Proverbs 14:18 — ExegesisTAB

The verse presents antithetic parallelism across two balanced clauses in a VSO sequence. In the first clause, nachalu {נָחֲל֣וּ | nāḥălû} (‘they inherit’) precedes petayyim {פְתָאיִם֙ | pəṯāʾîm} (‘simple ones’) and ivvelet {אִוֶּ֑לֶת | ʾivveleṯ} (‘folly’). The second clause opens with the contrastive particle and noun vaʿarummim {וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים | vaʿarummîm} (‘but the prudent’), followed by yakhtiru {יַכְתִּרוּ | yākhterû} (‘are crowned’) and the direct object daʿat {דָֽעַת | dāʿaṯ} (‘knowledge’). The Piel stem of yakhtiru imparts an intensive, resultative sense, underscoring the honor conferred. The lack of a preposition before daʿat foregrounds knowledge itself as the crown. This structure not only highlights the moral contrast but also elevates the reward of understanding over the inheritance of folly.