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Webster's Bible Translation

Proverbs 27:23

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Agriculture;   Diligence;   Industry;   Riches;   The Topic Concordance - Diligence;   Endurance;   Wealth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Agriculture or Husbandry;   Diligence;   Milk;   Ox, the;  

Dictionaries:

- 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 - Cattle;   Diligence;   Proverb;   Proverbs, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Sheep;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Know well the condition of your flock,and pay attention to your herds,
Hebrew Names Version
Know well the state of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds:
King James Version
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
English Standard Version
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,
New American Standard Bible
Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;
New Century Version
Be sure you know how your sheep are doing, and pay attention to the condition of your cattle.
Amplified Bible
Be diligent to know the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;
World English Bible
Know well the state of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds:
Geneva Bible (1587)
Be diligent to know ye state of thy flocke, and take heede to the heardes.
Legacy Standard Bible
Know well the condition of your flocks,And pay attention to your herds;
Berean Standard Bible
Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;
Contemporary English Version
You should take good care of your sheep and goats,
Complete Jewish Bible
Take care to know the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds.
Darby Translation
Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
Easy-to-Read Version
Learn all you can about your sheep. Take care of your goats the best you can.
George Lamsa Translation
When you are feeding the sheep, know their faces and set your mind on the flock.
Good News Translation
Look after your sheep and cattle as carefully as you can,
Lexham English Bible
You will surely know the condition of your flock; your heart attends to the herds.
Literal Translation
Know well the face of your flock; set your heart on your herds,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Se yt thou knowe the nombre of thy catell thy self, and loke well to thy flockes.
American Standard Version
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds:
Bible in Basic English
Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
King James Version (1611)
Be thou diligent to knowe the state of thy flocks, and looke well to thy herds.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Be thou diligent to knowe the state of thy cattell thy selfe, and loke well to thy flockes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
English Revised Version
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Knowe thou diligentli the cheere of thi beeste; and biholde thou thi flockis.
Update Bible Version
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, [And] look well to your herds:
New English Translation
Pay careful attention to the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds,
New King James Version
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;
New Living Translation
Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds,
New Life Bible
Know well how your flocks are doing, and keep your mind on your cattle.
New Revised Standard
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
Revised Standard Version
Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds;
Young's Literal Translation
Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
THE MESSAGE
Know your sheep by name; carefully attend to your flocks; (Don't take them for granted; possessions don't last forever, you know.) And then, when the crops are in and the harvest is stored in the barns, You can knit sweaters from lambs' wool, and sell your goats for a profit; There will be plenty of milk and meat to last your family through the winter.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;

Contextual Overview

23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds. 24 For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation? 25 The plant appeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. 26 The lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field. 27 And [thou shalt have] goats milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] maintenance for thy maidens.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

diligent: Genesis 31:38-40, Genesis 33:13, 1 Samuel 17:28, 1 Chronicles 27:29-31, 2 Chronicles 26:10, Ezekiel 34:22-24, Ezekiel 34:31, John 21:15-17, 1 Peter 5:2

look well: Heb. set thy heart, Proverbs 24:32, *marg. Exodus 7:23, Deuteronomy 32:46

Reciprocal: Psalms 112:5 - he will Proverbs 13:11 - he Proverbs 13:23 - food Proverbs 21:5 - thoughts Proverbs 24:4 - General Proverbs 28:19 - that tilleth Ecclesiastes 5:9 - the profit Luke 16:3 - I cannot 1 Timothy 6:8 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 27:11
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother [is] a hairy man, and I [am] a smooth man:
Genesis 27:12
My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Genesis 27:16
And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth part of his neck:
Hebrews 11:20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Be thou diligent to know the state of flocks,.... In what condition they are; what health they enjoy; how fat and fruitful they be; what pasturage they have; and that they want nothing fitting for them that can be had and is necessary; and also the number of them. The calling of the shepherd is here particularly mentioned, because valiant, honourable, innocent, and useful; but the same diligence is to be used in all other callings and business men are employed in, that they may provide for themselves and their families. It is in the original text, "the face of thy flocks" r; perhaps the allusion is to the exact and distinct knowledge some very diligent careful shepherds might have, so as to know each sheep in their flocks distinctly; see

John 10:3; The Septuagint version renders it, the souls of thy flock, as if it was an instruction to spiritual pastors or shepherds, who have the care of the souls of men: and certain it is, that if it is the duty of shepherds in common to be diligent in looking after their sheep, and doing everything the duty of their office requires; then it must become the indispensable duty of pastors of churches to take heed to the flock of God committed to them, and to look into their state and condition, and provide for them, and feed them with knowledge and understanding, Acts 20:28;

[and] look well to thy herds; or, "put thy heart" s to them: show a cordial regard for them, and take a hearty care of them, that they have everything needful for them; and which is for the owner's good as well as theirs.

r פני צאנך "faciem pecoris tui", Tigurine version, Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens; "vultum", V. L. Pagninus; "facies", Montanus. s שיח לבך "pone cor tuum", Pagninus, Montanus; "adverte cor", Cocceius; "adverte animum tuum", Michaelis; "apponere cor tuum", Schultens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The verses sing the praises of the earlier patriarchal life, with its flocks and herds, and tillage of the ground, as compared with the commerce of a later time, with money as its chief or only wealth.

Proverbs 27:23

The state - literally, face. The verse is an illustration of John 10:3, John 10:14.

Proverbs 27:24

Riches - The money which men may steal, or waste, is contrasted with the land of which the owner is not so easily deprived. Nor will the crown (both the “crown of pure gold” worn on the mitre of the high priest, Exodus 29:6; Exodus 39:30; and the kingly diadem, the symbol of power generally) be transmitted (as flocks and herds had been) “from one generation to another.”

Proverbs 27:25

Appeareth - Better, When the grass disappeareth, the “tender grass showeth itself.” Stress is laid on the regular succession of the products of the earth. The “grass” (“hay”) of the first clause is (compare Psalms 37:2; Psalms 90:5; Psalms 103:15; 2 Kings 19:26) the proverbial type of what is perishable and fleeting. The verse gives a picture of the pleasantness of the farmer’s calling; compared with this what can wealth or rank offer? With this there mingles (compare Proverbs 27:23) the thought that each stage of that life in its season requires care and watchfulness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 27:23. The state of thy flocks — The directions to the end of the chapter refer chiefly to pastoral and agricultural affairs. Do not trust thy flocks to the shepherd merely; number them thyself; look into their condition; see how they are tended; and when, and with what, and in what proportion, they are fed.


 
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