Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Proverbs 3:18–21

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21¶ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapterReport
More

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

4 selected · 31 available

Add or remove verses within this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

All 37 ranked passages are available for comparison.

Proverbs 3:18Cross-references · 7 ranked passages

  1. Open

    30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

  2. Open

    4A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

  3. Open

    7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

  4. Open

    9And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

  5. Open

    22¶ And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

  6. Open

    12Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

  7. Open

    2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Proverbs 3:19Cross-references · 6 ranked passages

  1. Open

    24O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

  2. Open

    12He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

  3. John 1:3Rank 3
    Open

    3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

  4. Open

    15He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.

  5. Open

    5To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  6. Open

    27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

    28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

    29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Proverbs 3:20Cross-references · 12 ranked passages

  1. Open

    11¶ In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

  2. Open

    9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

    10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

    11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

    12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

  3. Open

    9¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

  4. Open

    28Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

  5. Open

    27For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

    28Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

  6. Open

    26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

    27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

    28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

  7. Open

    8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

    9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

    10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

    11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

  8. Open

    28Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

  9. Open

    37And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

    38And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

    39And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

  10. Open

    22Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

  11. Joel 2:23Rank 11
    Open

    23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

  12. Open

    8They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

    9Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

Proverbs 3:21Cross-references · 12 ranked passages

  1. Open

    8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

  2. Open

    6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

    7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

    8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

    9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

  3. Open

    46And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

    47For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

  4. Open

    21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

  5. Open

    1THEREFORE we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

    2For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

    3How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

  6. Open

    9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

  7. Open

    27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

  8. John 8:31Rank 8
    Open

    31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

  9. Open

    24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

  10. Open

    6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

    7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

  11. Open

    1MY son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

    2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

    3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

  12. Open

    7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 3:18

COMBINED MEANING

lay

↗

Sense 1: To put, place, set, arrange, deposit, apply, establish, impose, or cause to be in a stated position or condition. Sense 2: As the past tense of lie, to recline, rest, be situated, or remain in a state. Sense 3: In lay with, to have sexual relations. Sense 4: To press or bear upon. Sense 5: In lay up, lay by, or lay in store, to keep, store, or treasure; in lay wait, lay snares, lay an ambush, or lay siege, to prepare or set. Sense 6: In lay hold or lay hands on, to seize, take, apprehend, or touch. Sense 7: In lay down one's life, to surrender or give it; in lay aside, lay apart, or lay away, to remove, reject, or put off.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hold

↗

Sense 1: To grasp, seize, cling to, carry, wield, support, or keep fast, literally or figuratively. Sense 2: To keep, retain, possess, maintain, continue in, or adhere to. Sense 3: To restrain, confine, or keep back; to contain or have capacity. Sense 4: To regard, account, or judge. Sense 5: To conduct or celebrate an observance. Sense 6: To endure, prevail, or take effect. Sense 7: In hold one's peace or hold one's tongue, to remain silent. Sense 8: As a noun, a grasp or attachment; a place of confinement, refuge, security, or fortification.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

upon

↗

1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

every

↗

Each individual or member of the class, group, place, time, side, or kind named; all distributively.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

retaineth

↗

Third-person singular present form of retain (to hold or keep in possession; not to lose or part with or dismiss).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 3:19

COMBINED MEANING

wisdom

↗

Knowledge, understanding, judgment, skill, or prudence.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

understanding

↗

1. The capacity or act of perceiving, comprehending, discerning, judging, interpreting, or applying knowledge. 2. Knowledge, insight, wisdom, or prudent judgment possessed or gained. 3. Skill or ability in a work, art, subject, vision, saying, or interpretation.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

established

↗

Set firmly; founded, made stable, ordained, enacted, ratified, or confirmed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 3:20

COMBINED MEANING

clouds

↗

Sense 1: Visible masses of condensed vapour in the sky. Sense 2: Figures of covering, multitude, or obscurity.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

drop

↗

Sense 1: A small rounded portion of liquid. Sense 2: To fall, let fall, distil, or pour in drops.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

dew

↗

Moisture that falls or settles in drops, especially at night.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 3:21

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

depart

↗

1. To leave, go away, or move from a place or person. 2. To cease to remain, be removed, disappear, or pass away. 3. To turn or separate from a way, practice, allegiance, or relationship. 4. To leave earthly life or this world.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

eyes

↗

The bodily organs of sight; by extension, sight, attention, observation, perception, understanding, desire, judgment, estimation, favour, or the presence and view before which something occurs.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

keep

↗

To guard, watch, protect, preserve, secure, retain, possess, hold, maintain, support, tend, manage, observe, obey, fulfil, celebrate, continue in, refrain from, or remain faithful to a person, place, trust, command, promise, way, time, or thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sound

↗

Sense 1: Sound: an audible noise, voice, report, or message. Sense 2: As an adjective, healthy, whole, firm, or free from error. Sense 3: As a verb, to make a noise, play or blow an instrument, or give a signal.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

wisdom

↗

Knowledge, understanding, judgment, skill, or prudence.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Proverbs 3:13–26

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

3:13¶ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

3:14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

3:15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

3:16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

3:18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Selected passage

3:19The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

Selected passage

3:20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Selected passage

3:21¶ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

Selected passage

3:22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

3:23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

3:24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

3:25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

3:26For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Ask a Pastor Near You

Enter a postal code or city and region to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Search runs in your browser using downloaded location data. It does not contact churches or a geocoding service. Approximate city and postal-area locations from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.