Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
Parallel translations
- WEB Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
- KJV Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
- BSB Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
- NKJV Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.
- NASB Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance.
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
Plans succeed through counsel, and war is waged wisely with guidance. It matters because wise decisions require seeking good advice.
Overview
Whether in daily plans or weighty matters like warfare, success depends on sound counsel rather than going it alone (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22). The verse commends humility to seek wisdom from others. Ultimately, all true counsel flows from God, the 'Wonderful Counselor' (Isaiah 9:6; Proverbs 19:21).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Prov 15:22Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.
- Luke 14:31Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
- Prov 24:6for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.
- Prov 11:14Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.
- Judg 1:1–2After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, “Who should go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”
- Judg 20:18The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”
- 2 Sam 2:26–27Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
- Judg 20:7Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”
- Prov 25:8Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?
- 2 Chr 25:17–23Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
- Judg 20:26–28Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
- Judg 9:29I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army, and come out!”
- Judg 20:23The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”
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 20:18 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.