Proverbs 15:3

Proverbs 15:3

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

King James Version (KJV)

Read this verse in context with translation switching:

Read Full Chapter →

Context

Set among chapter 15's reflections on God and human conduct, this verse grounds moral seriousness in the truth that God observes all people and all deeds everywhere.

What Does Proverbs 15:3 Mean?

Nothing escapes God's sight -- He sees every place, every person, and every deed. This brief but weighty proverb declares God's all-seeing presence. "The eyes of the LORD are in every place" affirms that there is no location, however hidden, beyond His view. And His seeing is moral: He is "beholding the evil and the good," taking full account of both.

The image of God's "eyes" being everywhere conveys that His awareness is total and unbroken. No corner of creation lies in shadow to Him; no secret act goes unobserved. This truth cuts two ways, which is exactly the proverb's intent. To those tempted toward evil, it is a sobering warning: wrongdoing done in secret is still done in plain sight before God, and it will not be overlooked. There is no place to hide from the One who sees all. But to those striving to do good -- often unseen and unrewarded by others -- it is a deep comfort. God notices the quiet faithfulness, the hidden kindness, the integrity maintained when no one is watching. Nothing good is lost on Him. The verse thus encourages the righteous and warns the wicked with a single statement. It calls every reader to live with the awareness that we are always before the gaze of a God who sees clearly, judges justly, and forgets nothing -- whether evil or good.

In the Original Language

"Eyes" renders 'enayim, used figuratively for God's watchful awareness. "Beholding" is tsaphah, to keep watch or observe attentively, as a watchman scanning the horizon.

Application

Live with awareness that God sees everything, letting it both restrain hidden wrongdoing and encourage faithful good that no one else notices.

Topics

Keep Studying Proverbs 15

Read the whole chapter in KJV, ASV, or WEB, or go deeper with the chapter study guide and key themes.