Proverbs 1:26 — Word Study
WLCגַּם־ אֲ֭נִי בְּאֵידְכֶ֣ם אֶשְׂחָ֑ק אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג בְּבֹ֣א פַחְדְּכֶֽם׃
BSAin turngam [also, even] Iʼănîy [the speaker, emphasizing personal involvement] will mocksâchaq▸ [laugh in contempt, scorn] your calamityʼêyd [disaster, misfortune] I will sneerlâʻag▸ [deride, scoff] when terrorpachad [dread, fear] strikes youbôwʼ [overtakes, comes upon]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| גַּם־ | also | Adverb |
| אֲ֭נִי | I | Pronoun |
| בְּאֵידְכֶ֣ם | at calamity your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אֶשְׂחָ֑ק | I will laugh | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג | I will mock | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| בְּבֹ֣א | when comes | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| פַחְדְּכֶֽם׃ | dread your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, |
| KJV | I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; |
| ASV | I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; |
| YLT | I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh, |
| WEB | I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, |
| BBE | So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear; |
The translations agree on the mocking response of wisdom in the face of calamity.
The sentence comprises a main clause followed by a subordinate clause that specifies the condition under which the mocking occurs.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׂחַק
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 1:26
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Rejecting Wisdomgenerated
Proverbs 1:26 is part of a larger discourse where wisdom personified warns against the consequences of neglecting her counsel. The speaker indicates that those who disregard wisdom will face calamity, and in their time of trouble, wisdom will not only refrain from help but will mock their plight. This serves as a stark reminder of the importance of heeding wise counsel.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 10:14 | Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.” |
| 2 | Psalm 2:4 | The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. |
| 3 | Psalm 37:13 | but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming. |
| 4 | Luke 14:24 | For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לָעַג, 'el.'Aggenerated
The verb לָעַג (la'ag) means to mock or deride. It carries a sense of scornful laughter directed at someone else's misfortune. This word is often used in contexts where ridicule is expressed, particularly in response to folly or disregard for wisdom.
In this verse, the speaker uses לָעַג to emphasize a reaction of contempt towards those who have ignored wise counsel. The mocking is not just an expression of disdain; it underscores the seriousness of rejecting wisdom and the inevitable consequences that follow.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, where the speaker indicates a mocking response to calamity.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs אֶשְׂחָ֑ק (es'chaq) and אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג (el'ag) govern the main actions of the verse, indicating the speaker's intent to mock and laugh. The structure emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between the neglect of wisdom and the resulting calamity.
The Hebrew word order places the verbs prominently, highlighting the speaker's active role in responding to the calamity of others.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates לָעַג as ἐπιγελάσομαι (to laugh at), which conveys a similar sense of mockery. This choice indicates a continuity in the portrayal of wisdom's response across translations.
The Greek term also carries connotations of derision, reinforcing the message of scorn in the face of calamity.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 1:26 tells us that wisdom will mock those who ignore her advice when disaster strikes. The speaker emphasizes that, instead of helping, wisdom will laugh at the misfortune of those who have rejected her counsel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that wisdom will not offer help to those who have ignored her guidance, but will instead point out the folly of their choices.
The emphasis on personal involvement highlights the seriousness of the speaker's response and the direct consequences of rejecting wisdom.
This verse serves as a warning about the consequences of ignoring wisdom, which is a recurring theme throughout the book of Proverbs.
We learn the importance of heeding wise counsel and the potential consequences of neglecting it.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I ignored wise counsel in my life, and what were the consequences?
- How can I ensure that I seek wisdom in difficult situations?
- What does it mean for me to respond wisely when I see others facing calamity?
- How can I share the importance of wisdom with others in my community?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have reflected on this verse, discussing the implications of wisdom's mocking response to calamity in their works.
The mind fluctuates between hope and despair. It must be feared lest hope slays you; and when you hope for too much from mercy, you fall into judgment.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →
But I will laugh at your calamity, etc. It is said likewise in the psalm about the same: He who dwells in the heavens laughs at them, and the Lord scoffs at them.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →
When your fear comes as calamity. Saying to one another, If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation (John XI).Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 1:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI also will laugh at your calamity,.... By way of retaliation, measuring measure for measure; even as they scorned him, and delighted in their scorning, now he in his turn will "laugh" at them and
Read John Gill on Proverbs 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; I also will laugh at your calamity. Retribution in kind (Psalms 2:4). God will at last laugh in derision at those who now laugh to scorn His loving appeals.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 1 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAs you have scoffed at me and my ways, I also will laugh at your calamity, i.e. destroy you without pity, and take pleasure therein. Compare . Your fear; the misery which you do or should fear. The act for the object, as , and elsewhere.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 1 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;Ver. 26. I also will laugh.] Quod Deus loquitur cum risu, tu legas cum fletu. If God laugh, thou hast good cause to cry. Note here the venomous nature of sin, which is so offensive to God, that it makes him (against his ordinary wont) merry at his creatures’ misery, who otherwise delights in mercy. When your fear cometh.] That "terrible tempest." Tullus Hostilius (a profane prince) set up and worshipped at Rome two new gods, viz., Pavor and Pallor, as Lactantius testifieth. Cataline was wont to be afraid at any sudden noise, as being haunted with the furies of his own evil conscience. So was our Richard the…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 1 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(26) I also will laugh . . . I will mock.—For expressions like this, comp. Psalms 2:4; Psalms 37:13; Psalms 59:8, where the same actions are attributed to God. They are not to be taken literally, of course, for the sight of human folly can give no pleasure to Him. They signify that He will act as if He mocked when He refuses to hear their cry. Similar expressions, imputing human actions to the Almighty, are Genesis 11:5; Genesis 11:7; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalms 18:9; human feelings, Genesis 6:6.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges26. at] Rather, in, i.e. in the time of. Comp. on this verse Psalms 2:4; Psalms 37:13; Psalms 59:8.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 1 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleCompare the marginal reference. The scorn and derision with which men look on pride and malice, baffled and put to shame, has something that answers to it in the Divine Judgment.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 1 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible26. I… laugh — Ye have laughed at my expostulations and mocked at my words; now, when your calamity comes, I also will laugh at you and deride your fears.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes,
Tyndale line
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
I will also laugh at your destruction, and mocke, when your feare commeth.
