Bible Strands
Proverbs 28:26
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Solomon (or a later sage) addresses a general audience within a collection of paired proverbs. The verse sits between two that name the LORD explicitly (28:25) and name the poor (28:27), bracketing its own silence on God's name.
The words — בּוֹטֵחַ (boṭe'aḥ) is a stative participle ("one who is in a state of trusting"), while הוֹלֵךְ (hōlēḵ) is an active participle ("one who walks"), contrasting a settled posture with continuous motion.
The thread — Proverbs 3:5 commands trust in the LORD and warns against leaning on one's own understanding; Jeremiah 17:9 calls the heart "deceitful above all things." Job 28:28 defines wisdom as the fear of the Lord, closing that book's search for its source.
Why it lands — The verse does not say "trust God" but says "walk in wisdom," which Proverbs defines elsewhere as fearing the LORD (Job 28:28). It asks the reader to check whether their confidence rests in their own judgment or in a practice that leads to deliverance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- Job 28:28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Romans 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
- James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Mark 7:21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
- 2 Timothy 3:15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- 2 Kings 8:13 “But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
- Mark 14:27 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’