Proverbs 6:33 — Word Study
WLCנֶֽגַע־ וְקָל֥וֹן יִמְצָ֑א וְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א תִמָּחֶֽה׃
BSAWoundsnegaʻ [a plague, disease, or chastisement] and dishonorqâlôwn [shame, disgrace, or loss of reputation] will befall himmâtsâʼ▸ and his reproachcherpâh [scorn, shame, or humiliation] will neverlôʼ [at no time, under no circumstances] be wiped awaymâchâh▸ [erased, blotted out, or removed]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נֶֽגַע־ | a wound | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְקָל֥וֹן | and shame | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִמְצָ֑א | he will find | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹ | and reproach his | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| תִמָּחֶֽה׃ | it will be wiped away | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. |
| KJV | A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. |
| ASV | Wounds and dishonor shall he get; And his reproach shall not be wiped away. |
| YLT | A stroke and shame he doth find, And his reproach is not wiped away, |
| WEB | He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away. |
| BBE | Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away. |
The translations agree on the overall message of the verse, with minor differences in wording.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, clearly outlining the consequences of the action.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָצָא
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 6:33
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 Adulterygenerated
Proverbs 6:33 warns that those who commit adultery will face serious consequences, including wounds and dishonor that will permanently stain their reputation. This passage serves as a reminder of the destructive nature of infidelity, echoing themes found throughout the book of Proverbs, where wisdom often cautions against foolish choices and their repercussions.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 5:9–11 | lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel; |
| 2 | Judges 16:19–21 | And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him. |
| 3 | Psalm 38:1–8 | O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. |
| 4 | Psalm 51:8 | Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. |
| 5 | Genesis 49:4 | Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נֶגַע, ne.ga'-generated
The word נֶ֫גַע (nega`) refers to a wound or plague, often associated with disease or affliction. It is built from a root meaning 'to strike', and encompasses various forms of injury, including both physical and metaphorical wounds.
In this context, it highlights the serious consequences of sin, particularly adultery, which can lead to both physical and emotional suffering. The term is not merely about a physical wound; it signifies a deeper impact on one's life and relationships.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree in conveying the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִמְצָא governs the main clause, indicating what will happen as a result of the preceding actions. The structure emphasizes the inevitability of the consequences of adultery.
The sentence is built around a subject-verb-object format, with the noun phrases נֶ֫גַע and קָלוֹן serving as the objects that will befall the subject, creating a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נֶ֫גַע as ὀδύνας (odynas), meaning 'pains' or 'sorrows'. This choice conveys a similar sense of suffering but focuses more on the emotional or psychological pain rather than the physical aspect.
This shift in emphasis may reflect the translators' understanding of the broader implications of sin and its effects on one's life.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 6:33 warns that wounds and dishonor will come to those who commit adultery, and their shame will never be removed. This verse serves as a strong reminder of the serious consequences of such actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates that the person who commits adultery will suffer both physical and emotional pain, as well as loss of reputation.
This suggests that the shame and dishonor associated with adultery can have lasting effects that are difficult to remove or forget.
This verse fits within the broader theme of Proverbs, which often emphasizes the importance of wisdom and the consequences of foolish actions, particularly regarding moral behavior.
The warning serves as a reminder to consider the long-term effects of our choices, particularly in matters of fidelity and integrity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some consequences of dishonorable actions that I have witnessed in others?
- How can I ensure that my actions align with my values and avoid dishonor?
- In what ways can I seek forgiveness if I have made mistakes that have caused shame?
- How can I support others who may be struggling with issues of integrity and honor?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 6:33 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleA wound and dishonour shall he get,.... A wound, stroke, or blow, either from the husband of the strumpet, as was often the case (x) in later times; or from the civil magistrate, being ordered by him
Read John Gill on Proverbs 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryA wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. A wound and dishonour shall he get - from the incensed husband, the law, and the general opinion of society (Proverbs 6:34-35).
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 6 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleA wound; civil or corporal punishment from the magistrate, or rather from the woman’ s husband, as it follows. His reproach shall not be wiped away; although it be forgiven by God, yet the reproach and scandal of it remains.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.Ver. 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get.] Either from the husband of the adulteress or from the magistrate, who will put him to death, according to the law of God, and of various nations, with whom adultery is a capital crime. And his reproach shall not be wiped away.] How oft read we of David that he was upright in all things, save only in the matter of Uriah! What an indelible blot is that still upon him!
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 6 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get] Among the Romans, when a man was caught in the fact, the injured husband took the law into his own hand; and a large radish was thrust up into the anus of the transgressor, which not only overwhelmed him with infamy and disgrace, but generally caused his death.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 6 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesFourteenth Address. Chap. 6. Proverbs 6:20-35. The Evil WomanThe holy memories and sanctions of the family are invoked (Proverbs 6:20-23) to give weight to another earnest warning against the sin which destroys the purity and saps the foundations of family life (Proverbs 6:24-35).
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 6 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible33. A wound… shall he get — The language seems to imply some mark of infamy put upon him, either by the injured husband or the magistrates.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 6 →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
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
He will be beaten and despised, and his reproach will not be wiped away;
Tyndale line
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Wounds and dishonor shall he get; And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Wounds and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
He shall finde a wounde and dishonour, and his reproch shall neuer be put away.
