Proverbs 28:13
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This proverb sits among chapter 28's contrasts between the righteous and the wicked, here addressing the path from hidden sin to honest repentance and mercy.
What Does Proverbs 28:13 Mean?
Proverbs 28:13 teaches that hiding sin leads to ruin, while confessing and turning from it opens the way to mercy. The verse lays out two opposite paths. The first is concealment: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper." Trying to hide wrongdoing -- whether from others, from oneself, or from God -- never brings the relief it promises. Hidden sin festers, weighs on the conscience, and ultimately blocks true well-being.
The second path is the way of healing: "whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Notice that two actions are joined. Confession alone -- merely admitting wrong -- is incomplete without forsaking, the actual turning away from the sin. Together, honest acknowledgment and genuine change open the door to mercy. This is one of the clearest expressions in Proverbs of how a person finds restoration: not by pretending to be righteous, but by honesty and repentance. The promise is gracious and hopeful -- mercy is available to those who stop covering and start confessing. For the reader burdened by hidden faults, the verse is liberating: the way forward is not deeper concealment but the freeing honesty of bringing sin into the light and leaving it behind.
In the Original Language
The verb "covereth" is "kasah," to conceal or hide. "Confesseth" is "yadah," to acknowledge or confess, and "forsaketh" is "'azav," to leave, abandon, or turn away from.
Cross References
“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”
- Psalm 32:5
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- 1 John 1:9
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
- Proverbs 28:1
Application
Stop hiding your faults; bring them honestly into the light through confession and genuine turning away, and receive the mercy that concealment can never give.