Proverbs 8:17 — Word Study
WLCאֲ֭נִי אֹהֲבַ֣י אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃
BSA◂Iʼănîy [the embodiment of wisdom] loveʼâhab [have affection for, cherish] those who love meʼâhab [diligently seek, are devoted to] and those who seek me earlyshâchar [search for, diligently pursue, in the morning, with eagerness] shall find memâtsâʼ▸ [discover, attain]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲ֭נִי | I | Pronoun |
| אֹהֲבַ֣י | [those who] love me | Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| אֵהָ֑ב | I love | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י | and [those who] earnestly seek me | Conjunction, verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃ | they find me | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me. |
| KJV | I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. |
| ASV | I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me. |
| YLT | I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me. |
| WEB | I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me. |
| BBE | Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me. |
Where they part company is וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two participial phrases that elaborate on the subjects of love and seeking.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbאָהֵב
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 8:17
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 Call of Wisdomgenerated
Proverbs 8:17 is part of a larger discourse where wisdom speaks about her value and the blessings that come to those who seek her. This section emphasizes the importance of loving wisdom and the rewards of diligent pursuit, contrasting the wise with the foolish. The surrounding verses illustrate the authority and richness that wisdom provides to those who embrace her.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 2:30 | Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained. |
| 2 | Psalm 91:14 | “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. |
| 3 | John 14:21–23 | Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” |
| 4 | John 16:27 | For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. |
| 5 | 1 John 4:19 | We love because He first loved us. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֵהָ֑ב, 'e.Havgenerated
The verb אָהֵב, transliterated as 'ahav, means 'to love' and indicates a strong affection or devotion. It is used here in the first-person singular imperfect form, showing an ongoing action: 'I love'. The context suggests that this love is reciprocal, as it is directed towards those who also love wisdom.
This love encompasses various forms of affection, including familial, romantic, and divine love. In this verse, it expresses a deep connection between wisdom and her followers, indicating that those who cherish wisdom will receive her love in return.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is אֵהָ֑ב, I love, which governs the entire sentence. It is followed by two clauses: the first describes the subject of love, and the second describes those who seek wisdom. This structure emphasizes the relationship between the speaker and the audience, highlighting the conditions for receiving wisdom's love.
The sentence structure is straightforward, with a clear subject-verb-object arrangement, making the message direct and emphatic. The use of participles and conjunctions connects the ideas smoothly, illustrating the flow of thought.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, אֵהָ֑ב is rendered as ἀγαπῶ, which also means 'I love'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emotional depth of the relationship between wisdom and her followers.
The Greek translation captures the essence of the original Hebrew, emphasizing the loving relationship that wisdom has with those who earnestly seek her.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 8:17 states that wisdom loves those who love her, and those who earnestly seek her will find her. This verse emphasizes the importance of pursuing wisdom with dedication and the rewards that come from such efforts.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Loving wisdom involves valuing her teachings and seeking her guidance in life, which leads to a deeper understanding and fulfillment.
Seeking wisdom early means prioritizing her teachings, especially at the beginning of your day or in key decisions, and doing so with eagerness.
Finding wisdom brings guidance, understanding, and blessings that enrich one’s life and decision-making.
This verse connects with other passages that emphasize the value of wisdom, such as 1 Samuel 2:30 and Psalm 91:14, which highlight the rewards of loving and seeking God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I show my love for wisdom in my daily life?
- How can I make seeking wisdom a priority each day?
- What steps can I take to deepen my understanding of wisdom's teachings?
- How have I experienced the benefits of seeking wisdom in my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse, such as from Bede, highlight the connection between love for wisdom and divine love, drawing parallels with teachings in the New Testament.
I love those who love me, etc. Such is it also in the Gospel: "But he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him" (John 14).Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 8 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 8:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI love them that love me,.... Those that love Christ are such who are born again, and have a spiritual and experimental knowledge of him; that believe in him, have seen his loveliness, have had his
Read John Gill on Proverbs 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. I love them that love me: and those that seek me early shall find me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI love them that love me; I do not despise their love though it be but a small and inconsiderable thing to me but I kindly accept it, and will recompense it with my love and favour. That seek me early, i.e. with sincere affection, and great diligence, and above all other persons or things in the world; which he mentions as the effect and evidence of their love; for otherwise all men pretend to love God.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.Ver. 17. I love them that love me.] The philosopher could say, that if moral virtue could be seen with mortal eyes, she would stir up wonderful loves of herself in the hearts of the beholders. How much more, then, would the "wisdom of God in a mystery!," that essential wisdom of God especially, the Lord Jesus, who is totus desiderabilis, "altogether lovely," "the desire of all nations," whom whosoever loveth not deserves to be doubly accursed. My love was crucified, said Ignatius, who "loved not his life unto the death." Neither was there any love lost, or can be, for "I love them that love me." "And if any…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) I love them that love me.—Comp. John 14:21 : he that loveth me. . . . I will love him.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 8 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. I love them that love me] Wisdom shows itself; teaches man the knowledge of himself; shows him also the will of God concerning him; manifests the snares and dangers of life, the allurements and unsatisfactory nature of all sensual and sinful pleasures, the blessedness of true religion, and the solid happiness which an upright soul derives from the peace and approbation of its Maker. If, then, the heart embraces this wisdom, follows this Divine teaching, and gives itself to God, his love will be shed abroad in it by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Thus we love God because he hath first loved us and the more we love him, the more we shall feel of his love, which will enable us to…
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. early] Rather diligently, R.V. text, though R.V. marg. retains, early. See Proverbs 1:28, note. Wisdom is as accessible as she is desirable.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 8 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17. I love, etc. — This and the following verses to 21, are probably a continuation of the train of thought begun at Proverbs 8:13. Seek me early — Or, speedily, earnestly.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 8 →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
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Tyndale line
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me diligently shall find me.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
Strictly literal
I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
I love those loving me, || And those seeking me earnestly find me.
