The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 14:27
What does Proverbs 14:27 mean?
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Proverbs 14:27
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It's easy to think of "fear of the Lord" as just being scared, but here it's portrayed as an overflowing spring of life. This profound reverence isn't about dread, but about honoring God so deeply that it actively guides us away from hidden dangers, like a life-giving river preventing us from stepping into a deadly trap.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb is part of a section where the writer contrasts the paths of the wise and the foolish, particularly focusing on the importance of honoring God. It builds on earlier points about how true wisdom flows from respecting the Lord, directly following discussions about the results of pride and humility. The verse offers a profound, life-giving perspective that helps one navigate away from destructive choices that lead to ruin.
What does it mean to 'fear' God? It's not about being terrified, but about profound respect and awe. This 'fear' is presented as something life-giving!
The verse calls the fear of the Lord a "fountain of life." Think of a fountain – it's a constant, abundant source of fresh, life-sustaining water. In the same way, a right relationship with God, characterized by reverence and obedience, is not a dry or burdensome obligation. Instead, it’s an unending source that nourishes our spiritual lives, guiding us toward true vitality and purpose.
Life is full of hidden dangers, like invisible snares waiting to trip us up. How does the 'fear of the Lord' act as our guide to avoid them?
The second part of the verse reveals the practical outcome of this life-giving fear: it helps us "turn away from the snares of death." These aren't just physical dangers, but spiritual and moral traps that lead to destruction, broken relationships, and ultimately, separation from God. True reverence for God gives us the wisdom and the strength to recognize these deadly paths and choose the way of life instead.
Understand the original words
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maqor · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for a continuous source of spiritual vitality, refreshment, and existence. It represents the life-giving nature of wisdom and God's law.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
Lethal traps or entanglements that lead to destruction or ruin. Metaphorically, they represent sins or sinful paths that result in spiritual and physical death.
This verse directly parallels Proverbs 14:27, stating 'The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life that makes one escape the snares of death,' highlighting the consistent wisdom literature theme of God's guidance leading to life and away from destruction.
Psalm 111:10This psalm echoes the sentiment by declaring 'The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding,' reinforcing the idea that revering God is the foundational step to wise living and avoiding deadly pitfalls.
John 4:14Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman, where He offers 'living water' that becomes 'a spring of water welling up to eternal life,' conceptually links the idea of a 'fountain of life' to the spiritual, abundant life that comes from a true relationship with God.
Romans 8:2This New Testament passage states, 'For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death,' presenting a similar concept of divine provision (the Spirit's law) leading away from death and towards life, mirroring the Proverbs' message in a Christ-centered context.
pulpitProverbs 14:27: "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."
Verse 27. - A repetition of Proverbs 13:14, substituting the fear of the Lord for "the law of the wise." The fear of the Lord can he called a fountain of life, because, showing itself in obedience, it nourishes the flowers and fruits of faith, produces graces and virtues, and prepares the soul for immortality. Septuagint, "The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life, and makes one decline fro…
ellicottProverbs 14:27: "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."
(27) Fountain of life.— Comp. Proverbs 13:14 and John 4:14 .
It's easy to think of "fear of the Lord" as just being scared, but here it's portrayed as an overflowing spring of life. This profound reverence isn't about dread, but about honoring God so deeply that it actively guides us away from hidden dangers, like a life-giving river preventing us from stepping into a deadly trap.
This proverb is part of a section where the writer contrasts the paths of the wise and the foolish, particularly focusing on the importance of honoring God. It builds on earlier points about how true wisdom flows from respecting the Lord, directly following discussions about the results of pride and humility. The verse offers a profound, life-giving perspective that helps one navigate away from destructive choices that lead to ruin.
This proverb is part of a section where the writer contrasts the paths of the wise and the foolish, particularly focusing on the importance of honoring God. It builds on earlier points about how true wisdom flows from respecting the Lord, directly following discussions about the results of pride and humility. The verse offers a profound, life-giving perspective that helps one navigate away from destructive choices that lead to ruin.
"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death." — It's easy to think of "fear of the Lord" as just being scared, but here it's portrayed as an overflowing spring of life. This profound reverence isn't about dread, but about honoring God so deeply th…
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Last reviewed October 2026