Proverbs 6:3

Proverbs 6:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
• New International Version (NIV)So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion— and give your neighbor no rest!
• English Standard Version (ESV)then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.

Context of Proverbs 6:3

1My child, be careful not to promise more than you can really do. You may have promised to pay the debts of a friend or of a stranger. 2Then what you have promised to do may become a trap that catches you. Now you need to escape from your problem. Your friend has got power over you. So you must be humble. Go quickly to him and ask him to forgive the debt. 4Do not let yourself sleep or even stop to rest until you have met with him. 5You must make yourself free from the trap. Escape quickly, like a bird or a deer that runs away from a hunter.

Proverbs 6:3 word by word

עֲשֵׂ֨ה זֹ֥את אֵפ֪וֹא׀ בְּנִ֡י וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל כִּ֘י בָ֤אתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֵ֥ךְ הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס וּרְהַ֥ב רֵעֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• this nowאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
• my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• thyself, when thou art comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• of thy friendרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• humbleרָפַסrâphas · to stampH7511
• thyself, and make sureרָהַבrâhab · to be assertiveH7292

Cross-references for Proverbs 6:3

• 2 Samuel 24:14David said to Gad, ‘I am very upset. I do not want men to punish me. The Lord is kind and he forgives people. So it would be better for him to punish me.’
• 2 Chronicles 12:5The prophet Shemaiah then came to speak to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah. They had met together in Jerusalem because they were afraid of King Shishak. Shemaiah said to them, ‘The Lord says this: “You have turned away from me. So now I have turned away from you. I will let Shishak take power over you.” ’
• Psalms 31:8You have not put me under the power of my enemies. You have led me into an open place, where I can be safe.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Israelites says this: “You are still too proud to obey me. Let my people go so that they may worship me.
• 2 Chronicles 36:12He did things that the Lord said were evil. The prophet Jeremiah spoke the Lord's message to Zedekiah. But Zedekiah was too proud to listen to him.
• James 4:10Be humble in front of the Lord God. Then he will lift you up to a good place.

Commentaries on Proverbs 6:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Do this - deliver thyself - Continue to press him for whom thou art become surety, to pay his creditor; give him no rest till he do it, else thou mayest fully expect to be left to pay the debt.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Better, “Do this now, O my son, and free thyself when thou hast come into thy friend‘s house; go, how thyself down (perhaps “stamp with thy foot,” or “hasten”), press hotly upon thy friend. By persuasion, and if need be, by threats, get back the bond which thou hast been entrapped into signing:” The “friend” is, as before, the companion, not the creditor.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5free yourself: The risk of disaster is so high that escaping is a matter of life and death, like animals trapped.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. come ... friend--in his power. humble ... sure thy friend--urge as a suppliant; that is, induce the friend to provide otherwise for his debt, or secure the surety.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 6:3

• Surety (Guarantee)
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Hunt
• Lust
• Naughtiness
• Suddenly
• Surety
• Teach
• Hezekiah (2)
• James, Epistle of
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Sure; Surely

Commentaries on Proverbs 6

• 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