"The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
— Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)
Proverbs 18:10 is the "the name of the Lord is a strong tower" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Proverbs 18, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about the strong tower, Bible verses about protection, and Bible verses about the Rock.
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The verse
The King James reads: "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
"Name" is shem (H8034), a name that stands for someone's character and reputation. "Strong" is oz (H5797), strength or fortification, and "tower" is migdal (H4026). "Righteous" is tsaddiq (H6662), "run" is ruts (H7323), and "safe" is sagab (H7682), literally to be set up high, out of reach.
Where it sits in Proverbs 18
Proverbs 10:1-22:16 is a collection headed "The proverbs of Solomon" (Proverbs 10:1). Most of these sayings stand on their own, but verses 10 and 11 are a deliberate pair.
The next verse says, "The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale" (Proverbs 18:11). Both verses picture a high, safe place. One is real: the Lord's name. The other is imagined: money that only seems to protect.
What the verse is saying
In the Bible, God's name means who he has shown himself to be. When the Lord proclaimed his name to Moses, he described himself as "compassionate and gracious... slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). Running to his name means running to that character.
The verse is active: the righteous run. Safety is not found by building your own wall but by going to God, usually through prayer. Psalm 46:1 says the same: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." See also Nahum 1:7 and Psalm 91.
Questions people ask
What does Proverbs 18:10 say?
In the NIV it says, "The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." The KJV says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
What does "the name of the Lord" mean in Proverbs 18:10?
A name in Hebrew stands for who someone is. The Lord's name is his revealed character, described in Exodus 34:6 as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness.
What does "safe" mean in Proverbs 18:10?
The Hebrew word sagab means to be set on high. The picture is someone lifted up inside a tower, out of the enemy's reach.
Who wrote Proverbs 18:10?
It is in the section headed "The proverbs of Solomon" (Proverbs 10:1).
What other verses call God a tower or refuge?
Psalm 61:3 (you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe), Psalm 46:1 (God is our refuge and strength), and Psalm 144:2 (my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer) are close companions.
