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

PROVERBS 16:17KJV
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Proverbs 16:17 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 16:17 mean?

Proverbs 16:17 says that people who want to do what is right will avoid evil, and by carefully watching how they live, they protect their own lives. The verse highlights that choosing to stay away from wrongdoing is the path that keeps a person safe.

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, mostly attributed to Solomon, meant to guide everyday people in living wisely. This verse uses the image of a "highway" to describe the straightforward and intentional path of someone who is upright. The focus is on making conscious choices to avoid evil, showing that wisdom involves both direction and self-control.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 16:17

  • "highway" (מְסִלָּה, mesillah): This word refers to a main road or raised path, suggesting a clear, purposeful route rather than a wandering trail. The upright person’s life is pictured as a well-marked, intentional journey.
  • "upright" (יָשָׁר, yashar): This word means someone who is straight, honest, or morally right. It emphasizes the character of the person who chooses this path.
  • "depart" (סוּר, sur): This verb means to turn aside or move away from something. Here, it stresses an active choice to leave evil behind, not just passively avoiding it.
  • "keepeth" (שָׁמַר, shamar): This word means to guard or watch over. The verse links careful attention to one’s way with preserving life, showing that wisdom is not just about knowing right from wrong but also about being alert and protective.

Why Proverbs 16:17 matters

  • Proverbs 16:17 clarifies that living uprightly is not just about avoiding obvious wrongdoing but involves a deliberate, ongoing effort to steer clear of evil.
  • The verse highlights personal responsibility, showing that each person’s choices and vigilance play a key role in their own well-being.
  • This proverb connects with the wider theme in Proverbs that wisdom is practical and protective, offering real benefits for those who follow its guidance.

Where else these words appear

“highway” Hebrew H4546 · used in 26 verses

  • Numbers 20:19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.
  • 2 Samuel 20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
  • Isaiah 19:23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

“keepeth” Hebrew H5341 · used in 62 verses

  • Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
  • Psalms 119:33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
  • Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

“upright” Hebrew H3477 · used in 119 verses

  • Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
  • Psalms 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.