Proverbs 16:17

Proverbs 16:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
• New International Version (NIV)The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

Context of Proverbs 16:17

15When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain. 16How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. 18Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. 19Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.

Proverbs 16:17 word by word

מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The highwayמְסִלָּהmesillâh · highwayH4546
• of the uprightיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• to departסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: departH5493
• from evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• he that keepethנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
• his wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• preservethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for Proverbs 16:17

• Proverbs 4:24Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.
• Isaiah 35:8And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.
• Acts 10:35In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
• Acts 24:16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.
• Proverbs 10:9People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
• Proverbs 19:16Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.
• Matthew 24:13But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
• Hebrews 10:39But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
• Jude 1:21and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
• Revelation 3:10“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.

Commentaries on Proverbs 16:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The highway of the upright - The upright man is ever departing from evil; this is his common road: and by keeping on in this way, his soul is preserved.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17Verse 17 A sincerely religious man keeps at a distance from every appearance of evil. Happy is the man that walks in Christ, and is led by the Spirit of Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. The highway--A common, plain road represents the habitual course of the righteous in departing from evil. keepeth--observes.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 16:17

• Highways
• Holiness
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Divine
• Haughty
• Lot
• Pride
• Whisperer
• Causeway; Causey
• Proverb
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Way

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