Proverbs - 14:26



26 In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Proverbs 14:26.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
In the fear of the Lord is confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children.
In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

His children - Probably, the children whom the Lord adopts, and who are true to their adoption.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence - From this, and from genuine Christian experience, we find that the fear of God is highly consistent with the strongest confidence in his mercy and goodness.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence,.... Such who fear the Lord may be confident that he has a love to them, a delight in them; that his eye is upon them, and his heart towards them; and will communicate every needful good to them, and protect and defend them: or the Lord himself that is feared, who is the object of fear, called the fear of Isaac, Genesis 31:42; he is a strong tower, a place of defence to those that fear him and trust in him, Proverbs 18:10;
and his children shall have a place of refuge; the children of God, as those that fear him are; the Lord is a place of refuge to them, from the avenger of blood, from the vindictive justice of God; from the storm and tempest of divine wrath, and from the curses of a righteous law; as well as from the rage and persecutions of men.

Those who fear the Lord so as to obey and serve him, have a strong ground of confidence, and will be preserved. Let us seek to this Fountain of life, that we may escape the snares of death.

26 In the fear of Jahve lies a strong ground of confidence,
And the children of such an one have a refuge.
The so-called בּ essentiae stands here, as at Psalm 68:5; Psalm 55:19; Isaiah 26:4, before the subject idea; the clause: in the fear of God exists, i.e., it is and proves itself, as a strong ground of confidence, does not mean that the fear of God is something in which one can rely (Hitzig), but that it has (Proverbs 22:19; Jeremiah 17:7, and here) an inheritance which is enduring, unwavering, and not disappointing in God, who is the object of fear; for it is not faith, nor anything else subjective, which is the rock that bears us, but this Rock is the object which faith lays hold of (cf. Isaiah 28:16). Is now the וּלבניו to be referred, with Ewald and Zckler, to 'ה? It is possible, as we have discussed at Genesis 6:1.; but in view of parallels such as Proverbs 20:7, it is not probable. He who fears God entails in the Abrahamic way (Genesis 18:19) the fear of God on his children, and in this precious paternal inheritance they have a מחסה (not מחסה, and therefore to be written with Masoretic exactness מחסּה), a fortress or place of protection, a refuge in every time of need (cf. Psalm 71:5-7). Accordingly, ולבניו refers back to the 'ירא ה, to be understood from 'ביראת ה (lxx, Luther, and all the Jewish interpreters), which we find not so doubtful as to regard on this account the explanation after Psalm 73:15, cf. Deuteronomy 14:1, as necessary, although we grant that such an introduction of the N.T. generalization and deepening of the idea of sonship is to be expected from the Chokma.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on Proverbs 14:26

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.