The Meaning of Proverbs 27:18 Explained

Proverbs 27:18

KJV: Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

YLT: The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.

Darby: Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.

ASV: Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whoso keepeth  the fig tree  shall eat  the fruit  thereof: so he that waiteth  on his master  shall be honoured. 

What does Proverbs 27:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 27:1-22 - "hearty Counsel"
The keyword in this paragraph is friends, Proverbs 27:6; Proverbs 27:9-10; Proverbs 27:14; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 19:1-29. Friends, according to the original sense of the Hebrew word, are those who delight in each other's companionship. Either they are useful to each other because the one possesses gifts that the other lacks, or they have certain tastes in common.
It is in friendship that we get to know ourselves, as a man sees his face in the mirror of calm water, Proverbs 27:19. We unfold to each other; our friend elicits traits of which we were hardly aware. Our sympathy and tenderness are drawn forth by our friend's troubles, as our laughter flashes out to awaken or to answer his high spirits. We shudder to think what cold and undeveloped beings we should be without the sharpening of friendship, Proverbs 27:17. How sweet human friendships are! Proverbs 27:9. Why not find equal confidence and sweetness in the greatest Friend of all? Of course, there is a friendship "which is wholly hypocritical and worthless." Such a friendship is marked by loud and ostentatious demonstration. See Proverbs 27:14. Ponder Christ's offer, John 15:14-15. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 27

1  observations of self love
5  of true love
11  of care to avoid offenses
23  and of the household care

What do the individual words in Proverbs 27:18 mean?

Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit so he who waits on his master will be honored
נֹצֵ֣ר תְּ֭אֵנָה יֹאכַ֣ל פִּרְיָ֑הּ וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣יו יְכֻבָּֽד

נֹצֵ֣ר  Whoever  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נְצוּרִים 
Sense: to guard, watch, watch over, keep.
תְּ֭אֵנָה  the  fig  tree 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּאֵנָה  
Sense: fig, fig tree.
יֹאכַ֣ל  will  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
פִּרְיָ֑הּ  its  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר  so  he  who  waits 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֲדֹנָ֣יו  on  his  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
יְכֻבָּֽד  will  be  honored 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.