To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
Parallel translations
- KJV And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
- BSB And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- NKJV And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
- NASB “And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”
- NLT And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God's word to man is that the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and turning from evil is understanding.
Overview
The chapter reaches its climax: while wisdom in its fullness belongs to God, the wisdom available to man is to fear the Lord and depart from evil. True wisdom is not abstract knowledge but reverent, obedient relationship with God. This is the foundation of biblical wisdom (Proverbs 9:10) and is perfectly fulfilled in Christ, who lived in full reverence toward the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Theme
- Wisdom"The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom."
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 111:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Prov 1:7The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
- Prov 9:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
- Prov 3:7Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
- Eccl 12:13This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
- Deut 4:6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
- Jas 3:13–17Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- Ps 34:14Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it.
- Prov 8:26–32while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
- Prov 13:14The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.
- Deut 29:29The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
- Prov 8:4–5“To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
- Prov 16:17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
- 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Isa 1:16Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
- 1 Pet 3:11Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 28:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.