If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.
Parallel translations
- WEB for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
- KJV For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
- BSB for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
- NKJV For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
- NASB For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you.
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
Keeping wisdom's commands brings length of days, years of life, and peace. It matters because it shows the life-giving blessing of obedience to God.
Overview
The promise attached to obedience is abundant life and peace, reflecting wisdom's general tendency toward flourishing. These are covenant blessings, generally true though not mechanical guarantees in a fallen world. Their fullest realization is the eternal life and peace given in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Eph 6:1–3Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- Prov 4:10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
- Ps 91:16I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”
- Prov 9:11For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.
- Ps 128:6Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.
- Rom 15:13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Ps 21:4He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.
- Ps 119:165Those who love your law have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble.
- Prov 10:27The fear of Yahweh prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
- Job 5:26You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.
- Rom 5:1Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
- 1 Tim 4:8For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.
- Ps 34:11–14Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
- Isa 32:17The work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
- Prov 3:16–17Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
- Isa 57:19–21I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”
- Rom 14:17for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
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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 3:2 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.