PROV 8:29 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,שׂוּמ,וֹ
2. 390045,390046,390047
3. when set he
4. -
6. VS-R,Vqc,Sp3ms
7. when,set,he
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271567
1. לַ,יָּם
2. 390048,390049
3. for sea
4. -
5. 3220
6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
7. for,sea
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271568
2. 390050
3. -
4. -
6. -x-paseq
8. -
9. -
10. 271569
1. חֻקּ,וֹ
2. 390051,390052
3. limit of its
4. -
5. 2706
6. O-Ncmsc,Sp3ms
7. limit_of,its
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271570
1. וּ,מַיִם
2. 390053,390054
3. and water
4. waters
5. 4325
6. S-C,Ncmpa
7. and=water
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271571
1. לֹא
2. 390055
3. not
4. -
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271572
1. יַֽעַבְרוּ
2. 390056
3. they will transgress
4. -
6. V-Vqi3mp
7. they_will_transgress
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271573
2. 390057
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 271574
1. פִי,ו
2. 390058,390059
3. mouth of his
4. -
5. 6310
6. S-Ncmsc,Sp3ms
7. mouth_of,his
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271575
1. בְּ,חוּק,וֹ
2. 390060,390061,390062
3. when he marked out
4. marked
5. 2710
6. VS-R,Vqc,Sp3ms
7. when,he,marked_out
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271576
1. מוֹסְדֵי
2. 390063
3. +the foundations of
4. foundations
5. 4144
6. O-Ncbpc
7. [the]_foundations_of
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271577
1. אָרֶץ
2. 390064
3. +the earth
4. earth's
5. 776
6. O-Ncbsa
7. [the]_earth
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 271578
2. 390065
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 271579

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–36: Wisdom calls out to people and reminds them of the benefits of being wise

In contrast to the previous section describing the adulterous woman, this section describes personified Wisdom. The public setting for Wisdom’s speech is described in 8:1–3. In 8:4–11, she addresses all mankind and describes her own character. In 8:12–21, she provides reasons why people should choose her. Additional motivation is given in 8:22–31: Wisdom was with the LORD when he created the world. The section ends with Wisdom appealing to mankind to follow her teaching (8:32–36).

This section is a speech by personified Wisdom. As in Wisdom’s speech in 1:20–33, the Notes have used a capital letter for Wisdom in most verses. However, in her speech, Wisdom sometimes refers to “wisdom” as an ability that people have or use or should try to obtain. In some of these contexts, the Notes have used small letters for “wisdom.” The Display will often give more than one option. You may use either option in your language, depending on what is appropriate in each context.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wisdom’s Call (NIV)

Listen to Wisdom (NCV)

The good qualities of Wisdom

Wisdom’s second invitation to people

Paragraph 8:22–31

In this paragraph, Wisdom gives additional reasons why people should choose her. The LORD created Wisdom before anything else (8:22–26), and she was present with the LORD when he created the world (8:27–29). She also delighted in what the LORD created (8:30–31).

8:29

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^29awhen He set a boundary for the sea,

^29bso that the waters would not surpass His command,

^29cwhen He marked out the foundations of the earth.

The first two lines describe the boundaries that the LORD set for the ocean. The third line is parallel to the first two lines. It also describes an area that the LORD established for part of his creation—the earth’s foundation.

8:29a

when He set a boundary for the sea,

I was there when he assigned/made boundaries for the ocean

when He set a boundary for the sea: The boundary of the sea is where the LORD determined that the ocean would end and the dry land would begin. It is the place on the shore beyond which the waves may not come. Other ways to translate this clause are:

when he assigned to the sea its limit (NRSV)

when he set boundaries for the sea (CEV)

8:29a–b

(combined/reordered)

I was also there when he commanded the waves of the ocean not to go past the boundaries/limits that he had set/designated.

8:29b

so that the waters would not surpass His command,

so the waves/water would not go past the place/boundaries that he had commanded.

so that the waters would not surpass His command: The verb surpass means “to go beyond” or “to transgress.” This clause refers to the LORD’s command that the ocean not go past the boundary he had set. Another way to translate this clause is:

so they would not spread beyond their boundaries (NLT)

General Comment on 8:29a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder some of the parallel ideas in these two lines. For example:

I was there when he ordered the sea not to go beyond the borders he had set. (NCV)

8:29c

when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

And likewise, I was there when he marked the place where he would set/establish the earth.
And I was also there when he made/laid the foundation of the earth.

when He marked out the foundations of the earth: The Hebrew word translated as marked out is the same word that was used in 8:27b where the BSB translated it as “inscribed.” The word foundations is most often used of actual buildings, some of which had stone foundations. However, the earth’s foundations are figuratively described in Job 38:4–6 as having both supporting pillars and a cornerstone (see also 8:25a). So it is better if you can translate foundations without specifying a particular kind of foundation. The point in this verse is that the LORD designated the area on which the earth would be firmly set.

If your language has no word for foundation, you may be able to express the same meaning by using a verb phrase. For example:

when he decided where He would firmly set the earth

Several English translations describe the process of making a foundation rather than the first step of marking it out. For example:

when he laid the earth’s foundation (NCV)

when he laid foundations to support the earth (CEV)

Be sure to choose whatever words are naturally used in your language for marking out and making a foundation.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

בְּ⁠שׂ֘וּמ֤⁠וֹ & פִ֑י⁠ו בְּ֝⁠חוּק֗⁠וֹ

when,set,he & mouth_of,his when,he,marked_out

In this verse, he and his refer to Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “when Yahweh set up … Yahweh’s mouth … when Yahweh inscribed”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

חֻקּ֗⁠וֹ

limit_of,its

Here, its statute refers to the limit or boundary of sea, where the sea ends and the dry land begins. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “its limit”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

פִ֑י⁠ו

mouth_of,his

Here, mouth refers to God’s statute that was mentioned in the previous clause as if it were a command spoken by God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “his command” or “that limit”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּ֝⁠חוּק֗⁠וֹ

when,he,marked_out

This clause refers to Yahweh designating the foundations of the earth as if he were drawing them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “when he designated” or “when he decreed”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ

foundations_of earth

Here the earth is spoken of as though it rested on foundations such as a building has. These were sometimes thought of as the bottoms of the mountains (see [Micah 6:2](../mic/06/02.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the lowest parts of 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 8:29

Hebrew word order