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Proverbs 1:7

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

KJV

Timor Domini principium sapientiæ ; sapientiam atque doctrinam stulti despiciunt.

Vulgate

Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος θεοῦ, σύνεσις δὲ ἀγαθὴ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσιν αὐτήν· εὐσέβεια δὲ εἰς θεὸν ἀρχὴ αἰσθήσεως, σοφίαν δὲ καὶ παιδείαν ἀσεβεῖς ἐξουθενήσουσιν.

LXX

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; Butthe foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

ASV

יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה רֵאשִׁ֣ית דָּ֑עַת חָכְמָ֥ה וּ֝/מוּסָ֗ר אֱוִילִ֥ים בָּֽזוּ

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

8 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

אֱוִ֣יל
'vyl
adjective · 26×
בָּז
bz
verb · 12×
דָֽעַת
d't
verb · 93×
חָכְמָ֑ה
chkmh
noun · 148×
יְהוָ֖ה
yhvh
proper_noun · 6455×
יִרְאַ֣ת
yr't
noun · 42×
מוּסָ֑ר
mvsr
noun · 50×
רֵאשִׁ֣ית
r'shyt
noun · 51×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

8 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Arguments in opposition to Tatian, showing that it was consonant to divine justice and mercy that the first Adam should first partake in that salvation offered to all by Christ. 1. It was necessary, therefore, that the Lord, coming to the lost sheep, and making recapitulation of so comprehensive a dispensation, and seeking after His own handiwork, should save that very man who …
1. Beloved, let us make great account of spiritual things, and not think that it is sufficient for us to salvation to pursue them anyhow. For if in things of this life a man can gain no great profit if he conduct them in an indifferent and chance way, much more will this be the case in spiritual things, since these require yet greater attention. Wherefore Christ when He referre…
Abba Poemen said, "These three things are the most helpful of all: to fear the Lord, to pray, and to do good to your neighbor."
Abba John said, "Humility and the fear of God are above all virtues."
Faith is the first movement of the soul toward God and the foundation on which all knowledge is built. Clement rejects the charge that Christian faith is irrational credulity. Every system of knowledge begins with first principles that must be accepted before reasoning can begin — and faith is precisely this kind of foundational assent. Faith is the substance of things hoped fo…

Cross-references

  • 1Pet 2:17 — Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
  • 1Sam 12:24 — Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
  • 1Thess 4:8 — He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
  • 2Thess 2:10 — And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
  • Acts 9:31 — Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
  • Acts 10:35 — But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
  • Deut 4:6 — Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understandi
  • Deut 32:28 — For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
  • Eccl 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.
  • Eccl 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.
  • Exod 20:20 — And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
  • Gen 22:12 — And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
  • Hag 1:12 — Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet,
  • Jer 7:28 — But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
  • Job 28:28 — And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
  • Job 28:28 — And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
  • Job 30:8 — They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
  • John 3:18 — 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.
  • Matt 13:19 — When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
  • Prov 1:22 — How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
  • Prov 1:29 — For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
  • Prov 2:5 — Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
  • Prov 5:12 — And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
  • Prov 5:12 — And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
  • Prov 9:10 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
  • Prov 9:10 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
  • Prov 15:5 — A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
  • Prov 15:32 — He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
  • Prov 15:33 — The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
  • Prov 15:33 — The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
  • Prov 18:2 — A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
  • Prov 18:2 — A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
  • Prov 23:9 — Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
  • Prov 31:30 — Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
  • Ps 5:5 — The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
  • Ps 14:1 — The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
  • Ps 25:12 — What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
  • Ps 34:11 — Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
  • Ps 50:17 — Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.
  • Ps 95:10 — Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: