Limitless Word
¶Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Proverbs 30:5 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
  • KJV Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
  • BSB Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
  • NKJV Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
  • NLT Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

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

Every word of God is perfectly pure and reliable, and He shields all who take refuge in Him.

Overview

After confessing human ignorance, Agur turns to the trustworthiness of God's word, which is flawless and tested true. Because His word never fails, God Himself becomes a refuge for those who trust His promises. This confidence in Scripture and in God's protecting care finds its fullest assurance in Christ, the Word made flesh and our sure shield.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Ps 18:30As for God, his way is perfect. Yahweh’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
  • Ps 12:6Yahweh’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.
  • Jas 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
  • Ps 84:11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
  • Ps 3:3But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
  • Ps 119:140Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
  • Ps 91:2I will say of Yahweh, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”
  • Gen 15:1After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
  • Rom 7:12Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
  • Ps 19:8Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.
  • Ps 144:2my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge; who subdues my people under me.
  • Ps 115:9–11Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Proverbs videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Proverbs 30:5YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ProverbsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 30:5 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.