The Meaning of Proverbs 1:24 Explained

Proverbs 1:24

KJV: Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

YLT: Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,

Darby: Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;

ASV: Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because I have called,  and ye refused;  I have stretched out  my hand,  and no man regarded; 

What does Proverbs 1:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 1:20-33 - The Call Of Wisdom
The word Wisdom and the description of her standing atthe head of the noisy streets-see Proverbs 1:21, r.v., margin-remind us of our Lord, who, as the Word of God, stood and cried, John 7:37. It is a remarkable picture of the world as it is today. The streets filled with traffickers, with the bawling of wares, with the crowds of idle sightseers, and amid it all the ringing appeal of Christ to the heart of man! But the scorners deride and mock, while fools hate the speaker and threaten his life. Yet there is no crowded thoroughfare in the world from which the Spirit of God is absent. See Matthew 22:1-10.
The two results that divide the hearers are set forth in words that are always receiving verification. The day of calamity, when banks suspend payment, and the boldest speculators lose heart, breaks suddenly on the worldling. He has no hiding-place, no second line of defense, no spiritual treasure; and is like a drowning sailor in a tempestuous sea. But "Wisdom is justified of all her children," for they dwell safely. See Proverbs 1:33 and Luke 7:35. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 1

1  The use of the proverbs
7  An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word
10  to avoid the enticing of sinners
20  Wisdom complains of her contempt
24  She threatens her contemners

What do the individual words in Proverbs 1:24 mean?

Because I have called and you refused I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded
יַ֣עַן קָ֭רָאתִי וַתְּמָאֵ֑נוּ נָטִ֥יתִי יָ֝דִ֗י וְאֵ֣ין מַקְשִֽׁיב

יַ֣עַן  Because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
קָ֭רָאתִי  I  have  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וַתְּמָאֵ֑נוּ  and  you  refused 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָאַן  
Sense: (Piel) to refuse.
נָטִ֥יתִי  I  have  stretched  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
יָ֝דִ֗י  my  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מַקְשִֽׁיב  regarded 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.