Proverbs 30:33
in Proverbs 30For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
KJV
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
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This verse in Proverbs 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut he who presses the breasts strongly to extract milk, etc. We press the breasts strongly when we ponder the words of sacred speech with subtle understanding, by which pressure while we seek milk, we find butter, because while we seek to be nourished even …
This site's exposition
If thou hast done foolishly
on Proverbs 30:32-33
The chapter's numerical sayings give way to a closing warning: if thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, silence as the remedy for pride already indulged. The proverb that follows argues from three kinds of forcing to a fourth: churning milk brings forth butter, wringing the nose brings forth blood, so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife. The chapter that opened on a confession of ignorance ends on the same restraint, agitation producing exactly the result its own force guarantees, and the wise course is not to start it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 30:33 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
"Squeeze out the milk, and it will be butter." Squeeze out faithfully the two Testaments of Christ, and you will find the commandments to be as milk. Once you have been nourished with them, you may be transformed into perfect and faithful bread.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he who provokes anger, etc. What the preceding parable signified literally, it reveals, because he who speaks to his neighbor with modest words receives a pleasant response, as if he extracts butter from the breasts in which he was seeking milk. But with an …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter,.... Or the pressing of it.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Churning ... wringing ... forcing - In the Hebrew text it is one and the same word. “The pressure of milk produces curds, the pressure of the nose produces blood, the pressure of wrath (i. e., brooding over and, as it were, condensing it) produces strife.”
And the wringing - Who hugeli snytith drawith out blood. - Old MS. Bible. This is well expressed in homely phrase. The Septuagint have, “draw the milk, and you may have butter; if you press the nostrils you may bring out blood; and if you draw out your discourse to a great length, you may have strife and contention.” Avoid, therefore, all strong excitements and irritations. Coverdale’s translation of this verse is very simple: “Whoso chyrneth mylck maketh butter; he that rubbeth his nose maketh it blede; and he that causeth wrath bryngeth forth strife.”
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִ֪יץ | mitz | squeezing of | H4330 → | 3 times |
| חָלָ֡ב | chalav | milk | H2461 → | |
| י֘וֹצִ֤יא | yotzi' | it brings forth | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| חֶמְאָ֗ה | chemah | butter | H2529 → | |
| וּֽמִיץ־ | umitz- | and squeezing of | H4330 → | 3 times |
| אַ֭ף | ʾaf | a nose | H639 → | 276 times |
| י֣וֹצִיא | yotzi' | it brings forth | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| דָ֑ם | dam | blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| וּמִ֥יץ | umitz | and squeezing of | H4330 → | 3 times |
| אַ֝פַּ֗יִם | ʾapayim | anger<s> | H639 → | 276 times |
| י֣וֹצִיא | yotzi' | it brings forth | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| רִֽיב׃ פ | riv | strife | H7379 → | 61 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מִ֪יץsqueezing of
mitzH4330 →3 times
חָלָ֡בmilk
chalavH2461 →
י֘וֹצִ֤יאit brings forth
yotzi'H3318 →1067 times
חֶמְאָ֗הbutter
chemahH2529 →
וּֽמִיץ־and squeezing of
umitz-H4330 →3 times
אַ֭ףa nose
ʾafH639 →276 times
י֣וֹצִיאit brings forth
yotzi'H3318 →1067 times
דָ֑םblood
damH1818 →360 times
וּמִ֥יץand squeezing of
umitzH4330 →3 times
אַ֝פַּ֗יִםanger<s>
ʾapayimH639 →276 times
י֣וֹצִיאit brings forth
yotzi'H3318 →1067 times
רִֽיב׃ פstrife
rivH7379 →61 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:21
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 26:21
Through
Proverbs 29:22An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:18
Through
Proverbs 28:25A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 11:25
A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
- Proverbs 10:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 30:33; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.