Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
Parallel translations
- WEB then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
- KJV Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
- NKJV Then I was beside Himas a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
- NASB Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, Rejoicing always before Him,
- NLT I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.
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
Wisdom was the craftsman at God's side, a daily delight, always rejoicing before him. Wisdom shared in God's creative work with constant joy.
Overview
Here wisdom is portrayed as a skilled 'craftsman' beside God, full of delight in his presence. The Hebrew word's sense is debated, rendered by some as 'master worker' and by others as 'little child' or 'nursling,' but either way the scene radiates intimacy and joy in the creative work. Christians have long seen in this delighting companion at creation a foreshadowing of the eternal Son, the Father's beloved (John 17:24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 1:1–3In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- John 1:18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
- Isa 42:1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
- Matt 3:17And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
- John 16:28I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
- John 12:28Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
- Col 1:13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
- Matt 17:5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 8:30 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.