Reference

Proverbs 6:22

“When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.”

My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Death as Sleep

The verse explicitly refers to "goest," "sleepest," and "awakest" as actions performed by a living person, indicating a cycle of daily life rather than a metaphorical representation of death. The "it" that leads, keeps, and talks is active and present during these states, which contradicts the finality and unconsciousness associated with death.

Death as Sleep

Related Verses

Proverbs 6:21

“Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.”

Proverbs 4:6

“Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.”

Proverbs 4:12

“When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.”

Proverbs 2:11

“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:”

Proverbs 3:24

“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”

Thematic Connections

Death as Sleep

Private Study Note

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