Text -- Proverbs 14:27 (NET)

14:27 The fear of the Lord is like a life-giving fountain, to turn people from deadly snares.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Pro 14:27

¹ sn The verse is similar to Prov 13:14 except that “the fear of the Lord” has replaced “the teaching of the wise.”

² tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.

³ tn Heb “fountain of life.”

⁴ tn The infinitive construct with prefixed ל (lamed) indicates the purpose/result of the first line; it could also function epexegetically, explaining how fear is a fountain: “by turning….”

⁵ tn The term “people” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

⁶ tn Heb “snares of death” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); CEV “deadly traps.”