What does Proverbs 13:12 mean? (2024)

FAQs

What does Proverbs 13:12 mean? ›

Something "deferred" is put off, delayed, or suspended. The longer a person goes without seeing their hope realized, the more likely they are to become discouraged.

The Hebrew phrase for this “tree of life” is the same one we find in Genesis 2:9 describing a unique tree in the middle of Eden's garden. Here in Proverbs the meaning expands to include a full life—mental and emotional, moral and spiritual—that lasts forever.

LET US PRAY: Lord, I want to know that which I was created to accomplish. I want to know my purpose of being created. Father, I know that everyone has something to achieve in life, and I ask that You reveal to me what's mine.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

The righteous attain the wealth of the wicked, and then they use it to leave an inheritance for their children. If those children are not taught how to steward their money, their wealth will fall into the hands of the next righteous generation. This describes what it means to leave a legacy.

Something "deferred" is put off, delayed, or suspended. The longer a person goes without seeing their hope realized, the more likely they are to become discouraged.

The tree of life represents the fullness of eternal life that God wishes to lavish on humanity. It's one of the most powerful images in God's Word, extending from the first chapters of Genesis to the final ones of Revelation.

Proverbs 12:13 "The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble." The tongue is a problem for everyone because as James puts it, it is an unruly evil that no man can tame (James 3:8).

When the desire comes, it is a tree of life (NKJV). Fulfilled means to be satisfied, happy, content, or at peace. Being at peace is where God wants to bring us. Not everything that brings us happiness also brings us peace. But when peace comes into our hearts, happiness and joy will reside there as well.

ESV Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. NIV Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. NASB One who despises the word will do badly, But one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.

What is the main message of Proverbs 13? ›

In Proverbs 13, we read about hope and other words of wisdom regarding the words we speak, avoiding laziness, doing what is right in God's eyes, being sincere and honest, having good judgment, and the value of correction.

Proverbs 13:12 King James Version (KJV)

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

When hope's dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life's sweetness will satisfy your soul.

Therefore, the chief aim of the book of Proverbs is to bring divine truth into proper focus, enabling us to look at life through God's eyes—from His eternal, all-knowing point of view—and then live accordingly. Proverbs teaches us how to gain wisdom from God's reproofs so that, in the power of the Spirit, we will obey.

Psalm 112:1–3 (NIV): “Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.”

In Proverbs 23:23 we are told to “get wisdom,” and the Proverbs themselves are one of the best places to observe and learn that wisdom. God gave us this book to teach us how to walk in wisdom—that is, how to conduct and regulate our lives. It helps us conform our lives to God's character and standards.

The tree of life represents the afterlife, and connection between the earth and heaven. The bond and affection to trees is so deep that Celts believed the actual trees were their ancestors, gatekeepers to the Celtic Otherworld.

The Tree of Life Symbol - A timeless symbol of our connections to everything around us, and a powerful reminder that our own happiness and health are inextricably intertwined with the happiness and health of all living things.

As detailed in a recent article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new Tree of Life shows how 2.3 million different types of animals, plants, fungi and microbes are interconnected, and how those relationships have diverged since life began on Earth more than 3.5 billion years ago.

In the tree of life, every branch tells a story, and every leaf is a whisper of the past. In the tree of life, every branch tells a story, and every leaf is a whisper of the past. The roots of the tree of life reach deep into the earth, anchoring us to our heritage and connecting us to those who came before.