַ֫עַל 140 subst., higher part, only in adv. and prep. phrases, above, upward
base
H4605 מַ֫עַל subst., higher part, only in adv. and prep. phrases, above, upward
4605 ma`al mah'al
from 5927; properly, the upper part, used only adverbially
with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.:--
above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on (X very) high, over,
up(-on, -ward), very.
see HEBREW for 05927
מַ֫עַל (ma.al) — above.
subst
1) higher part, upper part
adv
1a) above
prep
1b) on the top of, above, on higher ground than
with locative
1c) upwards, higher, above
Prep | Adv — PrepositionHR/Acbsa
עָזַז (azaz) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be strong or to prevail. It can refer to both literal and figurative strength, with uses in the Qal form indicating strength or prevailing, and in the Hiphil form suggesting making firm or strengthening. The entries highlight its application in contexts of boldness, particularly in relation to a wicked man.
[עָזַז] vb. be strong
Qal be strong, prevail
Hiph. a wicked man maketh firm (sheweth boldness) with his face
base
H5810 [עָזַז] be strong .be strong, prevail
. a wicked man maketh firm (sheweth boldness) with his face
5810 `azaz aw-zaz'
a primitive root; to be stout (literally or
figuratively):--harden, impudent, prevail, strengthen (self),
be strong.
עָזַז (a.zaz) — be strong.
1) to be strong
1a) (Qal) to be strong, prevail
1b) (Hiphil) to make firm, strengthen
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
N-cp — Noun common · feminine plural constructHNcfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תְּהוֹם (tehom) refers to a deep or abyss, often associated with the sea or subterranean waters. It encompasses meanings such as depths, the primeval ocean in Hebrew cosmology, and can also denote the grave. The word is typically feminine and is derived from a root meaning 'to surge.'
תְּהוֹם n.f. et m. deep, sea, abyss
deep, of subterranean waters
(deep) sea
primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
deep, depth
abyss
base
H8415 תְּהוֹם deep, sea, abyss . deep, of subterranean waters
. (deep) sea
. primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
. deep, depth
. abyss
8415 thowm teh-home'
or thom {teh-home'}; (usually feminine) from 1949; an abyss
(as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main
sea or the subterranean water-supply):--deep (place), depth.
see HEBREW for 01949
תְּהוֹם (te.hom) — abyss.
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
N-cs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa