Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Proverbs 25.
Who were 'the men of Hezekiah' who copied these proverbs?
Proverbs 25:1 is unusually explicit about scribal activity under King Hezekiah of Judah. Their personal identities are unknown, but the notice places collecting and copying inside royal administration.
What does 'the glory of God to conceal… kings to search out' mean in court context?
The saying contrasts divine hiddenness with royal investigation. Ancient kings were expected to hear cases, gather intelligence, and administer complex information.
What does Proverbs 25 tell us about how biblical books grew?
Its heading states that older Solomonic material was copied in a later reign. That is a concrete example of transmission, collection, and editorial preservation inside the biblical text itself.
WORTH A CLOSER LOOK
See Hebrew writing from Hezekiah’s Jerusalem
The Siloam Inscription was cut in late eighth-century BCE Jerusalem and records the breakthrough of two teams excavating the water tunnel associated with Hezekiah’s reign. Proverbs 25:1 names “the men of Hezekiah” as copyists; this inscription does not identify those scribes, but it provides a real sample of monumental Hebrew writing from their historical world.
View the objectResearch PathsCurated links for exploring this chapter 3
Language & Literature1
- Proverbs as an Anthology of Multiple CollectionsTheTorah.com
Explains how headings divide Proverbs into several major collections. Proverbs 25:1 begins a new anthology of sayings attributed to Solomon but copied by the officials of King Hezekiah, offering rare internal evidence that the book was preserved, arranged, and expanded through multiple stages.
Artifacts & Manuscripts2
- Assyrian King Seated with a Court AttendantBritish Museum
Illustrated Neo-Assyrian palace relief showing King Ashurnasirpal II seated on his throne while an attendant stands behind him carrying royal equipment. It helps readers visualize the formal hierarchy and controlled access of an ancient royal court behind Proverbs 25’s warning not to claim an elevated place in the king’s presence.
- Silver Bowl of King Artaxerxes IBritish Museum
Illustrated Achaemenid silver bowl hammered from a thick sheet and decorated with an embossed lotus design and royal inscription. The finely finished vessel provides a tangible comparison for Proverbs 25:4–5, where removing impurities from silver so that a craftsperson can produce a vessel becomes a metaphor for removing corrupt officials from a royal court.
Public Discussion
Your display name and comment can be seen by anyone visiting this chapter. Do not include private or sensitive information. Read the Community Guidelines.
You must be logged in to post a comment.