God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 16:18
18Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall.
Proverbs 16:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
- New International Version (NIV)Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Context of Proverbs 16:18
16How much better it is to gain wisdom than gold, and the gaining of understanding should be chosen over silver. 17The highway of decent people turns away from evil. Whoever watches his way preserves his own life. Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall. 19Better to be humble with lowly people than to share stolen goods with arrogant people. 20Whoever gives attention to the Lord’s word prospers, and blessed is the person who trusts the Lord.
Read all of Proverbs 16Proverbs 16:18 word by word
לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּא֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 16:18
- Proverbs 11:2Arrogance comes, then comes shame, but wisdom remains with humble people.
- Proverbs 17:19Whoever loves sin loves a quarrel. Whoever builds his city gate high invites destruction.
- Proverbs 18:12Before destruction a person’s heart is arrogant, but humility comes before honor.
- Proverbs 29:23A person’s pride will humiliate him, but a humble spirit gains honor.
- Esther 3:5When Haman saw that Mordecai did not kneel and bow to him, Haman was infuriated.
- Esther 6:6So Haman came in. The king then asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to reward?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to reward more than me?”
- Esther 7:10So servants hung Haman’s ⌞dead body⌟ on the very pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king got over his raging anger.
- Isaiah 2:11The eyes of arrogant people will be humbled. High and mighty people will be brought down. On that day the Lord alone will be honored.
- Isaiah 37:10“Tell King Hezekiah of Judah, ‘Don’t let the god whom you trust deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be put under the control of the king of Assyria.
- Daniel 4:30The king thought, “Look how great Babylon is! I built the royal palace by my own impressive power and for my glorious honor.”
- Daniel 5:22“Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors. You didn’t remain humble, even though you knew all this.
- Obadiah 1:3Your arrogance has deceived you. You live on rocky cliffs. You make your home up high. You say to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to earth.’
- Matthew 26:33Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else abandons you, I never will.”
- Romans 11:20That’s right! They were broken off because they didn’t believe, but you remain on the tree because you do believe. Don’t feel arrogant, but be afraid.
- 1 Timothy 3:6He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned.
Commentaries on Proverbs 16:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Pride goeth before destruction - Here pride is personified: it walks along, and has destruction in its train. And a haughty spirit before a fall - Another personification. A haughty spirit marches on, and ruin comes after. In this verse we find the following Masoretic note in most Hebrew Bibles. הספר חצי chatsi hassepher : "the middle of the book." This verse is the middle verse; and the first clause makes the middle of the words of the book of Proverbs.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18Verse 18 When men defy God's judgments, and think themselves far from them, it is a sign they are at the door. Let us not fear the pride of others, but fear pride in ourselves.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Those who resist God and rely on their own strength (Proverbs 16:5) are acting foolishly and harming themselves. Without God's help, no one has enough resources for life.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. (Compare Pr 15:33). Haughtiness and pride imply self-confidence which produces carelessness, and hence a fall--literally, "sliding."Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 16:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 16
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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