Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
Parallel Translations
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Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
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Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
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Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thou shalt not dash thy foot.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Proverbs 3:23 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 4:12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
- Proverbs 10:9 He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
- Psalms 91:11-12 For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.
- Psalms 121:3 He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
- Psalms 37:23-24 A man’s steps are established by Yahweh. He delights in his way. Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Yahweh holds him up with his hand.
- Psalms 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.
- Psalms 121:8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
- Proverbs 2:8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.
- Zechariah 10:12 I will strengthen them in Yahweh; and they will walk up and down in his name,” says Yahweh.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way…
Pro 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Ver. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely.] Fiducialiter, saith the Vulgate - confidently and securely. Every malvoy shall be a salvoy to thee: thou shalt ever go under a double guard, the "peace of God" within thee, {Php 4:7} and the "power of God" without thee. {1Pe 1:5} "Thou shalt be in league also with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." {Job 5:23}
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 Walk in thy way; manage all thy employments and…
Walk in thy way; manage all thy employments and concerns.
Safely, or securely, or confidently, without danger or fear; casting thy care upon God in the discharge of thy duty.
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Shall not stumble at those stumbling-blocks and temptations at which heedless sinners commonly stumble and fall. Thou shalt thereby be kept from falling into sin, and that mischief which generally attends upon it.
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 Then shall thou walk in thy way safely,.... In…
Then shall thou walk in thy way safely,.... In the way of thy duty and business, without fear of any enemy; having in sight the Captain of salvation gone before, and walking in such ways of pleasantness and peace as Wisdom's are; and having such a lamp to the feet, and such a light unto the paths, as the Gospel and its doctrines be;
and thy foot shall not stumble; at the word and the truths of it, as some men do, being thereunto appointed; and at Christ, the stumbling stone laid in Zion, particularly at his justifying righteousness; see Pe1 2:8.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 3:23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way…
Pro 3:23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way — Manage all thy employments and concerns safely, securely, or confidently, without danger or fear, casting thy care on God, in the discharge of thy duty. And thy foot shall not stumble — At those stumbling-blocks, trials, and temptations, at which heedless sinners commonly stumble, and by which they fall. Thy natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection of God’s providence; thy spiritual life, and all its interests, under the protection of his grace; so that thou shalt be kept from falling into sin or trouble. Wisdom shall direct thee into and keep thee in the right way, as far as may be from temptation, and will enable thee to walk in it with holy security, and thou shalt find the way of duty to be the way of safety.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain The habitual eyeing of the word keeps the feet…
The habitual eyeing of the word keeps the feet in a slippery path. (Pro 4:11-12 . Psa 17:4 ; Psa 37:23 ; Psa 119:9, Psa 119:11, Psa 119:133 .) David, from inattention to wisdom’s words, "well-nigh slipped." (Psa 73:2-17 .) Peter from the same neglect fearfully stumbled. (Mat 26:33-35, Mat 26:69-75 .) But our sleeping hours, no less than our waking steps, are divinely guarded. "So he giveth his beloved sleep." (Psa 127:2 . Compare Psa 121:3-4 .) "Underneath them are the everlasting arms." (Deu 33:27 . Compare Lev 26:6 .) They enjoy a child-like repose, sleeping in his bosom without fear. Thus did David ’sleep in God, and in a state of salvation,’ amid the tumultuous warfare with his undutiful son.†1 Peter in prison, in chains, between two soldiers, on the eve of his probable execution, when "there seemed but a step between him and death" — Yet in such a place, in such company, at such a moment, did he lie down so fearless, and sleep so sweetly; that even the shining light failed to disturb him, and an angel’s stroke was needed to awaken him.†2 What would not many in troublous times, waking at every stir, give for one night of this sweet sleep! And yet how many such nights have we enjoyed; waking, as Jacob on his stony — we might add — downy, pillar, in the consciousness of our Father’s keeping! But where has been our renewed dedication to God? (Gen 28:11, Gen 28:18-22 .)
