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Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 25:2

God is praised for being mysterious; rulers are praised for explaining mysteries.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - King;   Philosophy;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Knowledge;   Magistrates;   Mysteries-Revelations;   Nation, the;   Rulers;   Secret Things;   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Hiding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Conceal;   Proverbs, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gnosticism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
It is the glory of God to conceal a matterand the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
Hebrew Names Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
King James Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
English Standard Version
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
New American Standard Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
New Century Version
God is honored for what he keeps secret. Kings are honored for what they can discover.
Amplified Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
World English Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
Legacy Standard Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Berean Standard Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
Complete Jewish Bible
God gets glory from concealing things; kings get glory from investigating things.
Darby Translation
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.
Easy-to-Read Version
We honor God for the things he keeps secret. But we honor kings for the things they can discover.
George Lamsa Translation
It is the glory of God to keep secret a matter; but the glory of the king is to search it out.
Good News Translation
We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain.
Lexham English Bible
The glory of God conceals things, but the glory of kings searches out things.
Literal Translation
The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It is the honor of God to kepe a thinge secrete, but ye kinges honor is to search out a thinge.
American Standard Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Bible in Basic English
It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
King James Version (1611)
It is the glory of God to conceale a thing: but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
It is the glory of God to kepe a thing secrete: but the kynges honour is to searche out a thing.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
English Revised Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The glorie of God is to hele a word; and the glorie of kyngis is to seke out a word.
Update Bible Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Webster's Bible Translation
[It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings [is] to search out a matter.
New English Translation
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter.
New King James Version
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
New Living Translation
It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them.
New Life Bible
It is the greatness of God to keep things hidden, but it is the greatness of kings to find things out.
New Revised Standard
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The glory of God, is to conceal a thing, but, the glory of kings, is to search out a thing.
Douay-Rheims Bible
It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.
Revised Standard Version
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Young's Literal Translation
The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
THE MESSAGE
God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Contextual Overview

2 God is praised for being mysterious; rulers are praised for explaining mysteries. 3 Who can fully understand the thoughts of a ruler? They reach beyond the sky and go deep in the earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the glory: Deuteronomy 29:29, Job 11:7, Job 11:8, Job 38:4-41, Job 39:1-30, Job 40:2, Job 42:3, Romans 11:33, Romans 11:34

the honour: 1 Kings 3:9-28, 1 Kings 4:29-34, Ezra 4:15, Ezra 4:19, Ezra 5:17, Ezra 6:1, Job 29:16

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 17:4 - inquired 1 Samuel 20:12 - sounded 2 Samuel 1:5 - How knowest Luke 6:27 - Love

Cross-References

Genesis 25:1
Abraham married Keturah,
Genesis 25:4
Midian also had five sons: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
Genesis 25:15
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Genesis 25:16
Each of Ishmael's sons was a tribal chief, and a village was named after each of them.
Genesis 25:17
Ishmael had settled in the land east of his brothers, and his sons settled everywhere from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt on the way to Asshur. Ishmael was one hundred thirty-seven when he died.
Genesis 25:32
"I'm about to die," Esau answered. "What good will those rights do me?"
Genesis 25:33
But Jacob said, "Promise me your birthrights, here and now!" And that's what Esau did.
Genesis 37:28
When the Midianite merchants came by, Joseph's brothers took him out of the well, and for twenty pieces of silver they sold him to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt.
Genesis 37:36
Meanwhile, the Midianites had sold Joseph in Egypt to a man named Potiphar, who was the king's official in charge of the palace guard.
Numbers 22:4
They said to the Midianite leaders, "That bunch of Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field." So King Balak

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing,.... Secret things belong unto him, and they are kept so by him: many things which he does reveal, yet the "modus" or manner of them remains hidden; as what relates to his own being, and manner of subsisting; the trinity of Persons in the Godhead; the filiation or the Son, and the procession of the Spirit; the incarnation of Christ, and the like: the predestination of men to life and death, though that there is such a thing is certain, yet who they are is not known; the purposes and decrees of God, all that he determines to do, or shall be done, are known unto him from eternity; but then the times and seasons in which they will be accomplished are kept in his own power; the day and hour of the last judgment none knows but himself: his judgments, and ways in providence, are unsearchable and past finding out; there are many things in it unaccountable to men; nor does he give an account of them to the sons of men; these are at present secrets in his own breast, his judgments will be made manifest. Now it is his glory to conceal them; they are all known to him, and the reasons of them; he is the omniscient all wise God, and stands in no need of the advice of creatures; nor are they taken into his privy council. Some apply this to his pardoning sin, which is sometimes expressed by "covering" it; and in which the glory of his grace and mercy is greatly displayed. Jarchi interprets it of the history of the work of creation, and Ezekiel's vision of the wheels, the understanding of which is very difficult; and which the Jews forbid the reading of, as also Solomon's Song, until men are come to ripeness of years;

but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter; to investigate everything relating to civil government, and that may be of use to them in the exercise of it; particularly to search into the word of God, and observe the laws in it, and rule according to them; or make such laws as are agreeably to it, and execute them: and to inquire diligently into all causes that are brought before them, that they may find out the truth of things, and pass judgment accordingly; and be able to give reasons for what they do in the public affairs of government, and make it appear that they are according to the rules of truth and justice; and to do so will gain them immortal honour! see

Job 29:16.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The earthly monarch might be, in some respects, the type of the heavenly, but here there is a marked contrast. The king presses further and further into all knowledge; God surrounds Himself as in “thick darkness,” and there are secrets unrevealed even after the fullest revelation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 25:2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing — This has been understood as referring to the revelation of God's will in his word, where there are many things concealed in parables, allegories, metaphors, similitudes, c. And it is becoming the majesty of God so to publish his will, that it must be seriously studied to be understood, in order that the truth may be more prized when it is discovered. And if it be God's glory thus partially to conceal his purposes, it is the glory of a king to search and examine this word, that he may understand how by Him kings reign and princes decree judgment. Prophecies are partially concealed and we cannot fully know their meaning till their accomplishment; and then the glory of God's wisdom and providence will be more particularly evident, when we see the event correspond so particularly and exactly with the prediction. I know not, however, that there are not matters in the Book of God that will not be fully opened till mortality is swallowed up of life. For here we see through a glass darkly; but there, face to face: here we know in part; but there we shall know as we also are known.

On this subject I cannot withhold an extract of a letter sent to myself, by a royal and learned personage.*

* His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex.

"As far as I have presumed to dive into and occupy myself with the sacred volumes, I feel satisfied of their Divine origin and truth. And I am satisfied, likewise, that they contain more matter than any one, and myself in particular, can ever aspire fully to understand. This belief, however, ought in nowise to slacken our diligence, or damp our ardour, in attempting a constant pursuit after the attainment of knowledge and truth; as we may flatter ourselves, although unable to reach the gate, we are still approaching nearer to its portals, which of itself is a great blessing." This sentiment will be approved by every pious and enlightened mind.


 
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