Proverbs 17:22

Proverbs 17:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
• New International Version (NIV)A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Context of Proverbs 17:22

20A twisted mind never finds happiness, and one with a devious tongue ⌞repeatedly⌟ gets into trouble. 21The parent of a fool has grief, and the father of a godless fool has no joy. A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength. 23A wicked person secretly accepts a bribe to corrupt the ways of justice. 24Wisdom is directly in front of an understanding person, but the eyes of a fool ⌞are looking around⌟ all over the world.

Proverbs 17:22 word by word

לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A merryשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• doeth goodיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• a medicineגֵּהָהgêhâh · cureH1456
• but a brokenנָכֵאnâkê' nâkâ' · strickenH5218
• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• driethיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
• the bonesגֶּ֫רֶםgerem · boneH1634

Cross-references for Proverbs 17:22

• Proverbs 12:25A person’s anxiety will weigh him down, but an encouraging word makes him joyful.
• Proverbs 15:13A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but with a heartache comes depression.
• Proverbs 18:14A person’s spirit can endure sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you’ve done.
• Romans 5:2Through Christ we can approach God and stand in his favor. So we brag because of our confidence that we will receive glory from God.
• Psalms 22:15My strength is dried up like pieces of broken pottery. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me down in the dust of death.
• Psalms 32:3When I kept silent ⌞about my sins⌟, my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long.
• Psalms 102:3My days disappear like smoke. My bones burn like hot coals.
• 2 Corinthians 2:7So now forgive and comfort him. Such distress could overwhelm someone like that if he’s not forgiven and comforted.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death.

Commentaries on Proverbs 17:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22A merry heart doeth good like a medicine - Instead of גהה gehah, a medicine, it appears that the Chaldee and Syriac had read in their copies גוה gevah, the body, as they translate in this way. This makes the apposition here more complete: "A merry heart doeth good to the body; but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Nothing has such a direct tendency to ruin health and waste out life as grief, anxiety, fretfulness, bad tempers, etc. All these work death.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Doeth good like a medicine - Better, worketh a good healing. Omit “like.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22Verse 22 It is great mercy that God gives us leave to be cheerful, and cause to be cheerful, if by his grace he gives us hearts to be cheerful.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. (Compare Pr 14:30; 15:13). The effect of the mind on the body is well known. medicine--or, "body," which better corresponds with "bone." drieth--as if the marrow were exhausted.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 17:22

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Contentment
• Disease
• Medicine

In the dictionaries

• Fine
• Friend
• Glad
• Grief
• Price
• Rule
• Strike
• Bone; Bones
• Cure; Cures
• Medicine

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