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Proverbs 21:1

God's power and sovereigntyGod's will and callingAuthority and leadership
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.

2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
KJV
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
WEB
The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.
ASV
The king`s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will.
DARBY
The king's heart in the hand of Jehovah is [as] brooks of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
BLB
Channels of water [is] the heart of a king in the hand of YHWH; upon all that He wishes, He stretches it out.
ÅB
Kongens hjerte er som bekker i Herrens hånd, han bøyer det dit han vil.
OTB
Kongens hjerte er som bekker av vann i Herrens hånd; Han leder det dit Han vil.
B1930
Kongens hjerte er som bekker i Herrens hånd, han bøier det dit han vil.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Proverbs 16:9

    A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

    Read in context

  • Ezra 6:22

    For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.

    Read in context

  • Proverbs 20:24

    A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?

    Read in context

  • Acts 7:10

    and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

    Read in context

  • Proverbs 16:1

    The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.

    Read in context

  • Ezra 7:27–28

    Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,

    Read in context

  • Daniel 4:35

    All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

    Read in context

  • Psalms 106:46

    He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive.

    Read in context