But sudden fear may come. Yet be not afraid. (Job 5:21-24 . Compare 2Ki 6:16-17 ; Jer 39:15-18 .) It is the desolation of the wicked. They must fear. (Isa 57:20-21 .) Child of God! run you to your confidence, and "be safe." (Pro 14:26 ; Pro 18:10 . Isa 26:1, Isa 26:20 .) Surely he shall keep thy foot from being taken. (Psa 91:1-3 .) Noah found this security in the flood of the ungodly; Lot in the destruction of Sodom (2Pe 2:5-9 ); the Christians in Pella, in the desolation of the wicked city. Luther sung his song of confidence — "God is our refuge and strength." (Psalm 46.) In the consummating desolation, when it cometh — what will then be the sudden fear — the undismayed confidence? "All the tribes of the earth will mourn" at the sight of their despised Savior — then their Judge. (Pro 1:27 . Luk 21:26 . Rev 1:7 ; Rev 6:15-17 .) But, "when ye see these things, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luk 21:28 . Compare 2Th 1:7-10 .)
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Footnotes
†1 ’Obdormit in Deo, et in statu salutis.’ — Lyra. — Psa 3:1-8 . Psa 4:8 . Compare the beautiful picture, Eze 34:25-28, in contrast with Pro 4:16 . Deu 28:66 .
†2 Act 12:6-7. Our Martyrologist records of John Rogers, the proto-martyr in the Marian persecution, that ’on the morning of his execution, being found fast asleep, scarce with much shogging could he be awaked.’ — Foxe, vi. 699.
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 23. Then shalt thou walk… safely — “Then the…
23. Then shalt thou walk… safely — “Then the journey of thy life shall be safe and smooth.” — Stuart.
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 23. thy foot shall not stumble] Lit. thou shalt…
23. thy foot shall not stumble] Lit. thou shalt not dash thy foot, R.V. margin. Comp. Psa_91:12, where “against a stone” is added.
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 Then shall thou walk in thy way safely. The…
Then shall thou walk in thy way safely. The first of the promises of protection, which follow from vers. 23-26. He who keeps "sound wisdom and discretion" shall enjoy the greatest sense of security in all situations of life. Safely (lavetakh); either in confidence, as Vulgate fiducialiter, i.e. confidently, because of the sense of security (cf. LXX, pepoiywnh , and ver. 26); or in security: the adverb lavetakh is equivalent to betakh in Pro_1:30 and Pro_10:9. The allusion is obvious. As he who is accompanied by an escort proceeds on his way in safety, so you protected by God will pass your life in security; or, as Trapp, "Thou shalt ever go under a double guard, "the peace of God" within thee, (Php_4:7) and the "power of God" without thee." (1Pe_1:5) And thy foot shall not stumble; literally, and thou shall not strike thy foot. Stumble in the original is thiggoph, 2 singular kal future of nagaph, "to smite, .... strike against with the foot." So in Psa_91:12. The Authorized Version, however, correctly gives the sense. The LXX, like the Authorized Version, makes "foot" the subject, O de pouv sou su mh proskoqh , "(That) thy foot may not stumble." For a similar assurance, see Pro_4:12. The meaning is: You will not stumble, because you will be walking in the way of wisdom, which is free from stumbling blocks (Lapide). You will not fall into sin.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 you will walk on your way in safety
you will walk on your way in safety
The writer speaks of living one's life as if the person were walking along a path. AT: "you will live your life in safety" (See: Metaphor)
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your foot will not stumble
The word "foot" represents the whole person. The writer speaks of doing wrong as if a person stumbled over an object in his path. AT: "you will not do things that are wrong" (See: Synecdoche and Metaphor)
when you lie down
It is implied that a person lies down in order to sleep. The meaning of this can be made clear. AT: "when you lie down to sleep" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
your sleep will be sweet
The writer speaks of sleep that is peaceful and refreshing as if it tasted sweet to the person sleeping. The word "sleep" can be translated as a verb. AT: "your sleep will be pleasant" or "you will sleep peacefully" (See: Metaphor and Abstract Nouns)
translationWords
walk
stumble
fear
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.