Proverbs 3:20 — Word Study
WLCבְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־ טָֽל׃
BSABy His knowledgedaʻath [divine, all-encompassing, understanding and insight] ◂the watery depthstᵉhôwm [the deep waters, abyss] were broken openbâqaʻ■ [to break up, parted] ◂and the cloudsshachaq [the sky, heavens] drippedrâʻaph▸ [to drip, trickle] with dewṭal [moisture, gentle rain]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ | by knowledge his | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת | [the] depths | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| נִבְקָ֑עוּ | they were split open | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person common plural |
| וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים | and clouds | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| יִרְעֲפוּ־ | they dripped | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| טָֽל׃ | dew | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew. |
| KJV | By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. |
| ASV | By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew. |
| YLT | By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew. |
| WEB | By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew. |
| BBE | By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies. |
There are no significant differences among the translations of this verse.
The verse consists of one main clause with a conjunction linking it to another main clause, creating a flow of thought that emphasizes the actions of both the depths and the clouds.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectתְּהוֹם
verbבָּקַע
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 3:20
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 Foundations of Creationgenerated
Proverbs 3:20 highlights the role of God's knowledge in the creation process, emphasizing that it was by His understanding that the depths of the earth were opened and the clouds released dew. This passage underscores the connection between divine wisdom and the natural order, inviting readers to appreciate the intricacies of creation as a reflection of God's insight. It follows a discussion on the importance of wisdom in a person's life, which is further elaborated in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 1:9 | And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. |
| 2 | Genesis 7:11 | In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. |
| 3 | Job 38:8–11 | Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, |
| 4 | Psalm 104:8–9 | the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them— |
| 5 | Genesis 27:28–37 | May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth— an abundance of grain and new wine. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ, be.da'.togenerated
The word דַּ֫עַת (da`ath) means knowledge, encompassing perception, skill, and moral understanding. It is often linked to wisdom and is significant in the context of Proverbs, where it reflects the divine aspect of knowledge.
In this verse, the preposition בְּ (be) indicates the means by which the action occurs, showing that it is through God's knowledge that creation is sustained. The parsing as a feminine singular construct suggests a depth of understanding that is both comprehensive and nuanced.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations of this verse generally agree on the meaning, all emphasizing God's knowledge as the force behind creation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is built around two main clauses, with the first clause focusing on the action of the depths being broken open and the second on the clouds dripping dew. The finite verbs נִבְקָ֑עוּ (they were split open) and יִרְעֲפוּ (they dripped) serve as the action points of the sentence.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת (the depths) and שְׁחָקִ֗ים (the clouds), indicating the significance of these elements in the context of creation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ as ἐν (in), which indicates a shift in focus from the specific aspect of divine knowledge to a more general sense of presence or means. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of how creation is sustained.
The term used for תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת is ἄβυσσοι (abysses), which aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may imply a more profound depth in the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 3:20 explains that it is by God's knowledge that the depths of the earth were opened and the clouds released dew. This verse shows how God's understanding is essential for the order of creation, linking wisdom with the natural world.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the act of creation where God, through His knowledge, caused the deep waters to emerge, reflecting His power over nature.
Dew represents the gentle provision of water for plants, illustrating God's care and sustenance of creation.
Knowledge is portrayed as a foundational aspect of creation, highlighting the importance of divine understanding in the order of the universe.
The clouds symbolize the heavens and the means by which God provides moisture, connecting the physical world to His divine wisdom.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see God's knowledge reflected in the world around me?
- How can I apply the principle of seeking wisdom in my own life?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's understanding during difficult times?
- How can I recognize and appreciate the natural provisions God makes in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Bede, reflect on this verse to illustrate God's wisdom in creation and the allegorical significance of the clouds as teachers.
By His wisdom the depths burst forth. When in the days of Noah all the fountains of the great abyss were broken up, or when through the daily course the fountains and rivers emanate from the abyss through the veins of the earth.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 3 →
And the clouds condense with dew. It is clear according to the letter, but allegorically the clouds are the teachers of the Church, elevated by contemplation and life, watering the hearts of listeners,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 3:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBy his knowledge the depths are broken up,.... From whence fountains and rivers flow, and whereby that great cavity was made which holds that large confluence of waters called the sea, Genesis 1:9.
