Proverbs 3:18 (DBY)

Passage

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is he that retaineth her.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand riches and honour.

Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Proverbs 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is he that retaineth her.

Proverbs 3:19 Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.

Proverbs 3:20 By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "tree", "life", "hold", "upon", "happy", and "retaineth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "tree" and "life", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Her ways are ways of pleasantness and..." into verse 19's "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth by...", so "tree" and "life" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "tree" and "life" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.