The Meaning of Proverbs 2:8 Explained

Proverbs 2:8

KJV: He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

YLT: To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.

Darby: guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones.

ASV: That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He keepeth  the paths  of judgment,  and preserveth  the way  of his saints. 

What does Proverbs 2:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 2:1-22 - Wisdom Guards From Evil
Several words are reiterated in this chapter, which will unlock its treasures. Understanding, Proverbs 2:2-3; Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 2:9; Proverbs 2:11. If wisdom is a moral quality, leading to intuitive knowledge, understanding may be taken to include something of a prophetic strain. Understanding gathers up and makes use of the results of observation and experience, whether of oneself or of others.
Notice also the word walk, Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 2:13; way, Proverbs 2:8; Proverbs 2:12-13; Proverbs 2:15; Proverbs 2:20; paths, Proverbs 2:8; Proverbs 2:13; Proverbs 2:15; Proverbs 2:18-20. See how eager the Divine Teacher is (l) to deliver the unwary from the way of the evil man, Proverbs 2:12, and from the way of the evil woman, Proverbs 2:16; and (2) to direct the feet of the young into the ways of the good and into the paths of the righteous, Proverbs 2:20. The path of safety and permanence is that in which we are perpetually conscious of the presence of the Master, Christ. He is the unseen companion of the soul in its difficult and perilous pilgrimage; and we may, in that companionship, appropriate the buckler of Proverbs 2:7, the integrity of Proverbs 2:8, and the stability of Proverbs 2:21. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 2

1  wisdom promises godliness to her children
10  and safety from evil company
20  and direction in good ways

What do the individual words in Proverbs 2:8 mean?

He guards the paths of justice and the way of His saint His saints preserves
לִ֭נְצֹר אָרְח֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְדֶ֖רֶךְ [חסידו] (חֲסִידָ֣יו) יִשְׁמֹֽר

לִ֭נְצֹר  He  guards 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נְצוּרִים 
Sense: to guard, watch, watch over, keep.
אָרְח֣וֹת  the  paths 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: אֹרַח  
Sense: way, path.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט  of  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְדֶ֖רֶךְ  and  the  way 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
[חסידו]  of  His  saint 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(חֲסִידָ֣יו)  His  saints 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָסִיד  
Sense: faithful, kind, godly, holy one, saint, pious.
יִשְׁמֹֽר  preserves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.