The Meaning of Proverbs 27:10 Explained

Proverbs 27:10

KJV: Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

YLT: Thine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better is a near neighbour than a brother afar off.

Darby: Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

ASV: Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thine own friend,  and thy father's  friend,  forsake  not; neither go  into thy brother's  house  in the day  of thy calamity:  [for] better  [is] a neighbour  [that is] near  than a brother  far off. 

What does Proverbs 27:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The first statement makes the point of the proverb: friends are important allies that we should retain if possible ( Proverbs 27:10 a). The second statement is not as clear. The thought seems to be, "Do not go all the way to your blood brother"s house in a crisis if he lives far from you." The third statement gives the reason for the second. A friend nearby who is not a blood relative can be of more help than a close relation who lives farther away. A friend nearby should be more advantageous than a brother who lives miles away.

Context Summary

Proverbs 27:1-22 - "hearty Counsel"
The keyword in this paragraph is friends, Proverbs 27:6; Proverbs 27:9-10; Proverbs 27:14; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 19:1-29. Friends, according to the original sense of the Hebrew word, are those who delight in each other's companionship. Either they are useful to each other because the one possesses gifts that the other lacks, or they have certain tastes in common.
It is in friendship that we get to know ourselves, as a man sees his face in the mirror of calm water, Proverbs 27:19. We unfold to each other; our friend elicits traits of which we were hardly aware. Our sympathy and tenderness are drawn forth by our friend's troubles, as our laughter flashes out to awaken or to answer his high spirits. We shudder to think what cold and undeveloped beings we should be without the sharpening of friendship, Proverbs 27:17. How sweet human friendships are! Proverbs 27:9. Why not find equal confidence and sweetness in the greatest Friend of all? Of course, there is a friendship "which is wholly hypocritical and worthless." Such a friendship is marked by loud and ostentatious demonstration. See Proverbs 27:14. Ponder Christ's offer, John 15:14-15. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 27

1  observations of self love
5  of true love
11  of care to avoid offenses
23  and of the household care

What do the individual words in Proverbs 27:10 mean?

Your own friend - or friend of your father not do forsake and house of your brother nor go to in the day of your calamity Better [is] a neighbor nearby than a brother far away
רֵֽעֲךָ֨ [ורעה] (וְרֵ֪עַ) אָבִ֡יךָ אַֽל־ תַּעֲזֹ֗ב וּבֵ֥ית אָחִ֗יךָ אַל־ תָּ֭בוֹא בְּי֣וֹם אֵידֶ֑ךָ ט֥וֹב שָׁכֵ֥ן קָ֝ר֗וֹב מֵאָ֥ח רָחֽוֹק

רֵֽעֲךָ֨  Your  own  friend 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
[ורעה]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
(וְרֵ֪עַ)  or  friend 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֵעֶה  
Sense: friend, friend of the king (technical sense).
אָבִ֡יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
תַּעֲזֹ֗ב  do  forsake 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
וּבֵ֥ית  and  house 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָחִ֗יךָ  of  your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
אַל־  nor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תָּ֭בוֹא  go  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּי֣וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֵידֶ֑ךָ  of  your  calamity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵיד  
Sense: distress, burden, calamity.
ט֥וֹב  Better  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
שָׁכֵ֥ן  a  neighbor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁכֵן  
Sense: inhabitant, neighbour.
קָ֝ר֗וֹב  nearby 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
מֵאָ֥ח  than  a  brother 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
רָחֽוֹק  far  away 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.