The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
- BSB The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
- NKJV The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
- NASB The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.
- NLT The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.
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 watches over knowledge but overthrows the words of the unfaithful. It matters because God preserves truth and frustrates deceit.
Overview
God's providence guards what is true and right while bringing the schemes and lies of the treacherous to nothing (Proverbs 21:30; Psalm 33:10). The verse assures that truth endures under God's watchful care. The faithful can trust that God upholds his truth against all falsehood.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Tim 3:8–9Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
- 2 Chr 16:9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Acts 13:8–12But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
- Job 5:12–13He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
- 2 Th 2:8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
- Acts 12:23–24And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
- Acts 8:9–12But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
- Matt 16:16–18And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
- Rev 11:3–11And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
- Rev 12:14–17And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
- Acts 5:39But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
- Isa 59:19–21So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
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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 22:12 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
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