Strictly literal
A wound and contempt shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
A stroke and shame he doth find, And his reproach is not wiped away,
He finds a stroke and shame, || And his reproach is not wiped away,
Plague and disgrace will he meet with; and his reproach will not be blotted out.
Wounds and shame are what he deserves and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
From the Latin
He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
Simplified
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
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 agree closely in their wording for Proverbs 6:33. All six words in the verse match, indicating a consistent transmission of this warning against adultery.
נֶֽגַע־ וְקָל֥וֹן יִמְצָ֑א וְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א תִמָּחֶֽה׃
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 6:33
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.
נֶ֫גַע (nega`) refers to a stroke or plague, often associated with disease or a mark, particularly in the context of leprosy. It is built from the root meaning 'to strike' and encompasses various forms of affliction, including wounds and spots. The term captures both literal and metaphorical implications of injury or illness.
נֶ֫גַע 78 n.m. stroke, plague, mark, plague-spot
base
H5061 נֶ֫גַע stroke, plague, mark, plague-spot
5061 nega` neh'-gah
from 5060; a blow (figuratively, infliction); also (by
implication) a spot (concretely, a leprous person or
dress):--plague, sore, stricken, stripe, stroke, wound.
see HEBREW for 05060
נֶ֫גַע (ne.ga) — plague.
1) stroke, plague, disease, mark, plague spot
1a) stroke, wound
1b) stroke (metaphorical of disease)
1c) mark (of leprosy)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
קָלוֹן (qalown) refers to concepts of dishonor and shame, encompassing personal disgrace and national ignominy. It is derived from the root meaning associated with disgrace. The entries consistently highlight its negative connotations related to reputation and honor.
קָלוֹן n.m. ignominy, dishonour
base
H7036 קָלוֹן ignominy, dishonour
7036 qalown kaw-lone'
from 7034; disgrace; (by implication) the pudenda:--
confusion, dishonour, ignominy, reproach, shame.
see HEBREW for 07034
קָלוֹן (qa.lon) — dishonor.
1) shame, disgrace, dishonour, ignominy
1a) ignominy (of nation)
1b) dishonour, disgrace (personal)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
sham (bosh, "to be ashamed," bosheth, "shame," qalon; aischune, "ignominy," atimia, "dishonor," and other words): An oft-recurring word in Scripture almost uniformly bound up with a sense of sin and guilt. It is figuratively set forth as a wild beast (Jer 3:24), a Nessus-garment (Jer 3:25), a blight (Jer 20:18), a sin against one's own soul (Hab 2:10), and twice as the condensed symbol of Hebrew abomination--Baal (Jer 11:13 margin; Ho 9:10 margin; see ISH-BOSHETH). It is bracketed with defeat (Isa 30:3), reproach…
מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
find
find out
= come upon, light upon
noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
cause to find, attain
cause to light upon, come upon, come
cause to encounter
present unto
base
H4672 מָצָא attain to, find
4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'
a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or
exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;
figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,
befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to
hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,
out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,
light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,
ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.
1) to find, attain to
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to find
1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)
1a1b) to find (what is lost)
1a1c) to meet, encounter
1a1d) to find (a condition)
1a1e) to learn, devise
1a2) to find out
1a2a) to find out
1a2b) to detect
1a2c) to guess
1a3) to come upon, light upon
1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with
1a3b) to hit
1a3c) to befall
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be found
1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered
1b1b) to appear, be recognised
1b1c) to be discovered, be detected
1b1d) to be gained, be secured
1b2) to be, be found
1b2a) to be found in
1b2b) to be in the possession of
1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be
1b2d) to be left (after war)
1b2e) to be present
1b2f) to prove to be
1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to find, attain
1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come
1c3) to cause to encounter
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means reproach or taunt, often associated with shame or disgrace. It can refer to the condition of being reproached or the object of reproach itself. The word is derived from חָרַף (charaf), which relates to scorn or rebuke.
חֶרְפָּה n.f. reproach
taunt of enemy
reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace
a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached
base
H2781 חֶרְפָּה reproach . taunt of enemy
. reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace
. a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached
2781 cherpah kher-paw'
from 2778; contumely, disgrace, the pudenda:--rebuke,
reproach(-fully), shame.
see HEBREW for 02778
חֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) — reproach.
1) reproach, scorn
1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy)
1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace)
1c) a reproach (an object)
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word מָחָה (machah) primarily means to wipe or erase, with implications of obliteration or destruction. It can denote actions like striking or smoothing, and has various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being wiped out or blotted from memory. Notably, it appears in Numbers 34:11 and Isaiah 25:6.
H4229a מָחָה wipe, wipe out H4229b מָחָה strike H4229c מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. fat pieces full of marrow
4229 machah maw-khaw'
a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication,
to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make
fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to:--abolish, blot out,
destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, X utterly, wipe
(away, out).
מָחָה (ma.chah) — to wipe.
1) to wipe, wipe out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to wipe
1a2) to blot out, obliterate
1a3) to blot out, exterminate
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be wiped out
1b2) to be blotted out
1b3) to be exterminated
1c) (Hiphil) to blot out (from memory)
מָחָה (ma.chah) — to strike.
(Qal) to strike
מָחָה (ma.chah) — be marrow.
(Pual) full of marrow (participle)
V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVNi3fs