Limitless Word

Proverbs 15:33

WEBKJVBSBESVNKJVNASBNLT
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 15:33 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB The fear of Yahweh teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.
  • BSB The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
  • ESV The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
  • NKJV The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.
  • NASB The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.
  • NLT Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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

Reverence for God is the school of wisdom, and humility precedes honor. It matters because true wisdom and lasting honor begin with humble fear of the Lord.

Overview

This capstone proverb restates the book's foundational theme that the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10), pairing it with humility as the path to honor. Pride exalts itself and falls; humility waits on God and is lifted up. This pattern is perfectly displayed in Christ, who humbled Himself and was therefore exalted (Philippians 2:8-9).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
  • Prov 18:12Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
  • Prov 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
  • Ps 34:11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
  • Jas 4:10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
  • Ps 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
  • Prov 29:23A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
  • Prov 25:6–7Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
  • Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
  • Phil 2:5–11Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
  • Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
  • Prov 8:13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)
FEARHUMILITYWISDOM

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 15:33YouTube · 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 15:33 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.

The fearיִרְאָהof the LORDיְהֹוָהis the instructionמוּסָרof wisdomחׇכְמָהand beforeפָּנִיםhonourכָּבוֹדis humilityעֲנָוָה
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