Proverbs 11:14

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

When there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בְּאֵ֣ין תַּ֭חְבֻּלוֹת יִפָּל־עָ֑ם וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יוֹעֵֽץ׃

Transliteration

Bəʾên taḥbulôt yippāl-ʿām ûtəšûʿâ bərōb yôʿēṣ.

Grammar Details

• *Bəʾên*: preposition + construct particle of negation - in absence of
• *taḥbulôt*: feminine plural noun - guidance/direction
• *yippāl-ʿām*: verb Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular + masculine singular noun - falls people
• *ûtəšûʿâ*: conjunction + feminine singular noun - and salvation/deliverance
• *bərōb*: preposition + masculine singular construct noun - in abundance of
• *yôʿēṣ*: masculine singular participle - counselor/adviser

Word Meanings

• *ʾên*: there is not/absence of
• *taḥbulôt*: guidance/direction/wise counsel/strategies
• *yippāl*: falls/fails/is overthrown
• *ʿām*: people/nation
• *təšûʿâ*: salvation/deliverance/victory
• *rōb*: abundance/multitude/greatness
• *yôʿēṣ*: counselor/adviser

Referenced Verses

• Prov 15:22 : 22 Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with abundant advisers they are established.
• Prov 24:6 : 6 for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory.
• Prov 20:18 : 18 Plans are established by counsel, so make war with guidance.
• 1 Kgs 12:1-9 : 1 Rehoboam Loses His Kingdom Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since. 3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam and the whole Israelite assembly came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made us work too hard. Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” 5 He said to them,“Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away. 6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them,“How do you advise me to answer these people?” 7 They said to him,“Today if you will be a servant to these people and grant their request, speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.” 8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. 9 He asked them,“How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me,‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” 10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam had grown up said to him,“Say this to these people who have said to you,‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden.’ Say this to them:‘I am a lot harsher than my father! 11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’” 12 Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said,“Return to me on the third day.” 13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said,“My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 15 The king refused to listen to the people, because the LORD was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king,“We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes. 17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.
• Prov 16:22 : 22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it, but folly leads to the discipline of fools.
• Isa 19:11-14 : 11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh,“I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?” 12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has planned for Egypt. 13 The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray. 14 The LORD has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit.
• Acts 15:6-9 : 6 Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate about this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them,“Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.” 12 The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 After they stopped speaking, James replied,“Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written, 16 ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,’ says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from long ago. 19 “Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”