The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
- KJV The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
- BSB The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- NKJV The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
- NLT The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
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 LORD's eyes are everywhere, watching the evil and the good. Nothing escapes God's all-seeing knowledge.
Overview
This proverb affirms God's omniscience and omnipresence: He observes all people and all deeds, both wicked and righteous. This truth is both a warning to the evildoer and a comfort to the faithful that their lives are seen and remembered. It points to the God before whom all is open and laid bare (Hebrews 4:13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Heb 4:13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
- Jer 16:17For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.
- Jer 23:24Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says Yahweh. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says Yahweh.
- 2 Chr 16:9For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
- Prov 5:21For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
- Job 31:4Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
- Job 34:21–22“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
- Jer 32:19great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
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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 15:3 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.