Proverbs 16:15
WEB
In the light of the king’s face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
BSB
When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
KJV
In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H216
n-f — illumination, luminary
Derivation: from 215;
illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
KJV: bright, clear, day, light (-ning), morning, sun.
n.m — light
אוֹר 121 n.m. light
1. light as diffused in nature, light of day
2. morning light, dawn
3. light of the heavenly luminaries
4. daylight
5. lightning
6. light of lamp
7. light of life
8. light of prosperity
9. light of instruction
10. light of face
11. Yahweh
H6440
n-m — face, before
Derivation: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from 6437);
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
KJV: accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.
n.m — face
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
I.
1. face, faces
2.
a. presence, person
b. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
3. face of seraphim
4. face of animals
5. face (= surface) of ground
6. as adv.loc. before
7. for other phrases
II. with prepositions
H4428
n-m — king
Derivation: from 4427;
a king
KJV: king, royal.
n.m — king
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
H2416
a n-m n-f — alive, raw, fresh, strong, life
Derivation: from 2421;
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV: age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, merry, multitude, (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
adj — alive
חַי adj. alive, living
1.
a. of God, as the living one, the fountain of life
b. of man
c. of animals, alive, living
d. animals and man
e. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green
f. of water, fresh
2. (dub.) lively, active
3. reviving
n.f — living thing
חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal
1. animal
a. in general
b. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity
c. living beings, of the cherubic chariot
2. life, only in late poetry
3. appetite, activity of hunger
4. revival, renewal
n.f — community
חַיָּה n.f. community
n.m — life
חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life
1. life: physical
2. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence
3. sustenance, maintenance
H7522
n-m — delight
Derivation: or רָצֹן; from 7521;
delight (especially as shown)
KJV: (be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will, as...(what) would.
n.[m.] — goodwill
רָצוֹן n.[m.] goodwill, favour, acceptance, will
1. goodwill, favour
2. acceptance, of persons, offering sacrifice
3. will, desire, pleasure
H5645
n-m — envelope, darkness, density, cloud, copse
Derivation: (masculine and feminine); from 5743;
properly, an envelope, i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chronicles 4:17); specifically, a (scud) cloud; also a copse
KJV: clay, (thick) cloud, × thick, thicket. Compare 5672.
n.m — dark cloud
עָב 53 n.m. dark cloud, cloud-mass, thicket
H4456
n-m — spring rain, eloquence
Derivation: from 3953; (compare 3954)
the spring rain; figuratively, eloquence
KJV: latter rain.
n.m — latter-rain
מַלְקוֹשׁ n.m. latter-rain, spring-rain (i.e. showers of March-April; important as strengthening and maturing crops)
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Verses 14–15
Proverbs 16:14–15
These two verses show the power of kings, which is every where great, but was especially so in those eastern countries, where they were absolute and arbitrary. Whom they would they slew and whom they would they kept alive. Their will was a law. We have reason to bless God for the happy constitution of the government we live under, which maintains the prerogative of the prince without any injury to the liberty of the subject. But here it is intimated, 1. How formidable the wrath of a king is: It is as messengers of death; the wrath of Ahasuerus was so to Haman. An angry word from an incensed prince has been to many a messenger of death, and has struck so great a terror upon some as if a sentence of death had been pronounced upon them. He must be a very wise man that knows how to pacify the wrath of a king with a word fitly spoken, as Jonathan once pacified his father's rage against David, Sa1 19:6. A prudent subject may sometimes suggest that to an angry prince which will cool his resentments. 2. How valuable and desirable the king's favour is to those that have incurred his displeasure; it is life from the dead if the king be reconciled to them. To others it is as a cloud of the latter rain, very refreshing to the ground. Solomon put his subjects in mind of this, that they might not do any thing to incur his wrath, but be careful to recommend themselves to his favour. We ought by it to be put in mind how much we are concerned to escape the wrath and obtain the favour of the King of kings. His frowns are worse than death, and his favour is better than life; and therefore those are fools who to escape the wrath, and obtain the favour, of an earthly prince, will throw themselves out of God's favour, and make themselves obnoxious to his wrath.
Cross-references: 1Sam 19:6