The Meaning of Proverbs 3:20 Explained

Proverbs 3:20

KJV: By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

YLT: By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

Darby: By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

ASV: By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

By his knowledge  the depths  are broken up,  and the clouds  drop down  the dew. 

What does Proverbs 3:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 3:13-26 - Wisdom's Ways Of Pleasantness
Wisdom is susceptible of cultivation. It is a mine that needs to be worked with patient toil. Compare Proverbs 3:13-15 with Job 28:18. It is comparable to a noble woman, who approaches us with full-handed beneficence, Proverbs 3:16-17. It may be described as a tree, requiring careful tendance and bearing fruit for the patient cultivator, Proverbs 3:18. And we may turn from our own little lives to see the mighty results of divine wisdom in Creation and Providence. We are made in the image of God, our minds are able to appreciate His mind, and we think over again, as Kepler said, the thoughts of God, Proverbs 3:19-20.
Learn the security of the life which is built on the eternal principles of this book. It has no fear. Its repose is unbroken by alarm. It is at peace with itself, with man, and with God. This is not the result of our calculating prudence, but because we exercise ourselves to have consciences void of offense toward God and man; and because the God of patience, of hope, and of peace is with us. See Romans 15:5; Romans 15:13; Romans 15:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 3

1  various exhortations
13  The gain of wisdom
27  Exhortation to goodness
33  the different state of the wicked and upright

What do the individual words in Proverbs 3:20 mean?

By His knowledge the depths were broken up and clouds drop down the dew
בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־ טָֽל

בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ  By  His  knowledge 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת  the  depths 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: תְּהֹום  
Sense: deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea.
נִבְקָ֑עוּ  were  broken  up 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּקַע  
Sense: to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear.
וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים  and  clouds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שַׁחַק  
Sense: dust, cloud.
יִרְעֲפוּ־  drop  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָעַף  
Sense: to trickle, drip.
טָֽל  the  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.