Proverbs 24:7

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

רָאמ֣וֹת לֶֽאֱוִ֣יל חָכְמ֑וֹת בַּ֝שַּׁ֗עַר לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיהוּ׃

Transliteration

Rāʾmôt to-ʾěwîl ḥokmôt in-the-šaʿar not yiptaḥ-pîhû

Grammar Details

• *rāʾmôt*: feminine plural noun - coral/high thing/too high
• *ʾěwîl*: masculine singular noun with preposition - fool
• *ḥokmôt*: feminine plural noun - wisdom
• *šaʿar*: masculine singular noun with article - gate
• *yiptaḥ*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he opens
• *pîhû*: masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his mouth

Word Meanings

• *rāʾmôt*: coral/too high/unattainable
• *ʾěwîl*: fool/stupid person
• *šaʿar*: gate/public place where legal matters are decided

Referenced Verses

• Prov 14:6 : 6 A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not; But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
• Ps 10:5 : 5 His ways are firm at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: As for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.
• 1 Cor 2:14 : 14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he {G3756} cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
• Ps 92:5-6 : 5 How great are thy works, O Jehovah! Thy thoughts are very deep. 6 A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this:
• Job 5:4 : 4 His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them:
• Job 29:7-9 : 7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street, 8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 11 For when the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; And when the eye saw [me], it gave witness unto me: 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth. 18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand: 19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch; 20 My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain. 24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down. 25 I chose out their way, and sat [as] chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.
• Job 31:21 : 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
• Prov 15:24 : 24 To the wise the way of life [goeth] upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath.
• Prov 17:24 : 24 Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
• Prov 22:22 : 22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
• Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of all such as are left desolate. 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And minister justice to the poor and needy.
• Isa 29:21 : 21 that make a man an offender in [his] cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.
• Amos 5:10 : 10 They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
• Amos 5:12 : 12 For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins— ye that afflict the just, that take a bribe, and that turn aside the needy in the gate [from their right].
• Amos 5:15 : 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.