KJV ORIGINAL
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
When there were no deep oceans, I was brought into being; when there were no springs overflowing with water.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Wisdom is speaking here, saying she existed before God created the oceans and water sources - she was there from the very beginning.
📚 Historical Context
In Proverbs 8, Wisdom is personified as speaking in the first person, describing her role in creation alongside God. This chapter is part of the wisdom literature tradition where abstract concepts like wisdom are given human characteristics to make them more relatable. Ancient Hebrew poetry often used water imagery - depths, fountains, and springs - to represent the fundamental elements of creation.
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