The Meaning of Proverbs 20:7 Explained

Proverbs 20:7

KJV: The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

YLT: The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!

Darby: The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!

ASV: A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The just  [man] walketh  in his integrity:  his children  [are] blessed  after  him. 

What does Proverbs 20:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:1-15 - Sobriety Industry Honesty
Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it!
The sluggard is depicted throughout this book to stir us to diligent industry. After all, it is not by great gifts but by patient persistence that men succeed. Indeed, the highest genius is left behind by the careful plodder, if the one lacks and the other possesses this invaluable quality. "Diligent in business, serving the Lord."
All our life lies open to the eye of God. He is closely acquainted with the transactions of the bank, the office, the ledger, and the weights in the store. No lapse from perfect honesty escapes his notice; and for every act of deception there is an inevitable Nemesis. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:7 mean?

walks in his integrity the righteous [man] blessed His children [are] after him
מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו

מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ  walks 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ  in  his  integrity 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּם  
Sense: integrity, completeness.
צַדִּ֑יק  the  righteous  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
אַשְׁרֵ֖י  blessed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֶשֶׁר 
Sense: happiness, blessedness.
בָנָ֣יו  His  children  [are] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַחֲרָֽיו  after  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).