The Meaning of Proverbs 1:28 Explained

Proverbs 1:28

KJV: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

YLT: Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.

Darby: then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.

ASV: Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then shall they call  upon me, but I will not answer;  they shall seek me early,  but they shall not find  me: 

What does Proverbs 1:28 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 1:28 mean?

Then they will call on me but not I will answer they will seek me diligently they will find me
אָ֣ז יִ֭קְרָאֻנְנִי וְלֹ֣א אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה יְ֝שַׁחֲרֻ֗נְנִי יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי

יִ֭קְרָאֻנְנִי  they  will  call  on  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common singular, Paragogic nun
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה  I  will  answer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
יְ֝שַׁחֲרֻ֗נְנִי  they  will  seek  me  diligently 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common singular, Paragogic nun
Root: שָׁחַר  
Sense: to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for.
יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי  they  will  find  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common singular, Paragogic nun
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.