Read John Gill on Proverbs 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBy his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe depths are broken up; that great abyss or depth of waters, which was mixed with and contained in the bowels of the earth, did break forth into fountains and rivers for the use of men and beasts; which is justly remembered here as an illustrious effect of God’ s wisdom, by which the earth was made habitable, and the waters serviceable. The dew; under which the rain is comprehended, as being of the same nature and use.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.Ver. 20. The depths are broken up,] viz., Those great channels and hollow places made in the earth, to hold the waters, that they may not overflow the earth; and this the very philosophers are forced to confess to be a work of divine wisdom. Others by "depths" here understand fountains and floods breaking out, and as it were flowing from the nethermost parts of the earth, even as though the earth did cleave itself in sunder, to give them passage. And the clouds drop down the dew.] Clouds, the bottles of rain and dew, are vessels as thin as the liquor that is contained in them; there they hang, move…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) Are broken up.—Or, burst forth: the word used in Genesis 7:11 of the breaking forth of the waters from the interior of the earth at the flood. (Comp. Job 38:8.) Drop down the dew.—Of great importance in countries where for months together there is no rain
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up] He determined in his wisdom how to break up the fountains of the great deep, so as to bring a flood of waters upon the earth; and by his knowledge those fissures in the earth through which springs of water arise have been appointed and determined; and it is by his skill and influence that vapours are exhaled, suspended in the atmosphere, and afterwards precipitated on the earth in rain, dews, &c. Thus the wisest of men attributes those effects which we suppose to spring from natural causes to the Supreme Being himself.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. are] Rather, were broken up, R.V. The reference is to Genesis 7:2, where the same Heb. word is used: “all the foundations of the great deep were broken up.” The two clauses of the verse give two typical examples: alike, when the pent-up forces of nature burst forth occasionally in their resistless might, and when her gentler agencies exert continually their beneficent influence, the wisdom of God is working.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleCompare Genesis 1:7; Genesis 7:11; Job 38. Looking upon the face of Nature, men see two storehouses of the living water, without which it would be waste and barren.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 3 →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
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his knowledge the primordial sea was broken open, and the clouds drip down dew.
Tyndale line
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
Strictly literal
By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
By His knowledge depths have been broken, || And clouds drop dew.
By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the depths broke open and the clouds dropped their dew.
From the Latin
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
Simplified
It was through his knowledge the waters of the deep were broken open, and the clouds sent down the dew.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
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 of Proverbs 3:20 states, "בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־ טָֽל׃" which translates to, "By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all six words in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the Greek language structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this verse, confirming the consistency of the text across these witnesses.
בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־ טָֽל׃
6 of the 6 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 3:20
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.
דַּ֫עַת (da`ath) means knowledge, encompassing perception, skill, and moral understanding. It is associated with prophetic knowledge and is noted for its divine aspect, particularly in the context of wisdom literature. The entries highlight its use in various forms of knowledge, including discernment and understanding.
דַּ֫עַת n.f. knowledge
knowledge, perception
= skill (in workmanship)
of proph. knowledge
esp. knowledge with moral quality
knowledge possessed by God
esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom
base
H1847 דַּ֫עַת knowledge . . knowledge, perception
. = skill (in workmanship)
. of proph. knowledge
. esp. knowledge with moral quality
. knowledge possessed by God
. esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom
1847 da`ath dah'-ath
from 3045; knowledge:--cunning, (ig-)norantly, know(-ledge),
(un-)awares (wittingly).
see HEBREW for 03045
דַּ֫עַת (da.at) — knowledge.
1) knowledge
1a) knowledge, perception, skill
1b) discernment, understanding, wisdom
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
תְּהוֹם (tehom) refers to a deep or abyss, often associated with the sea or subterranean waters. It encompasses meanings such as depths, the primeval ocean in Hebrew cosmology, and can also denote the grave. The word is typically feminine and is derived from a root meaning 'to surge.'
תְּהוֹם n.f. et m. deep, sea, abyss
deep, of subterranean waters
(deep) sea
primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
deep, depth
abyss
base
H8415 תְּהוֹם deep, sea, abyss . deep, of subterranean waters
. (deep) sea
. primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
. deep, depth
. abyss
8415 thowm teh-home'
or thom {teh-home'}; (usually feminine) from 1949; an abyss
(as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main
sea or the subterranean water-supply):--deep (place), depth.
see HEBREW for 01949
תְּהוֹם (te.hom) — abyss.
1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea
1a) deep (of subterranean waters)
1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea)
1c) primeval ocean, deep
1d) deep, depth (of river)
1e) abyss, the grave
N-cp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
בָּקַע (baqa`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cleave or break open. It encompasses a range of actions, including splitting, tearing, and breaking through, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being cleft or bursting open. The entries highlight its use in contexts like breaking into or through something, but do not provide specific verse references.
בָּקַע vb. cleave, break open or through
Qal
cleave, cleave open
break through or into
Niph.
be cleft, rent open
be broken into
Pi. cleave, cut to pieces, or rend open
Pu. be ripped open
Hiph. break into
Hoph. the city was broken into
Hithp. burst (themselves) open, of wine-skins; cleave asunder, of valleys
base
H1234 בָּקַע cleave, break open or through
1234 baqa` baw-kah'
a primitive root; to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip
or open:--make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces,
through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out,
divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win.
בָּקַע (ba.qa) — to break up/open.
1) to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cleave, cleave open
1a2) to break through, break into
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cleft, be rent open, be split open
1b2) to be broken into
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cleave, cut to pieces, rend open
1c2) to break through, break down
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be ripped open, be torn open
1d2) to be rent
1d3) to be broken into
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to break into
1e2) to break through
1f) (Hophal) to be broken into
1g) (Hithpael) to burst (themselves) open, cleave asunder
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person common pluralHVNp3cp
o'-p'-n: In the Old Testament represents chiefly pathach, but also other words, as galah, "to uncover"; of the opening of the eyes in vision, etc. (thus Balaam, Nu 22:31; 24:4; compare Job 33:16; 36:10; Ps 119:18; Jer 32:11,14). In the New Testament the usual word is anoigo (of opening of mouth, eyes, heavens, doors, etc.). A peculiar word, trachelizomai (literally, to have the neck bent back, to be laid bare), is used for "laid open" before God in Heb 4:13.
