Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs 1:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• New International Version (NIV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Context of Proverbs 1:7

5The wise will hear and increase their learning, And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth], 6To understand a proverb and a figure [of speech] or an enigma with its interpretation, And the words of the wise and their riddles [that require reflection]. The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline. 8My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not reject the teaching of your mother. 9For they are a garland of grace on your head, And chains and ornaments [of gold] around your neck.

Proverbs 1:7 word by word

יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה רֵאשִׁ֣ית דָּ֑עַת חָכְמָ֥ה וּ֝מוּסָ֗ר אֱוִילִ֥ים בָּֽזוּ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• the beginningרֵאשִׁיתrê'shîyth · first: beginningH7225
• of knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• foolsאֱוִיל'ĕvîyl · fool(ish)H191
• despiseבּוּזbûz · to despiseH936
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and instructionמוּסָרmûsâr · discipline: instructionH4148

Cross-references for Proverbs 1:7

• Proverbs 9:10The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.
• Job 28:28But to man He said, ‘Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
• Psalms 111:10The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever.
• Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], Who delights greatly in His commandments.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person.
• Proverbs 1:22“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning? How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing, How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?
• Proverbs 5:12And you say, “How I hated instruction and discipline, And my heart despised correction and reproof!
• Proverbs 15:5A [flippant, arrogant] fool rejects his father’s instruction and correction, But he who [is willing to learn and] regards and keeps in mind a reprimand acquires good sense.
• Proverbs 18:2A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].
• John 3:18Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].
• Romans 1:28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive,

Commentaries on Proverbs 1:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The fear of the Lord - In the preceding verses Solomon shows the advantage of acting according to the dictates of wisdom; in the following verses he shows the danger of acting contrary to them. The fear of the Lord signifies that religious reverence which every intelligent being owes to his Creator; and is often used to express the whole of religion, as we have frequently had occasion to remark in different places. But what is religion? The love of God…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7The beginning of wisdom is found in the temper of reverence and awe. The fear of the finite in the presence of the Infinite, of the sinful in the presence of the Holy (compare Job 42:5-6), this for the Israelite was the starting-point of all true wisdom. In the Book of Job 28:28 it appears as an oracle accompanied by the noblest poetry. In Psalm 111:10 it comes as the choral close of a temple hymn. Here it is the watchword of a true ethical education…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Fear of the Lord means relying completely on God for everything, including knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). It is not just a way of thinking; it involves serving, loving, and obeying God’s laws (see Deuteronomy 10:12–13). Fear of the Lord is the basis of all knowledge. How can we understand life without knowing its most basic truth—that God created it?Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. The fear of the Lord--the principle of true piety (compare Pr 2:5; 14:26, 27; Job 28:28; Psa 34:11; 111:10; Ac 9:31). beginning--first part, foundation. fools--the stupid and indifferent to God's character and government; hence the wicked.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 1:7

• Blindness
• Fear of God
• Fool
• Knowledge
• Wisdom
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Call
• Consent
• Despise
• Entice
• Fear of the Lord the
• Hate
• Lurk
• Naught
• Prosperity
• Proverb

Commentaries on Proverbs 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings