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Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.
Proverbs 14:26 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
  • KJV In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
  • BSB He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
  • NKJV In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.
  • NASB In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.

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

The fear of the LORD is a strong fortress and a refuge even for one's children. Reverence for God provides lasting security.

Overview

Reverent trust in the LORD becomes a place of strong confidence, sheltering not only the believer but extending blessing to his children. It grounds true security not in circumstances but in God Himself. This refuge finds its fullest expression in Christ, in whom we are kept safe and find a sure hope (Colossians 3:3).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • Prov 19:23The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.
  • Jer 32:39–40and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good, and of their children after them:
  • Ps 115:13–14He will bless those who fear Yahweh, both small and great.
  • Prov 18:10Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
  • Prov 3:7–8Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
  • Ps 34:7–11Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
  • Mal 3:16–18Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name.
  • Ps 112:1Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
  • Mal 4:2But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
  • Isa 33:6There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.
  • Acts 9:31So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
  • Prov 3:25–26Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:
  • Ps 112:6–8For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.
  • Eccl 7:18It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
  • Gen 31:42Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
  • Isa 26:20–21Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
  • Jer 15:11Yahweh said, “Most certainly I will strengthen you for good. Most certainly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Proverbs videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Proverbs 14:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ProverbsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.

How Proverbs 14:26 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.