Strictly literal
I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
I also laugh in your calamity, || I deride when your fear comes,
[Therefore] I also will truly laugh at your calamity; I will deride [you] when your terror cometh;
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
From the Latin
I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.
Simplified
So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five of the seven words matched. The differences in word order and articles reflect the distinct grammatical structures of Hebrew and Greek, but the core message remains consistent.
גַּם־ אֲ֭נִי בְּאֵידְכֶ֣ם אֶשְׂחָ֑ק אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג בְּבֹ֣א פַחְדְּכֶֽם׃
5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 1:26
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
גַּם (gam) is an adverb meaning 'also' or 'moreover,' indicating addition or emphasis. It can express various nuances, such as 'even,' 'indeed,' or 'but.' The term is often used in a correlational manner, as in 'both...and.' It appears in contexts that require clarification or reinforcement of a statement.
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
base
H1571 גַּם denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
1571 gam gam
by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea,
though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--again, alike,
also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and , but, either...or,
even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover,
nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
גַּם (gam) — also.
1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea
1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis)
1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative)
1c) even (for stress)
1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax)
1e) also (of correspondence or retribution)
1f) but, yet, though (adversative)
1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case)
2) (TWOT) again, alike
DirObjM — AdverbHD
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
אֵיד (eyd) refers to distress or calamity, encompassing various forms of misfortune such as national calamities, burdens of the righteous, and disasters affecting the wicked. It is derived from a root meaning to bend down, indicating oppression or ruin. The term appears in contexts related to suffering and disaster.
אֵיד n.m. distress, calamity
national calam. of Isr. (apostate)
of righteous sufferer
oft. of wicked
base
H343 אֵיד distress, calamity
343 'eyd ade
from the same as 181 (in the sense of bending down);
oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin:--calamity,
destruction.
see HEBREW for 0181
אֵיד (ed) — calamity.
1) distress, burden, calamity
1a) burden (of the righteous)
1b) calamity (of nation)
1c) disaster (of wicked)
1d) day of calamity
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp
שָׂחַק (sachaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to laugh, with connotations of playfulness and mockery. It can express laughter in pleasure or derision, as well as the act of playing or making sport. The entries indicate various forms, such as Qal for general laughter, Piel for making sport, and Hiphil for mockery.
שָׂחַק vb. laugh
Qal
laugh at
appar. of friendly laugh
sport, play
Pi.
make sport
jest
play
Hiph. (declar.) they uttered mockery
base
H7832 שָׂחַק laugh
7832 sachaq saw-khak'
a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by
implication, to play:--deride, have in derision, laugh, make
merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in
(make) sport.
שָׂחַק (sa.chaq) — to laugh.
1) to laugh, play, mock
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to laugh (usually in contempt or derision)
1a2) to sport, play
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make sport
1b2) to jest
1b3) to play (including instrumental music, singing, dancing)
1c) (Hiphil) to laugh mockingly
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
לָעַג (la'ag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to mock or deride. It can also refer to stammering, particularly in the Niphal form, which suggests speaking unintelligibly. The entries indicate that the word conveys ridicule and scorn, with variations in its use across different grammatical forms.
[לָעַג] vb. mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
Qal mock, deride, have in derision
Niph. a people stammering of tongue (i.e. barbarians)
Hiph. mock, deride
base
H3932 [לָעַג] mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
3932 la`ag law-ag'
a primitive root; to deride; by implication (as if imitating
a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly:--have in derision, laugh
(to scorn), mock (on), stammering.
לָעַג (la.ag) — to mock.
1) to mock, deride, ridicule
1a) (Qal) to mock, deride, have in derision
1b) (Niphal) to stammer
1c) (Hiphil) to mock, deride
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
פַּ֫חַד (pachad) refers to the concept of dread or terror, often indicating both the feeling of fear and the object that inspires it. The word is derived from a root meaning to be alarmed, and it encompasses a range of meanings related to fear and terror.
פַּ֫חַד 49 n.m. dread
dread
= object of dread
as design. dei
base
H6343 פַּ֫חַד dread . dread
. = object of dread
. as design. dei
6343 pachad pakh'-ad
from 6342; a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by
implication, the feeling):--dread(-ful), fear, (thing) great
(fear, -ly feared), terror.
see HEBREW for 06342
פַּ֫חַד (pa.chad) — dread.
1) terror, dread
1a) dread
1b) object of dread
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2mp