New International Version
Proverbs 6:3
3So 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!
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased.
Context of Proverbs 6:3
1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. 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! 4Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. 5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Read all of Proverbs 6Proverbs 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 in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
- 2 Chronicles 12:5Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’ ”
- Psalms 31:8You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.
- Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
- 2 Chronicles 36:12He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord.
- James 4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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