Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)

Passage

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

Proverbs 27:16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "iron", "sharpeneth", "countenance", and "friend". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "iron" and "sharpeneth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind and..." into verse 18's "Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat...", so "iron" and "sharpeneth" 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 "iron" and "sharpeneth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.