When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
Parallel translations
- WEB In the light of the king’s face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
- KJV In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
- NKJV In the light of the king’s face is life, And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.
- NASB In the light of a king’s face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.
- NLT When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
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
A king's favor brings life and refreshment, like rain that revives the land. It matters because the goodwill of those in authority can be a source of great blessing.
Overview
Contrasting the previous verse, this proverb pictures the life-giving effect of a king's pleased countenance, likened to the welcome spring rains. Favor from authority can refresh and sustain. This points beyond earthly kings to the favor of God, whose face shining upon His people is their true life (Numbers 6:24-26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 72:6May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth.
- Job 29:23–24They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
- Acts 2:28You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
- Hos 6:3So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.
- Prov 19:12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Ps 4:6Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
- Ps 21:6For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence.
- Ps 30:5For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
- Zech 10:1Ask the LORD for rain in springtime; the LORD makes the storm clouds, and He will give everyone showers of rain and crops in the field.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 16:15 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.