The Meaning of Proverbs 29:18 Explained

Proverbs 29:18

KJV: Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

YLT: Without a Vision is a people made naked, And whoso is keeping the law, O his happiness!

Darby: Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint; but happy is he that keepeth the law.

ASV: Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Where [there is] no vision,  the people  perish:  but he that keepeth  the law,  happy  [is] he. 

What does Proverbs 29:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The AV translation has resulted in misunderstanding of this proverb. The "vision" (Heb. hazon) does not refer to some dream of success a person may have but to a prophetic vision that was a revelation from God (cf. 1 Samuel 3:1). The Hebrew verb translated "perish" (AV para) does not mean "die in their sins" (e.g, because someone did not see the "vision" of the importance of evangelism). It means "cast off restraint." Without the guidance of divine revelation people abandon themselves to their own sinful ways. God"s Word restrains human wickedness, and those who keep it are happy. Thus "a nation"s well-being depends on obedience to divine revelation." [1] There must be knowledge of divine revelation through preaching for there to be obedience to it. [2]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 29

1  observations of public government
15  and of private
22  Of anger, pride, thievery, cowardice and corruption

What do the individual words in Proverbs 29:18 mean?

Where [there is] no revelation cast off restraint the people but who keeps the law happy [is] he
בְּאֵ֣ין חָ֭זוֹן יִפָּ֣רַֽע עָ֑ם וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר תּוֹרָ֣ה אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ

בְּאֵ֣ין  Where  [there  is]  no 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
חָ֭זוֹן  revelation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָזׄון  
Sense: vision.
יִפָּ֣רַֽע  cast  off  restraint 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַע 
Sense: to lead, act as leader.
עָ֑ם  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר  but  who  keeps 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
תּוֹרָ֣ה  the  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
אַשְׁרֵֽהוּ  happy  [is]  he 
Parse: Interjection, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶשֶׁר 
Sense: happiness, blessedness.