Proverbs 29:25

The fear of people ¹  becomes ²  a snare, ³  but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high. ⁴ 

Ge 12:11-13; Ge 20:2,11; Ge 26:7; Ex 32:22-24; 1Sa 15:24; 1Sa 27:1,11; 1Ki 19:3; 1Ch 5:20; Ps 69:29; Ps 91:14; Ps 118:8; Ps 125:1; Pr 16:20; Pr 18:10; Pr 30:5; Ec 7:18; Isa 57:11; Da 3:28; Da 6:23; Mt 10:28; Mt 15:12; Mt 26:69-74; Joh 3:2; Joh 9:22; Joh 12:42; Joh 19:12,13; Ga 2:11-13; 2Ti 4:16,17; 1Pe 1:21

¹ tn Heb “the fear of man.” This uses an objective genitive to describe a situation where fearing what people might do or think controls one’s life. There is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to males, so the translation uses the more generic “people” here.

² tn Heb “gives [or yields, or produces]”; NIV “will prove to be.”

³ sn “Snare” is an implied comparison; fearing people is like being in a trap – there is no freedom of movement or sense of security.

⁴ sn The image of being set on high comes from the military experience of finding a defensible position, a place of safety and security, such as a high wall or a mountain. Trusting in the Lord sets people free and gives them a sense of safety and security (e.g, Prov 10:27; 12:2).