yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
Parallel Translations
-
yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
-
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
-
Yea, if thou call for understanding, and lift up thy voice for discernment;
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Proverbs 2:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
- Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
- Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- 1 Kings 3:9-12 Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?” This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.
- Psalms 25:4-5 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long.
- Psalms 119:125 I am your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.
- Psalms 119:169 Let my cry come before you, Yahweh. Give me understanding according to your word.
- 1 Chronicles 22:12 May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
- Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.
- Psalms 119:73 Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.
- Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
- Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Meaning, that we must seek the knowledge of God…
Meaning, that we must seek the knowledge of God with care and diligence.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and]…
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Ver. 3. If thou criest after knowledge.] Bene orasse est bene studuisse, said Luther. Knowledge is God’s gift (Jas 1:5; Jas 1:17), and must be sought at his hand, since he is "the Father of lights," and sells us "eye salve," Rev 3:17.
Read full note →
And liftest up thy voice.] As resolved to "give God no rest" till thou hast it. A dull suitor begs a denial. "Then shall men know if they follow on to know the Lord," Hos 6:3. "Teach me," "teach me," saith David often. "Lord, show me thy glory," said Moses, newly come from the mount.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain If thou criest, to wit, unto God, the only…
If thou criest, to wit, unto God, the only giver of it, Pro 2:5, Heb. if thou callest; invitest it to come unto thee; earnestly desirest its conduct.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,.... Of God, Christ,…
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,.... Of God, Christ, and the Gospel; not only bow the ear and bend the mind to these things, but importunately and fervently pray for them; not only attend the ministry of the word by men, but cry to God to give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of divine and spiritual things; which supposes some sense of a want of it, an hearty desire for it, having some apprehension of the worth and value of it; and that it is to be had, as there is indeed great reason to hope for and expect it, Jam 1:5;
and liftest up thy voice for understanding; for Christ, who is understanding as well as wisdom, Pro 8:14; or rather for an understanding of the Gospel and the mysteries of it, which men do not naturally understand; and for which there must be an understanding given, or the eyes of the understanding must be enlightened; or Christ, by his spirit and grace, must open the understanding, that it may understand these things; which is granted to those who lift up their voice in prayer for it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Criest - To God, the only giver of it.
Criest - To God, the only giver of it.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Yea, if--literally, "When if," that is, in such a…
Yea, if--literally, "When if," that is, in such a case.
knowledge--or, "discrimination."
Read full note →
understanding--as in Pro 2:2.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 3, 4. If thou… liftest up thy voice —…
3, 4. If thou… liftest up thy voice — Callest aloud; denoting eagerness of desire.
Seekest… searchest — And that as for things that men value most, as silver, and hid, or concealed, treasures. For an effective, practical commentary on this verse, one should go to the gold mines or the oil regions. The intensity with which men seek the treasures concealed in the earth is a study for a philosopher. (See Land and Book, vol. i, p. 197.) So, my son, seek after wisdom, divine and human, for all wisdom is divine, when sought and used for divine purposes.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 3. knowledge] Rather, discernment, R.V. See Pro_1:2, note.
3. knowledge] Rather, discernment, R.V. See Pro_1:2, note.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Yea, if thou criest after knowledge. The endeavour after…
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge. The endeavour after Wisdom is not only to be sincere, it is also to be earnest, as appears from the "yea, if," and the verbs "crying" and "lifting up the voice," both of which frequently occur in Scripture as indicating earnestness. This earnestness is the counterpart of that which Wisdom herself displays. (see Pro_1:20, Pro_1:21) Knowledge; i.e. insight. In the original there is practically little difference between "knowledge" and "understanding" (hnyBi and hnWbT). They carry on the idea expressed in "understanding" in the preceding verse, and thus throw the emphasis on the verbs. The LXX and Vulgate, however, take "knowledge" as equivalent to sofia , sapientia, "wisdom." The reading of the Targum, "If thou tallest understanding thy mother," arises from reading for but is not to be preferred to the Masoretic text, as it destroys the parallelism.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Yea, if thou criest after knowledge.
Pro_2:3
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge.
Read full note →
All knowledge is good
No kind of knowledge is to be despised. The bee gathers honey from every flower. What shore so bleak, what moor so barren, what rocks so naked from which we may not carry home some interesting object, in the shape of plant or mineral? So there are no circumstances in which we are placed, or persons, the humblest, with whom we can associate, without learning something we did not know before; something of value which, while interesting, may not one day prove useful, an example of the familiar proverb, Keep a thing for seven years, and you will find the use of it. (T. Guthrie, D.D.)
Earnest seeking for virtues
A man has lost a title-deed, or some paper that would decide a suit in his favour rather than against him. And with what alacrity does he search for it! How does he go through the house in quest of it! My dear, have you seen that roll of paper with a great red seal on it? What was it? A newspaper? No, no! not a newspaper. I shall lose a suit if I cannot find it. And she searches in every drawer and every trunk, and every closet, and even under the carpets. Both of them search night and day, going over the same place twenty times, saying, Maybe I did not look thoroughly. And they cannot give it up. The man almost cries, he wants it so much. He will have it, so much depends upon it. And at last he finds it, and he says, I would rather have had my house burned than not to have found this paper. Now, when men search for victorious virtues in their souls as they would search for an important legal document, do you suppose they will be saying, Perhaps others may be able to live a good Christian life, but I cannot? You can. And when you want true religion, when your soul hungers for it, you will find it. (H. W. Beecher.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 If you cry out for understanding and raise your…
If you cry out for understanding and raise your voice for it
Both of these phrases have the same meaning. It is implied that the person is strongly asking Yahweh for understanding. AT: "If you urgently ask God and plead for understanding" (See: Parallelism and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Read full note →
raise your voice
This is an idiom that means to speak loudly or to shout. (See: Idiom)
if you seek it like you would seek silver and search for understanding as you would seek hidden treasures
Both phrases have the same meaning. These similes emphasize the great effort a person should make to understand what is wise. AT: "if you seek understanding with as much effort as you search for a valuable object" (See: Parallelism and Simile)
you seek it ... search for understanding
Trying very hard to understand what is wise is spoken of as if understanding were an object for which a person must search. (See: Metaphor)
you will find the knowledge of God
To succeed in knowing God is spoken of as if the knowledge of God were an object that a person finds after searching. (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
cry
understand
voice
seek
silver
fear
Yahweh
God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.