Proverbs 25:6 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 25:6 mean?

Proverbs 25:6 warns against claiming importance for yourself when you are before a king. Its picture is of someone seeking a position among the king’s most important guests or officials, rather than waiting for the king to assign that honor.

The saying addresses a person who might enter a royal setting. After verse 5’s picture of a king’s rule, verse 6 turns to the conduct of someone in the king’s presence. The instruction concerns both how the person presents himself and where he chooses to stand.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 25:6

• “forth” — הָדַר (hadar): This Hebrew word can carry the sense of showing honor or splendor. Here, “Put not forth thyself” is often understood as a warning against presenting yourself as worthy of special honor.
• “great” — גָּדוֹל (gadol): This word can mean large or important. In “great men,” the setting points to people of high position rather than people who are physically large.

Why Proverbs 25:6 matters

• The setting gives the warning a social edge. “The presence of the king” and “the place of great men” picture a room where rank affects who is given honor.
• Verse 7 explains the risk of taking a high place too soon. Being invited to come higher is better than being moved down before a ruler, where others can see the loss of honor.