Proverbs 3:18 (WEB)

Passage

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

Proverbs 3:18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Proverbs 3:19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "tree", "life", "hold", "happy", "everyone", and "retains". 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 All..." into verse 19's "By wisdom Yahweh 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.