Proverbs 22:12
New International Version
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

New Living Translation
The LORD preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.

English Standard Version
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor.

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

King James Bible
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

New King James Version
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

New American Standard Bible
The eyes of the LORD protect knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.

NASB 1995
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

NASB 1977
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

Legacy Standard Bible
The eyes of Yahweh guard knowledge, But He subverts the words of the treacherous one.

Amplified Bible
The eyes of the LORD keep guard over knowledge and the one who has it, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

American Standard Version
The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD watches over everyone who shows good sense, but he frustrates the plans of deceitful liars.

English Revised Version
The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, but he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD's eyes watch over knowledge, but he overturns the words of a treacherous person.

Good News Translation
The LORD sees to it that truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liars.

International Standard Version
The LORD watches over anyone with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the unfaithful.

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

NET Bible
The eyes of the LORD guard knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless person.

New Heart English Bible
The eyes of the LORD watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

Webster's Bible Translation
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

World English Bible
Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, "" And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

Young's Literal Translation
The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.

Smith's Literal Translation
The eyes of Jehovah guarded knowledge, and he will overthrow the words of him transgressing.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge. And the words of the iniquitous are supplanted.

New American Bible
The eyes of the LORD watch over the knowledgeable, but he defeats the projects of the faithless.

New Revised Standard Version
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge and destroy the words of deceit.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The eyes of LORD JEHOVAH preserve knowledge and they destroy the words of liars.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, But He overthroweth the words of the faithless man.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises wise words.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Good Name
11He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend. 12The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless. 13The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”…

Cross References
Psalm 33:18
Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion

Job 34:21
For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.

1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Psalm 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.

Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.

Psalm 139:1-4
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me. / You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. / You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. ...

Matthew 10:30
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Psalm 121:3-4
He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. / Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Isaiah 29:15
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”

Luke 12:2-3
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. / What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!


Treasury of Scripture

The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.

eyes

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

Isaiah 59:19-21
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him…

Matthew 16:16-18
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God…

he

Job 5:12,13
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise…

Acts 8:9-12
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: …

Acts 13:8-12
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith…

words or matters

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Acts Eyes Faithless False. Frustrates Kept Overthroweth Overthrows Overturned Preserve Transgressor Treacherous Unfaithful Watch Words
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Acts Eyes Faithless False. Frustrates Kept Overthroweth Overthrows Overturned Preserve Transgressor Treacherous Unfaithful Watch Words
Proverbs 22
1. A good name is more desirable than great wealth














The eyes of the LORD
This phrase emphasizes the omniscience and omnipresence of God. In Hebrew, "eyes" (עֵינַיִם, 'eynayim) often symbolize perception and awareness. The LORD (יהוה, Yahweh) is depicted as having eyes that see all things, indicating His divine oversight and intimate knowledge of human affairs. This concept is rooted in the understanding that God is not distant or detached but actively involved in the world. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern belief in deities who were aware of human actions, but uniquely, the God of Israel is portrayed as morally righteous and just in His observations.

keep watch over knowledge
The Hebrew word for "keep watch" (נָצַר, natsar) conveys the idea of guarding or preserving. This suggests that God actively protects and maintains the integrity of true knowledge. "Knowledge" (דַּעַת, da'at) in this context refers to divine truth and wisdom, which are consistent themes throughout the book of Proverbs. Theologically, this implies that God values truth and ensures that it is preserved against corruption. In a historical context, this reflects the importance placed on wisdom and understanding in ancient Israelite society, where knowledge was seen as a divine gift to be cherished and safeguarded.

but He frustrates the words of the faithless
The word "frustrates" (הָפַךְ, haphak) in Hebrew means to overturn or subvert. This indicates that God actively works against the plans and declarations of those who are "faithless" (בָּגַד, bagad), meaning those who are treacherous or deceitful. The faithless are those who reject God's truth and rely on their own understanding or deceitful practices. This part of the verse underscores the moral order upheld by God, where deceit and falsehood are ultimately thwarted. Historically, this reflects the biblical narrative where God consistently opposes the proud and deceitful, ensuring that their plans do not succeed. This serves as a reminder of the divine justice that governs the world, encouraging believers to trust in God's wisdom and righteousness.

(12) The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge--i.e., men who know and speak the truth. (See above on Proverbs 21:28.)

He overthroweth the words of the transgressor--i.e., the deceitful; He brings his lies to light.

Verse 12. - The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge. The expression, "preserve knowledge," is found at Proverbs 5:2 (where see note) in the sense of "keep," "retain," and, taken by itself, it might here signify that the Lord alone possesses knowledge, and alone imparts it to his servants (1 Samuel 2:3); but as in the following clause a person, the transgressor, is spoken of, it is natural to expect a similar expression in the former. The Revised Version is correct in rendering the abstract "knowledge" by the concrete "him that hath knowledge;" so that the clause says that God watches over and protects the man who knows him and walks in his ways, and uses his means and abilities for the good of others (see Proverbs 11:9). But he (the Lord) overthroweth the words of the transgressor. The transgressor here is the false, treacherous, perfidious man; and the gnome asserts that God frustrates by turning in another direction the outspoken intentions of this man, which he had planned against the righteous (comp. Proverbs 13:6; Proverbs 21:12). Septuagint, "But the eves of the Lord preserve knowledge, but the transgressor despiseth words," i e. commands, or words of wisdom and warning.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD’s
יְ֭הוָה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

eyes
עֵינֵ֣י (‘ê·nê)
Noun - cdc
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

keep watch over
נָ֣צְרוּ (nā·ṣə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5341: To watch, guard, keep

knowledge,
דָ֑עַת (ḏā·‘aṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1847: Knowledge

but He frustrates
וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף (way·sal·lêp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5557: To twist, pervert, overturn

the words
דִּבְרֵ֥י (diḇ·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the faithless.
בֹגֵֽד׃ (ḇō·ḡêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 898: To cover, to act covertly, to pillage


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 22:12 The eyes of Yahweh watch over knowledge (Prov. Pro Pr)
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