Proverbs 20:24

Proverbs 20:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
• New International Version (NIV)A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?
• English Standard Version (ESV)A man's steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?
• New King James Version (NKJV)A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?

Context of Proverbs 20:24

22Do not say, ‘I will pay you back for the evil thing you did to me.’ Trust the Lord to make it right for you. 23The Lord hates traders who use false weights. He hates scales that do not weigh things properly. The Lord chooses the way that we take through life. We cannot understand what will happen to us. 25Do not be too quick to promise to give something to God. If you want to change your mind, you have made a trap for yourself. 26A wise king can pick out wicked people, and he will punish them as they deserve.

Proverbs 20:24 word by word

מֵיהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Man’sגָּבֶרgeber · great manH1397
• goingsמִצְעָדmits‛âd · stepH4703
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• how can a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• then understandבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• his own wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870

Cross-references for Proverbs 20:24

• Psalms 37:23If the way that somebody lives pleases the Lord, the Lord will lead him into good things.
• Jeremiah 10:23Lord, I know that nobody controls their own life. Nobody can decide what will happen to them.
• Daniel 5:23You thought that you were greater than the Lord of heaven. So you told your servants to bring the valuable cups that belong to God's temple. You yourself, your wives, your other women and your important friends drank wine from those cups. You praised your gods that were made from silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Those are idols that cannot see or hear. They cannot understand anything. But you worshipped them instead of the true God. He is the God who gives life to you. He has power over everything that you do.
• Acts 17:28Someone said this: “Because God gives us life, we are alive. Because of him, we can move about. Because of him we can be who we are.” One of your writers has also said, “We too are God's children.”
• Proverbs 14:8A careful person understands what is right and he does it. But a foolish person's silly thoughts deceive him.
• Proverbs 16:9People make plans for what they will do, but it is the Lord who leads them in the right way.
• Psalms 25:4Lord, help me to understand your ways. Teach me your good paths.
• Isaiah 10:6I send Assyria's army against a nation that does not serve God. I command them to attack the people with whom I am angry. I tell them to take that nation's valuable things for themselves. I tell them to walk all over them, as if they were walking on dirt in the streets.

Commentaries on Proverbs 20:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Man's goings are of the Lord - He, by his providence, governs all the great concerns of the world. Man often traverses these operations; but he does it to his own damage. An old writer quaintly says: "They who will carve for themselves shall cut their fingers."Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24The order of a man‘s life is a mystery even to himself. He knows not where he is going, or for what God is educating him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24Verse 24 How can we form plans, and conduct business, independently of the Lord?Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24God clearly guides our steps (see Proverbs 16:1, 9, 33). We do not need to understand why things happen. We should not lose hope because God is in control.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Man's goings--literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man." a man--any common man. understand--or, "perceive."Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 20:24

• Ignorance

In the dictionaries

• Advice
• Cease
• Counsel
• Naught
• Obscure
• Proclaim
• Providence
• Pure
• Purpose
• Wait

Commentaries on Proverbs 20

• 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