Lectionary Calendar
Friday, November 29th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Amplified Bible

Proverbs 25:3

As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the hearts and minds of kings are unsearchable.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Rulers;   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Hiding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Earth, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Proverb, the Book of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Heart;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Depths;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Proverbs, Book of;   Shame;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Astronomy;   Proverbs, Book of;   Searchings;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king's mind!
Update Bible Version
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
New Century Version
No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth. So also no one can understand the mind of a king.
New English Translation
As the heaven is high and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
Webster's Bible Translation
The heaven for hight, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.
World English Bible
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
English Standard Version
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.
English Revised Version
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Berean Standard Bible
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
Contemporary English Version
Who can fully understand the thoughts of a ruler? They reach beyond the sky and go deep in the earth.
American Standard Version
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Bible in Basic English
The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
Complete Jewish Bible
Like the sky for height or the earth for depth is the heart of kings — unfathomable.
Darby Translation
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Easy-to-Read Version
We cannot discover how high the sky is above us or how deep the earth is below. The same is true with the minds of kings. We cannot understand them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
King James Version (1611)
The heauen for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of Kings is vnsearchable.
New Life Bible
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the heart of kings is more than can be known.
New Revised Standard
Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth, so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The heaues in height, & the earth in deepenes, and the Kings heart can no man search out.
George Lamsa Translation
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of the king is unsearchable.
Good News Translation
You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, but, the heart of kings, cannot be searched.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Revised Standard Version
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The heauen is hye, the earth is deepe: and the kinges heart is vnsearcheable.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.
Christian Standard Bible®
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
Hebrew Names Version
As the heavens for height, and the eretz for depth, So the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
King James Version
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Lexham English Bible
As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth, so is the heart of kings—there is no searching.
Literal Translation
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, but the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Young's Literal Translation
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings -- [are] unsearchable.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The heauen is hie, ye earth is depe, and ye kinges hert is vnsearcheable.
THE MESSAGE
Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.
New American Standard Bible
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
New King James Version
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Legacy Standard Bible
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

Contextual Overview

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the hearts and minds of kings are unsearchable.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

heaven: Psalms 103:11, Isaiah 7:11, Isaiah 55:9, Romans 8:39

is unsearchable: Heb. there is no searching, 1 Kings 4:29, 1 Peter 1:7

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:12 - sounded Job 11:8 - It is as high as heaven Psalms 15:3 - taketh up Isaiah 55:8 - General Romans 11:33 - the depth

Cross-References

2 Samuel 2:9
He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, even over all Israel [except Judah].
1 Kings 10:1
Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with riddles.
Job 6:19
"The caravans of Tema looked [for water], The caravans of Sheba waited for them [in vain].
Psalms 72:10
The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring offerings; The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts.
Jeremiah 25:23
Dedan, Tema, Buz [the neighboring tribes north of Arabia], and all who clip off the side-growth of their hair;
Jeremiah 49:8
"Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths [of the desert to escape the judgment of Edom], O inhabitants of Dedan, For I will bring the destruction of Esau (Edom) upon him When I inspect and punish him.
Ezekiel 25:13
therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "I will also stretch out My hand against Edom and I will cut off and destroy man and beast. I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword.
Ezekiel 27:6
"Of the oaks of Bashan they have made your oars; They have made your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.
Ezekiel 27:20
"Dedan traded with you in saddle blankets for riding.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,.... These are eminent for what are ascribed to them; nothing is higher than the heavens, nor anything deeper than the earth; the height of the heavens cannot be reached, and the centre of the earth cannot easily be got unto; the heavens above cannot be measured, and the foundation of the earth cannot be searched beneath; at least not by common persons, whatever may be done in their way by astronomers and geometricians. And thus, as the heavens and the earth are immeasurable, Jeremiah 31:37; so

the heart of kings [is] unsearchable; especially such an one as Solomon was, who had largeness of heart as the sand on the seashore: and this must be understood of such who have the art of governing; for some are so weak in their conduct, and so much expose themselves, that it is easy to see what is in their hearts, and what are the springs of their actions. Wise princes lay their schemes deep, and conceal their designs, and keep their reasons of state secret, so that it is not an easy thing to penetrate into their councils and views: for this does not so much respect the multitude of business they have upon their hearts and hands, as Jarchi and others understand it, as the privacy and secrecy in which they are managed, and the reasons of which are kept from common persons, Who therefore are not proper judges of them; and who yet will often take upon them to censure and condemn, when they are ignorant of the true cause of such conduct.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The other side of the thought of Proverbs 25:2. What the mind of God is to the searchers after knowledge, that the heart of the true and wise king is to those who try to guess its counsels.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 25:3. The heaven for height — The simple meaning of this is, the reasons of state, in reference to many acts of the executive government, can no more be fathomed by the common people, than the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth.


 
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