The Meaning of Proverbs 16:19 Explained

Proverbs 16:19

KJV: Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

YLT: Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.

Darby: Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

ASV: Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Better  [it is to be] of an humble  spirit  with the lowly,  than to divide  the spoil  with the proud. 

What does Proverbs 16:19 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 16

1  The Plans of the heart

What do the individual words in Proverbs 16:19 mean?

Better [to be] humble of a spirit with - the lowly Than to divide the spoil the proud
ט֣וֹב שְׁפַל־ ר֭וּחַ אֶת־ [עניים] (עֲנָוִ֑ים) מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל גֵּאִֽים

ט֣וֹב  Better  [to  be] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
שְׁפַל־  humble 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁפָל  
Sense: low, humble.
ר֭וּחַ  of  a  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
[עניים]  - 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
(עֲנָוִ֑ים)  the  lowly 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק  Than  to  divide 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
שָׁ֝לָ֗ל  the  spoil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
גֵּאִֽים  the  proud 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: גֵּאֶה  
Sense: proud.