Proverbs 8:3

Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Wisdom stands beside city gates and entrances, delivering a public proclamation. Her audience is explicitly identified as men and the sons of men.

The words — The Hebrew תָּרֹֽנָּה (ta.Ro.nah) literally translates to "they cry aloud," denoting a loud, outward call. The terms שְׁעָרִ֥ים (she.'a.Rim) and מְב֖וֹא (me.Vo') specify the city gates and entrances where civic and commercial activity concentrates.

The thread — This pattern of public summons appears in Job 29:7, where a figure waits at the city gate, and reappears in Matthew 22:9 and Luke 14:21, which command messengers to invite guests from crossroads and streets.

Why it lands — The text establishes that the message is delivered in open, transitional spaces rather than secluded locations. It requires the reader to treat the call as a direct address to every person present at the point of daily decision-making.

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

לְיַד־le./yad-to/ [the] side of שְׁעָרִ֥יםshe.'a.Rim[the] gates לְפִי־le./fi-to/ [the] opening of קָ֑רֶתKa.ret[the] town מְב֖וֹאme.Vo'[the] entrance of פְתָחִ֣יםfe.ta.Chim[the] doorways תָּרֹֽנָּה׃ta.Ro.nahthey cry aloud

King James Version

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Cross-references

Job 29:7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
Matthew 22:9 Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’
Luke 14:21 The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
John 18:20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
Acts 5:20 “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”