Logos Bible Study

Proverbs 3:19–20

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

3:19By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth;54

he established the heavens by understanding.55

3:20By his knowledge the primordial sea56 was broken open,57

and the clouds drip down dew.58

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 54 Heb “founded the earth.” The verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish; to found”) describes laying the foundation of a building (1 Kgs 5:31 []; 7:10; 2 Chr 3:3; Ezra 3:10–12; Zech 4:9) and God laying the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4; Pss 24:2; 89:12; 102:26; 104:5; Isa 48:13; 51:13, 16; Zech 12:1).
  2. 55 The theme of God’s use of wisdom in creation is developed in Prov 8:22–31. Because God established the world to operate according to the principle of wisdom it is impossible for anyone to live successfully in his world apart from the wisdom that only God can give.
  3. 56 The word תְּהוֹמוֹת (téhomot, “primordial sea”) alludes to the chaotic “deep” in Gen 1:2 ( 1063 תְּהוֹם 3). This was viewed in the ancient world as a force to be reckoned with. However, God not only formed it but controls it (see J. Emerton, “Spring and Torrent in Ps 74:15,” 15 [1965]: 125).
  4. 57 This might refer to God’s action of dividing the waters to form the dry ground on the third day (Gen 1:9–10) or, less likely, to the breaking up of the fountains of the deep at the flood (Gen 7:11).
  5. 58 The two colons form a merism: The wisdom of God is behind all forces of nature, whether the violent breaking forth of its watery forces at creation or the provision of the gentle rain and dew throughout history (T. T. Perowne, Proverbs, ).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding he established the heavens;

by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

and the clouds drop down the dew.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,

by understanding he set the heavens in place;

by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord founded the earth by wisdom

and established the heavens by understanding.

By his knowledge the watery depths broke open,

and the clouds dripped with dew.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;

by understanding he created the heavens.

By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,

and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Yahweh in wisdom founded the earth;

he established the heavens in understanding.

With his knowledge, depths broke open,

and clouds dropped dew.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth;

By understanding hath he established the heavens.

By his knowledge the depths are broken up,

And the clouds drop down the dew.

Public Domain