Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
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Interpretation

Proverbs 27:17 shows a sharpening that is lived within work and rest—see "iron" and "sharpens". Let sharpening by steady, quiet faithfulness—steady the will with prayer.

Context

The setting is Proverbs—poetry/wisdom, highlighting sharpening. Within ch. 27, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward wisdom & worship. Watch the terms “iron” and “sharpens”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Proverbs to Solomon & sages. Introductions to Proverbs often note: Wisdom collection assembled over time.. Scholars commonly date Proverbs Developed in stages from monarchy to post‑exilic times.. Here the thread of wisdom & worship comes into view.

More details
Traditional:Solomon & sages
Modern scholarship:Wisdom anthology compiled in stages.
Date:Monarchic to post‑exilic.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is consistent. The Septuagint offers a slightly different interpretation but confirms the Hebrew text's antiquity. The metallurgical metaphor was preserved accurately because of its practical wisdom application. No Dead Sea Scrolls preserve this verse, but Proverbs' textual tradition is generally stable. The word 'sharpens' (chadad) appears identically in all Hebrew manuscripts.
Sources & witness notes
MT