Proverbs 16:17

Proverbs 16:17

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

a. ASV: The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: A highway of the upright is, 'Turn from evil,' Whoso is preserving his soul is watching his way. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Amplified Bible Classic: The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Septuagint: The paths of life turn aside from evil; and the ways of righteousness are length of life.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: The paved road of the upright is turning from evil; one who keeps his way guards his soul. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil…”

a. [The] highway [Strong: 4546 mᵉçillâh, mes-il-law'; from H5549; a thoroughfare (as turnpiked), literally or figuratively; specifically a viaduct, a staircase:—causeway, course, highway, path, terrace.]

b. [of the] upright [Strong: 3477 yâshâr, yaw-shawr'; from H3474; straight (literally or figuratively):—convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).]

c. [is] to depart [Strong: 5493 çûwr, soor; or שׂוּר sûwr; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root; to turn off (literally or figuratively):—be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), × grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, × be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.]

d. [from] evil [Strong: 7451 raʻ, rah; from H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):—adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), +exceedingly, × great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Including feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.)

1). The highway of the upright will be one of constant instruction, and receiving correction.

a). Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

b). Proverbs 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

2). Jesus said the gate to God’s kingdom is narrow and contrasted with the one that leads to destruction.

a). Matthew 7:13, 14 [NLT]: You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

7:14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

2. “...he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.”

a.  [he that] keepeth [Strong: 5341 nâtsar, naw-tsar'; a primitive root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.):—besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man).]

1). This same Hebrew word is translated “watchmen” and “preserve” in the following verses.

a). 2 Kings 18:8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

b). Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

b. [his] way [Strong: 1870 derek, deh'-rek; from H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:—along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).]

c. preserveth [Strong: 8104] shâmar, shaw-mar'; a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:—beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

1). The highway of the upright is marked by obedience to God’s word and it will preserve us. This same Hebrew word is translated “keep” in the flowing. 

a). Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

b). Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

c). Genesis 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

d. [his] soul [Strong: 5315 nephesh, neh'-fesh; from H5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):—any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, × dead(-ly), desire, × (dis-) contented, × fish, ghost, greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, × jeopardy of) life (×in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, slay, soul, tablet, they, thing, (× she) will, ×would have it.]