Fearing God, according to Proverbs

To fear God is to make Him your center and to live with regard to Him, checking your life against Him. See also this previous post on fearing God.

The following are some things we may be able to conclude about the fear of the Lord from Proverbs. These are based primarily on the ESV wording. Note that a possible source of error in drawing conclusions includes the special ways that Proverbs sometimes uses conjunctions and comparisons within a verse.

Proverbs 1:7a The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge

The fear of the Lord results in beginning to have knowledge, or growing in knowledge begins with attaining a fear of the Lord.

1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

Not fearing God results in calamity.

2:5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Seeking wisdom and understanding results in understanding the fear of the Lord.

3:7-8 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

To fear the Lord involves turning away from evil, and is related to not being wise in your own eyes. This results in healing and refreshment for one’s body.

8:13a The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.

Fearing the Lord is hating evil.

9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Growing in wisdom begins with developing a fear of the Lord, or fearing the Lord results in beginning to have wisdom. Fearing God is similar to having knowledge of God (?).

10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

Fearing the Lord prolongs one’s life.

14:2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.

Fearing the Lord is the opposite of despising the Lord. If one walks in uprightness, they fear the Lord. So, you cannot be upright and not fear the Lord; if one does not fear the Lord, they are not walking in uprightness. (by modus tollens.)

14:26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Fearing the Lord results in strong confidence. Fearing the Lord results in one’s children having a refuge. So, it may follow, not having strong confidence or one’s children not having a refuge means one does not fear the Lord.

14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

Fearing God is an abundant life (not in riches, but in life itself) (consider John 10:10), and this provides for escaping bad choices that lead to calamity and death.

15:16 Better[2896 towb] is a little with the fear of the Lord than great[7227] treasure[214] and trouble with it.

Having the Fear of the Lord and not having treasure are compatible (Or this is hypothetical). Fearing the Lord is contrasted with having trouble, so having the fear of the Lord may be distinct from having trouble. From this verse we may also be able to conclude that fearing the Lord is very valuable (though we would need more information).

Also, due to the fear of the Lord, one might seek or have little, as opposed to seeking great treasure and as a result falling into calamity.

15:33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Having the fear of the Lord teaches you wisdom or results in wisdom.

16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

Fearing the Lord is or brings the ability to turn away from evil.

19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. (See also NASB.)

Fearing the Lord results in life, which results in sleeping satisfied and unharmed. So, not sleeping satisfied and unharmed or having life means one does not fear the Lord (though compare NASB’s “may”).

22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

Fearing the Lord accompanied by humility results in the reward of riches[6239], honor, and life (Or these rewards are for either of humility or fear of the Lord). Consider 15:16; maybe the reward is not immediate, or 15:16 includes a hypothetical picture, or “riches” are distinct from “great treasure” (hm, they are used for different things in the OT. 7227+214 vs 6239), or this involves a change of perspective to the one who has humility and fear of the Lord (for example, upon fearing the Lord, perhaps one does not care about riches as the world views them, so “riches” to such a one might be defined differently).

23:17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Fearing the Lord is distinct from desiring the fruit of sin. One who fears the Lord does not desire the fruit of sin, nor is he discontent because he does not have it.

24:21-22 My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster from them will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

We are here commanded to fear the Lord (and also the earthly governing authority), and to not join with those who don’t (or perhaps simply meaning to not be a member of the set of people who do not fear, and not necessarily talking about “joining” a band of rebels). Not fearing the Lord and the king results in calamity (?).

28:14 Blessed[835 esher] is the one who fears[6342 pachad] the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Always fearing the Lord results in being blessed/happy. Always fearing the Lord is distinct from hardening one’s heart. Not fearing the Lord results in calamity.

29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Fearing man results(see NASB,KJV) in calamity. Fearing man is distinct from trusting in the Lord; those who trust in the Lord do not fear man.

31:28-31 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

A woman who fears the Lord will(see NASB) be praised and blessed(NASB v28).

Putting it all together

Seeking wisdom and understanding results in understanding the fear of the Lord (2:5).

These things result in having the fear of the Lord, or are related to having it:

• Do not be wise in your own eyes (3:7-8)
• Walking in uprightness (14:2)
• We are commanded to fear the Lord (24:21-22)

When you fear the Lord, the following will result or is involved:

• You will begin to have true wisdom and knowledge (1:7a, 9:10, 15:33)
• Turning away from evil (3:7-8), ability to turn away from evil (16:6)
• Healing and refreshment for one’s body (3:7-8)
• Prolonged life (10:27), having/living abundant life (14:27), life (19:23, 22:4)
• You will not despise the Lord or be devious in your ways (14:2)
• You will have strong confidence (14:26)
• Your children will have a refuge (14:26)
• Ability to escape (bad choices leading to) calamity and death (14:27) (so, wisdom)
• You gain something valuable (“fearing the Lord” itself) (15:16)
• Sleeping satisfied and unharmed (19:23)
• Riches (22:4, cf 15:16)
• Honor (22:4)
• Not desiring the fruit of sin (23:17)
• Not joining with those who don’t fear the Lord or the governing authorities (24:21-22)
• Being blessed / happy (28:14)
• Praise and blessing (31:28-31)

Fearing the Lord is similar to or synonymous with:

• Knowledge of God (9:10)
• Knowledge possibly? (possibly 1:29)
• Hating evil (8:13a), turning away from evil (3:7-8)
• Not hardening your heart (28:14)

Not fearing the Lord results in:

• Calamity (1:29, 24:21-22, 28:14, possibly 15:16)

Fearing man results in calamity (29:25).

To fear the Lord is knowing God, being good, and hating evil.