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, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger— 2if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— 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. 4Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. 5Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.

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 24:14“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”
• 2 Chronicles 12:5The prophet Shemaiah then met with Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders, who had all fled to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah told them, “This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak.”
• Psalms 31:8You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place.
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.
• 2 Chronicles 36:12But Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the Lord.
• James 4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

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