שַׁ֫חַק (shachaq) refers to fine dust or a thin cloud. It is derived from a root meaning to beat small, and its range includes both physical dust and vaporous clouds, extending to concepts of the firmament or sky. The entries consistently emphasize its qualities of fineness and thinness.
שַׁ֫חַק n.m. dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
base
H7834 שַׁ֫חַק dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
7834 shachaq shakh'-ak
from 7833; a powder (as beaten small): by analogy, a thin
vapor; by extension, the firmament:--cloud, small dust,
heaven, sky.
see HEBREW for 07833
שַׁ֫חַק (sha.chaq) — cloud.
1) dust, cloud
1a) fine dust
1b) (thin) cloud
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
In the summer season of Palestine, were an unlooked-for phenomenon, 1Sa 12:17,18, and rising from off the Mediterranean, betokened rain, 1Ki 18:44 Lu 12:54. Clouds are the symbol of armies and multitudes, probably by their grand and majestic movements, Isa 60:8 Jer 4:13 Heb 12:1. They betokened the presence of Jehovah, as on mount Sinai,
Ex 19:9 24:12-18; in the temple, Ex 40:34 1Ki 8:10; in the cloudy…
רָעַף (ra`aph) is a primitive root meaning to drip or trickle. It appears in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, indicating the action of dripping or distilling. The entries consistently emphasize this meaning without significant disagreement.
[רָעַף] vb. trickle, drip
Qal of clouds
Hiph. trickle
base
H7491 [רָעַף] trickle, drip
7491 ra`aph raw-af'
a primitive root; to drip:--distil, drop (down).
רָעַף (ra.aph) — to drip.
1) to trickle, drip
1a) (Qal) to trickle, drip
1b) (Hiphil) to trickle
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
טַל (tal) refers to 'dew' or 'night-mist' in Hebrew. It is derived from a root that suggests a covering over vegetation. The term is consistent across entries, with no significant disagreement noted among lexicographers.
טַל n.m. night-mist, dew
base
H2919 טַל night-mist, dew
2919 tal tal
from 2926; dew (as covering vegetation):--dew.
see HEBREW for 02926
טַל (tal) — dew.
dew, night mist
Aramaic equivalent: tal (טַל "dew" H2920)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
du (Tal; drosos).
1. Formation of Dew:
Two things are necessary for the formation of dew, moisture and cold. In moist countries there is less dew because the change in temperature between day and night is too small. In the deserts where the change in temperature between day and night is sometimes as much as 40 degrees F., there is seldom dew because of lack of moisture in the atmosphere. Palestine is fortunate in being near the sea, so that there is always a large percentage of water vapor in the air. The skies are clear, and hence, there is rapid radiation beginning immediately after sunset, which cools the land and the air until the moisture is condensed and settles on cool objects. Air at a low temperature is not capable of holding as much water vapor in suspension as warm air. The ice pitcher furnishes an example of the formation of dew. Just as the drops of water form on the cool…
Dew
“There is no dew properly so called in Palestine, for there is no moisture in the hot summer air to be chilled into dew-drops by the coldness of the night. From May till October rain is unknown, the sun shining with unclouded brightness day after day. The heat becomes intense, the ground hard, and vegetation would perish but for the moist west winds that come each night from the sea. The bright skies cause the heat of the day to radiate very quickly into space, so that the nights are as cold as the day is the reverse, a peculiarity of climate from which poor Jacob suffered thousands of years ago (Gen. 31:40). To this coldness of the night air the indispensable watering of all plant-life is due. The winds, loaded with moisture, are robbed of it as they pass over the land, the cold air condensing it into drops of water, which fall…
This in the summer is so copious in Palestine that it supplies to some extent the absence of rain and becomes important to the agriculturist. Thus it is coupled in the divine blessing with rain, or mentioned as a prime source of fertility, (Genesis 27:28; 33:13; Zechariah 8:12) and its withdrawal is attributed to a curse. (2 Samuel 1:21; 1 Kings 17:1; Haggai 1:10) It becomes a leading object in prophetic imagery by reason of its penetrating moisture without the apparent effort of rain, (32:2; Job 29:19; Psalms…
The dews in Palestine and some other oriental countries are very copious, and serve very greatly to sustain and promote vegetation in seasons when little or no rain falls. Maundrell tells us that the tents of his company, when pitched on Tabor and Hermon, "were as wet with dew as if it had rained on them all night," Jud 6:38 So 5:2. Dew was especially heavy near the mountains, and just before and after the rainy season. It was prized as a precious boon of Providence, Ge 27:28 De 33:28 1Ki 17:1 Job 29:19 Hag 1:10…