Proverbs 1 · Verse 7

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7, King James Version

Proverbs 1:7 in other translations

BSBThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
WEBThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
ASVThe fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
YLTFear of Jehovah is a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
DARBYThe fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction.
BBEThe fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
WebsterThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

What does Proverbs 1:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. The fear of the Lord--the principle of true piety (compare Pr 2:5; 14:26, 27; Job 28:28; Psa 34:11; 111:10; Ac 9:31). beginning--first part, foundation. fools--the stupid and indifferent to God's character and government; hence the wicked.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 The fear of the Lord - In the preceding verses Solomon shows the advantage of acting according to the dictates of wisdom; in the following verses he shows the danger of acting contrary to them. The fear of the Lord signifies that religious reverence which every intelligent being owes to his Creator; and is often used to express the whole of religion, as we have frequently had occasion to remark in different places. But what is religion? The love of God, and the love of man; the former producing all obedience to the Divine will; the latter, every act of benevolence to one's fellows. The love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit produces the deepest religious reverence, genuine piety, and cheerful obedience. To love one's neighbor as himself is the second great commandment; and as love worketh no ill to one's neighbor, therefore it is said to be the fulfilling of the law. Without love, there is no obedience; without reverence, there is neither caution, consistent conduct, nor perseverance in righteousness. This fear or religious reverence is said to be the beginning of knowledge; ראשית reshith, the principle, the first moving influence, begotten in a tender conscience by the Spirit of God. No man can ever become truly wise, who does not begin with God, the fountain of knowledge; and he whose mind is influenced by the fear and love of God will learn more in a month than others will in a year. Fools despise - אוילים evilim, evil men. Men of bad hearts, bad heads, and bad ways.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 1:7-9
Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 1:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יִרְאַ֣תyir.'At[the] fear ofH3374
יְ֭הוָהYah.wehYahwehH3068
רֵאשִׁ֣יתre.Shit[is the] beginning ofH7225
דָּ֑עַתDa.'atknowledgeH1847
חָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahwisdomH2451
וּ֝מוּסָ֗רu.mu.Sarand disciplineH4148
אֱוִילִ֥ים'e.vi.LimfoolsH191
בָּֽזוּ\׃\ \פBa.zuthey despiseH936

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 1:7

  • Job 28:28

    And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

  • Proverbs 9:10

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

  • Psalms 111:10-112:1

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:13

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

  • Proverbs 15:33

    The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

  • Proverbs 18:2

    A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

  • Proverbs 1:22

    How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

  • Proverbs 1:29-30

    For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

  • Romans 1:28

    And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

  • Proverbs 15:5

    A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

  • John 3:18-21

    He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

  • Proverbs 5:12-13

    And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fear.
9:10; Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; 112:1; Ec 12:13
beginning. or, principal part. but.
22,29,30; 5:12,13; 15:5; 18:2; Joh 3:18-21; Ro 1:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 1:6

    To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

  • Proverbs 1:7

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

  • Proverbs 1:8

    My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Read all of Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El principio de la sabiduría es el temor de Jehová: los insensatos desprecian la sabiduría y la enseñanza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La crainte de l’ Éternel est le commencement de la connaissance; les fous méprisent la sagesse et l’instruction.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Furcht Jehovas ist der Erkenntnis Anfang; die Narren verachten Weisheit und Unterweisung.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Timor Domini principium sapientiæ; sapientiam atque doctrinam stulti despiciunt.