I indeed love those that love me: and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me, find me.
From the Latin
I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
Simplified
I love those who love me, and those who really look for me will find me.
Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
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 on the wording and structure of Proverbs 8:17, with all five words matched. This consistency highlights the shared understanding of the text across these traditions.
אֲ֭נִי אֹהֲבַ֣י אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃
5 of the 5 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 8:17
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.
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
The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.
אָהֵב 216 vb. love
Qal
human love to human object
less oft. of appetite
love to God
esp. Pt.
of divine love
Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable
Pi.
friends
lovers
base
H157 אָהֵב love
157 'ahab aw-hab'
or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for
(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,
friend.
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.
: lover
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
1a5b) to people Israel
1a5c) to righteousness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) lovely (participle)
1b2) loveable (participle)
1c) (Piel)
1c1) friends
1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)
2) to like
Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.
: friend
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVqrmpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.
אָהֵב 216 vb. love
Qal
human love to human object
less oft. of appetite
love to God
esp. Pt.
of divine love
Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable
Pi.
friends
lovers
base
H157 אָהֵב love
157 'ahab aw-hab'
or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for
(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,
friend.
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.
: lover
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
1a5b) to people Israel
1a5c) to righteousness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) lovely (participle)
1b2) loveable (participle)
1c) (Piel)
1c1) friends
1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)
2) to like
Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.
: friend
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
V-Qal | Suff — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
luv ('ahebh, 'ahabhah, noun; phileo, agapao, verb; agape, noun): Love to both God and man is fundamental to true religion, whether as expressed in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Jesus Himself declared that all the law and the prophets hang upon love (Mt 22:40; Mr 12:28-34). Paul, in his matchless ode on love (1Co 13), makes it the greatest of the graces of the Christian life--greater than speaking with tongues, or the gift of prophecy, or the possession of a faith of superior excellence; for without love all these gifts and graces, desirable and useful as they are in themselves, are as nothing, certainly of no permanent value in the sight of God. Not that either Jesus or Paul underestimates the faith from which all the graces proceed, for this grace is recognized as…
Love
This word seems to require explanation only in the case of its use by our Lord in his interview with “Simon, the son of Jonas,” after his resurrection (John 21:16, 17). When our Lord says, “Lovest thou me?” he uses the Greek word agapas; and when Simon answers, he uses the Greek word philo, i.e., “I love.” This is the usage in the first and second questions put by our Lord; but in the third our Lord uses Simon’s word. The distinction between these two Greek words is thus fitly described by Trench:, ”Agapan has more of judgment and deliberate choice; philein has more of attachment and peculiar personal affection. Thus the ‘Lovest thou’ (Gr. agapas) on the lips of the Lord seems to Peter at this moment too cold a word, as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance, or at least not inviting him to draw near, as in the…
GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM, 1Jo 4:16. Love is a chief attribute of Jehovah, the length and breadth and height and depth of which are beyond comprehension, for they are infinite, Eph 3:18,19. Between the three Persons of the Godhead, love is unutterable full, perfect, and blissful; towards holy angels and Christians, God’s love is an infinite fatherly complacency and affection; towards sinners, it is immeasurable compassion. It is shown in all his works and ways, and dictated his holy law, but is most signally displayed in the gospel, Joh 3:16. "Herein is love."
Holy love in man would make the whole heart and soul supremely delight in and obey God, and cordially and practically love all beings according to their character-the good…
→ OF CHILDREN FOR PARENTS
See CHILDREN
→ OF GOD, LOVE OF
The Hebrew word שָׁחַר (shachar) is a verb meaning to seek or look for something diligently, particularly in the morning or early. It is derived from a primitive root that implies earnestness and searching with care. The entries indicate its use in the Qal and Piel forms, with a reference to Proverbs 11:27.
[שָׁחַר] vb. denom. look early, diligently for
Qal Pr 11:27, elsewhere
Pi. seeks him early (with) discipline
base
H7836 שָׁחַר vb. denom. look early, diligently for
7836 shachar shaw-khar'
a primitive root; properly, to dawn, i.e. (figuratively) be
(up) early at any task (with the implication of earnestness);
by extension, to search for (with painstaking):--(do
something) betimes, enquire early, rise (seek) betimes, seek
diligently) early, in the morning).
שָׁחַר (sha.char) — to seek.
1) to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for
1a) (Qal) to look for diligently, seek
1b) (Piel) to seek, seek early
Conj | V-Piel | Suff — Conjunction · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vprmpc/Sp1bs
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-3mp | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVqi3mp/Sp1bs