Proverbs 22:5 - A Good Name

Audio Bible

Context

A Good Name
…4The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life. 5Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them. 6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.…

Cross References

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. / But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.Psalm 1:1-6
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. / But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. / He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. ...Jeremiah 17:9-10
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? / I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.Matthew 13:24-30
Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. / But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. / When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. ...Isaiah 35:8-9
And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it. / No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.Luke 13:24
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.Romans 3:10-18
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” ...Isaiah 59:8
The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.Psalm 125:5
But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.Proverbs 4:14-15
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. / Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.1 John 3:8
The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.Job 18:8-10
For his own feet lead him into a net, and he wanders into its mesh. / A trap seizes his heel; a snare grips him. / A noose is hidden in the ground, and a trap lies in his path.

Proverbs 13:15
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Proverbs 15:19
The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Joshua 23:13
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

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Proverbs 13:3
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Proverbs 19:16
He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

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Proverbs 22

Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse;
This phrase uses vivid imagery to describe the consequences of a life lived in opposition to God's wisdom. Thorns and snares are often used in Scripture to symbolize obstacles and dangers (Genesis 3:18, Matthew 13:7). In ancient agricultural societies, thorns represented the curse of the ground and the difficulties of life outside of God's blessing. Snares, on the other hand, were traps used by hunters, symbolizing hidden dangers that can entangle and capture the unwary. The "perverse" refers to those who deviate from the path of righteousness, choosing instead a life of moral corruption and rebellion against divine law. This imagery warns that such a path is fraught with spiritual and moral peril, leading to destruction and separation from God.

he who guards his soul stays far from them.
This part of the verse emphasizes the importance of vigilance and self-discipline in maintaining one's spiritual well-being. To "guard" one's soul implies a proactive effort to protect oneself from spiritual harm, akin to a watchman safeguarding a city (Proverbs 4:23). The soul, in biblical terms, represents the essence of a person's being, encompassing their mind, will, and emotions. Staying "far from them" suggests a deliberate choice to avoid the pitfalls associated with a perverse lifestyle. This aligns with the biblical principle of fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness (2 Timothy 2:22). The verse underscores the necessity of discernment and the pursuit of holiness, echoing the call to be set apart for God's purposes. It also reflects the broader biblical theme of the two paths: one leading to life and the other to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Perverse
This term refers to individuals who deviate from what is considered morally right or good. In the Hebrew text, the word used is (iqqeshim), which implies those who are morally twisted or crooked.

2. The Righteous
While not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the righteous are implied as those who guard their souls and avoid the path of the perverse. They are contrasted with the perverse throughout Proverbs.

3. Thorns and Snares
These are metaphorical obstacles and dangers that represent the consequences of a perverse lifestyle. In the Hebrew, (qotsim) for thorns and (pachim) for snares suggest physical and spiritual traps.

4. The Path
This symbolizes one's way of life or moral journey. The Hebrew word (derekh) is often used to describe one's conduct or course of life.

5. The Soul
The Hebrew word (nephesh) refers to the inner being or life essence of a person, emphasizing the importance of spiritual vigilance.

Teaching Points

Guarding the Soul
Emphasize the importance of spiritual vigilance and self-discipline in maintaining a righteous path.

Avoiding Moral Traps
Encourage believers to recognize and steer clear of situations and influences that could lead them astray.

Consequences of Perverse Living
Highlight the inevitable negative outcomes of living a life contrary to God's principles.

Choosing the Right Path
Stress the importance of making daily choices that align with biblical teachings and lead to spiritual growth.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 22What does Proverbs say about lazy people?How can one truly love God?Proverbs 18:22: Does finding 'favor from the Lord' by marrying imply that the single or the divorced lack divine blessing?What are the Bible's teachings on disrespect?

(5) Thorns.--Comp. note on Proverbs 15:19.

Verse 5 - Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward. The words are in the Hebrew without the conjunction (see note, ver. 4), though the versions generally add it. Thus the Septuagint, τρίβολοι καὶ παγίδες; Vulgate, arma et gladiii but the Venetian, ἄκανθαι παγίδες. It is a question whether the thorns are what the perverse prepare for others, or what they themselves suffer. In Proverbs 15:19 the hedge of thorns represented the difficulties in the sluggard's path; but here, viewed in connection with the following hemistich, the thorns and snares refer to the hindrances proceeding from the froward, which injuriously affect others; "thorns" being a figure of the pains and troubles, "snares" of the unexpected dangers and impediments which evil men cause as they go on their crooked way. The word for "thorns" is צנִּים, which occurs in Job 5:5. The plant is supposed to be the Rhamnus paliurus, but it has not been accurately identified. He that doth keep his soul shall be far from them (comp. Proverbs 13:3; Proverbs 16:17). The man who has regard to his life and morals will go far, will keep wholly aloof, from those perils and traps into which the perverse try to entice them. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Thorns
צִנִּ֣ים (ṣin·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6791: A thorn, a cactus-hedge

and snares
פַּ֭חִים (pa·ḥîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6341: A, sheet, a spring net

[lie] on the path
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ (bə·ḏe·reḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the perverse;
עִקֵּ֑שׁ (‘iq·qêš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6141: Twisted, perverted

he who guards
שׁוֹמֵ֥ר (šō·w·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

his soul
נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ (nap̄·šōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

stays far
יִרְחַ֥ק (yir·ḥaq)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7368: To be or become far or distant

from them.
מֵהֶֽם׃ (mê·hem)
Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

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Proverbs 22:5 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Proverbs 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the path (Prov. Pro Pr)