Proverbs

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:32a

Text (BHS):

כִּי מְשׁוּבַת פְּתָיִם תַּהַרְגֵם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

Surely the turning away of the gullible will kill them.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי () : surely.
מְשׁוּבַת () : construct of מְשׁוּבָה () : the apostasy (HALOT) of.
פְּתָיִם (pᵉtāyim) : plural of פֶּתִי () : the gullible.
תַּהַרְגֵם (tahargēm) : Qal imperfect 3 f.s. of הָרַג (hārag) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : will kill them.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:32b

Text (BHS):

וְשַׁלְוַת כְּסִילִים תְּאַבְּדֵם

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and the complacency of fools will destroy them..

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְשַׁלְוַת () : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + construct of שַׁלְוָה () : and the self-confidence [HALOT] of.
כְּסִילִים () : plural of כְּסִיל () : fools (or dolts [HALOT]).
תְּאַבְּדֵם (tᵉʾabbᵉdēm) : Piel imperfect 3 f.s. of אָבַד (ʾābad) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : will destroy them.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:33a

Text (BHS):

וְשֹׁמֵעַ לִי יִשְׁכָּן־בֶּטַח

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

but whoever listens to me will dwell secure.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְשֹׁמֵעַ () : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + Qal participle of שָׁמַע () : but whoever listens.
לִי () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : to me.
יִשְׁכָּן () : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of שָׁכַן () : will dwell.
בֶּטַח (beṭaḥ) : adverbial accusative : secure.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 1:33b

Text (BHS):

וְשַׁאֲנַן מִפַּחַד רָעָה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (ESV):

and will be at ease, without dread of disaster..

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְשַׁאֲנַן () : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + Palel perfect 3 m.s. of שָׁאַן () : and be at ease.
מִפַּחַד (mippaḥad) : preposition מִן (min) + construct פַּחַד (paḥad) : without dread of.
רָעָה () : feminine of רַע (raʿ) : harm (Waltke).

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:1a

Text (BHS):

בְּנִי אִם־תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (ESV):

My son, if you receive my words.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

בְּנִי () : noun בֵּן (bēn) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : my son.
אִם (ʾim) : hypothetical particle : if.
תִּקַּח (tiqqaḥ) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of לָקַח (lāqaḥ) : you accept (Waltke).
אֲמָרָי (ʾᵃmārāy) : plural of אֵמֶר (ʾēmer) + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix (pausal vocalization) : my words.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:1b

Text (BHS):

וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (ESV):

and treasure up my commandments with you.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וּמִצְוֹתַי () : conjunction וּ () + plural of מִצְוָה () + pronominal 1 c.s. suffix : and my commandments.
תִּצְפֹּן (tiṣpōn) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of צָפַן (ṣāpan) : you treasure up.
אִתָּךְ (ʾittāk) : preposition אֵת (ʾēt) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix (pausal vocalization) : with you.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:2a

Text (BHS):

לְהַקְשִׁיב לַחָכְמָה אָזְנֶךָ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (ESV):

making your ear attentive to wisdom.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לְהַקְשִׁיב () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + Hiphil infinitive construct of קָשַׁב () : making attentive.*
לַחָכְמָה () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + noun חָכְמָה () : to wisdom.
אָזְנֶךָ (ʾoznekā) : noun אֹזֶן (ʾōzen) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : your ear.

*Waltke: Gerundive lᵉ + infinitive (IBHSlᵉ (...), etc., because making the ear attentive to wisdom logically precedes storing it up (verse 1b) and the syntax of verse 2b demands it.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:2b

Text (BHS):

תַּטֶּה לִבְּךָ לַתְּבוּנָה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

you will apply* your heart to understanding

*The prefix conjugation commonly represents the apodosis of an implied circumstantial clause. The same construction occurs in 5:2 (IBHS

.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

תַּטֶּה (taṭṭeh) : Hiphil imperfect 2 m.s. of נָטָה () : you will incline.
לִבְּךָ (libbᵉkā) : noun לֵב (lēb) + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : your heart.
לַתְּבוּנָה () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + definite article + תְּבוּנָה () : to understanding.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:3a

Text (BHS):

כִּי אִם לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

indeed, if to insight you call out

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי () : emphatic, deictic, and stressing (HALOT) : indeed.
אִם (ʾim) : hypothetical particle : if.
לַבִּינָה () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + definite article + בִּינָה () : to insight.
תִקְרָא (tiqrāʾ) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of קָרָא (qārāʾ) : you call out.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:3b

Text (BHS):

לַתְּבוּנָה תִּתֵּן קוֹלֶךָ

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

to understanding you raise your voice

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

לַתְּבוּנָה () : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + definite article + תְּבוּנָה () : to understanding.
תִּתֵּן (tittēn) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of תִּתֵּן (nātan) : you raise.
קוֹלֶךָ () : noun קוֹל () + pronominal 2 m.s. suffix : your voice.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:4a

Text (BHS):

אִם־תְּבַקְשֶׁנָּה כַכָּסֶף

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

if you seek it* as for silver

*Or "her." The singular pronoun suggests that "wisdom," "insight," and "understanding" are co-referential terms for the same reality.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אִם (ʾim) : hypothetical particle : if.
בַקְשֶׁנָּה () : Piel imperfect 2 m.s. of בָּקַשׁ () + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : you seek it/her.*
כַכָּסֶף (kakkāsep) : preposition כְּ (kᵉ) + definite article + כֶּסֶף (kesep) : like silver.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:4b

Text (BHS):

וְכַמַּטְמוֹנִים תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and as for hidden treasures you search for it.

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְכַמַּטְמוֹנִים () : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + preposition כְּ (kᵉ) + definite article + plural of מַטְמוֹן () : and as for hidden treasures.
תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה () : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : you search for it.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:5a

Text (BHS):

אָז תָּבִין יִרְאַת יְהוָה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

then you will understand the fear of the LORD

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

אָז (ʾāz) : logical and temporal particle : then.
תָּבִין () : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of בִּין () : you will understand.
יִרְאַת (yirʾat) : construct of יָרֵא (yārēʾ) : the fear of.
יְהוָה (YHWH) : proper name : Yahweh/the LORD.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:5b

Text (BHS):

וְדַעַת אֱלֹהִים תִּמְצָא

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Waltke):

and the knowledge of God* you will find

*The ambiguous genitive may be a genitive of authorship (i.e., the LORD is the author of knowledge), and/or a genitive of inalienable possession (i.e., knowledge is an intrinsic property of the LORD), and/or an objective genitive (i.e., teaching brings one into a personal relationship with God) (IBHS

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

וְדַעַת (wᵉdaʿat) : conjunction וְ (wᵉ) + construct דַּעַת (daʿat) : and the knowledge of.
אֱלֹהִים () : God.
תִּמְצָא (timṣāʾ) : Qal imperfect 2 m.s. of מָצָא (māṣāʾ) : you will find.

[John Reece]

Proverbs 2:6a

Text (BHS):

כִּי־יְהוָה יִתֵּן חָכְמָה

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (ESV):

for the LORD gives wisdom

Glossary & Analysis (meanings in this context):

כִּי () : conjunction : for.
יְהוָה (YHWH) : proper name : Yahweh/the LORD.
יִתֵּן (yittēn) : Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of נָתַן (nātan) : gives.
חָכְמָה () : wisdom.