PROV 3:20 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. בְּ,דַעְתּ,וֹ
2. 387985,387986,387987
3. By knowledge of his
4. knowledge
5. 1847
6. S-R,Ncfsc,Sp3ms
7. by,knowledge_of,his
8. S
9. Y-1000
10. 270074
1. תְּהוֹמוֹת
2. 387988
3. the depths
4. depths
5. 8415
6. S-Ncbpa
7. the_depths
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270075
1. נִבְקָעוּ
2. 387989
3. they were split open
4. open
5. 1234
6. V-VNp3cp
7. they_were_split_open
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270076
1. וּ,שְׁחָקִים
2. 387990,387991
3. and clouds
4. ≈and clouds
5. 7834
6. S-C,Ncmpa
7. and,clouds
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270077
1. יִרְעֲפוּ
2. 387992
3. they dripped
4. dripped
5. 7491
6. V-Vqi3mp
7. they_dripped
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270078
2. 387993
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 270079
1. טָל
2. 387994
3. dew
4. dew
5. 2919
6. O-Ncmsa
7. dew
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270080
2. 387995
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 270081

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:13–20: Wisdom is valuable and is useful for both people and the LORD

This section teaches the value of wisdom by showing its usefulness to people and the LORD. It is useful to people, because it results in long life, wealth, honor, pleasantness, and peace (3:13–18). It is useful to the LORD, because he used it to create the world (3:19–20).

Another heading for this section is:

The Value of Wisdom (CEV)

3:20

This verse describes how the LORD provided water from sources that were under and above the earth’s surface. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^20aBy His knowledge the watery depths were broken open,

^20band the clouds dripped with dew.

3:20a

By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open,

By means of his knowledge/wisdom he also caused springs and rivers to flow from under the ground,
He also caused springs and rivers to flow out.

By His knowledge: Here knowledge is equivalent to “wisdom” and “understanding” in the previous verse. No distinction is intended. The phrase His knowledge does not refer here to specific information that the LORD knows. In some languages, it may be more natural to leave this phrase implied. For example:

He also caused springs and rivers to flow out.

the watery depths were broken open: This clause refers to when the LORD split open channels in the rock so that springs and rivers could flow from the seas under the earth’s surface.This is the majority view, as described by Fox (page 160). It is supported also by Cohen, Delitzsch, Toy, and Whybray. An NIV study Bible note mentions that a less likely possibility is that this refers to dividing the waters above the firmament from the waters below. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

the springs of the deep burst forth (REB)

His wisdom caused the rivers to flow (GNT)

3:20b

and the clouds dripped with dew.

and he caused the clouds to release/drop dew and rain.
He caused it to rain and dew.

and the clouds dripped with dew: Several scholars say that “rain” was probably included along with dew. For example:

His wisdom caused…the clouds to give rain to the earth. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ֭⁠דַעְתּ⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: by,knowledge_of,his deeps broke_open and,clouds drop_down dew )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of knowledge, you could express the same idea as in the UST.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת

(Some words not found in UHB: by,knowledge_of,his deeps broke_open and,clouds drop_down dew )

Here, depths refers to bodies of water that were deep under the earth’s surface. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the underground bodies of water]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נִבְקָ֑עוּ

broke_open

Here, broke open refers to: (1) the water from the depths bursting out from under the ground and coming to the surface of the earth. Alternate translation: [burst forth water onto the earth]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear PROV 3:20

Hebrew word order

Section 3:13–20: Wisdom is valuable and is useful for both people and the LORD

3:20

3:20a

3:20b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)