Proverbs 17:2

Proverbs 17:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
• New International Version (NIV)A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

Context of Proverbs 17:2

1It is better to eat a piece of dry bread in a quiet place, than to eat a big feast in a house full of arguments. A slave who is wise will have authority over a son who does stupid things. When his master dies, that slave will receive some of his valuable things. 3You need a hot fire to make silver and gold become pure. It is the Lord who does that for people, to show what they are really like. 4People who do evil things listen to evil advice. People who tell lies listen to other people's lies.

Proverbs 17:2 word by word

עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּ֗יל יִ֭מְשֹׁל בְּבֵ֣ן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְת֥וֹךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A wiseשָׂכַלώâkal · be prudentH7919
• servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• shall have ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• that causeth shameבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
• and shall have partחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
• of the inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
• amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• the brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251

Cross-references for Proverbs 17:2

• Proverbs 11:29Anyone who causes trouble for his family will not receive any good thing from them. A foolish person like that will become the servant of a wise person.
• Proverbs 14:35A king will be pleased with a wise servant. But he will be angry with any servant who brings shame.
• Genesis 24:4Instead, you must go to my own country. Go to my family there to find a wife for my son Isaac.’
• Ecclesiastes 4:13A young man may be very poor. But if he is wise, he is better than a king who is foolish. When the king is old, he may not listen to his friends' advice.
• Proverbs 10:5A wise man cuts his crops at harvest time and he stores them. But anyone who does no work at harvest time brings shame.
• Proverbs 19:26Anyone who robs his father or chases away his mother is a bad son who brings shame to his family.
• Proverbs 29:15If you want your children to be wise, warn them and punish them when they do wrong things. If you let them do anything that they want to do, they will make their mother ashamed.

Commentaries on Proverbs 17:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The “servant,” it must be remembered, was a slave, but (as in such cases as Genesis 15:2; 2 Samuel 16:4) might succeed to the inheritance.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2Verse 2 The wise servant is more deserving, and more likely to appear one of the family, than a profligate son.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Wisdom is more important than privilege. If children act foolishly, a wise servant will become the leader of the household.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. (Compare Pr 14:35). causeth shame--(Pr 10:5). shall ... inheritance--that is, share a brother's part (compare Nu 27:4, 7).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 17:2

• Children
• Inheritance
• Prudence
• Servant
• Wisdom
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Fine
• Friend
• Glad
• Grief
• Price
• Rule
• Strike
• Proverb
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 17

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings