Proverbs 10:21
in Proverbs 10The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.
KJV
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
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This verse in Proverbs 10
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Feed - The Hebrew word, like ποιμαίνειν poimainein, includes the idea of guiding as well as nourishing; doing a shepherd’s work in both. For want of wisdom - Some prefer, through him who wanteth understanding, referring to a person. The wise guides others to safety; the fool, empty-headed, and empty-hearted, involves others like himself in destruction.
This site's exposition
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver
on Proverbs 10:20-25
The unit weighs the tongue: “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment”. “The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it” answers the wealth sayings of the chapter's opening.
This site's exposition
The lips of the righteous feed many
The verb feed is a shepherd's word, and Albert Barnes notes it covers guiding the flock as well as nourishing it. The righteous man's words lead and nourish many. The fool dies for lack of judgment he could have had.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
While many are fed by the lips of the righteous, fools die for want of wisdom; and fools indeed they are to die for want of that which they might so easily come by. Fools die for want of a heart (so the word is); they perish for want of consideration and resolution; they have no heart to do any thing for their own good. While the righteous feed others fools starve themselves.
The lips of the righteous feed many,....
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׂפְתֵ֣י | siftei | [the] lips of | H8193 → | 176 times |
| צַ֭דִּיק | tzadik | [the] righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| יִרְע֣וּ | yiru | they feed | H7462 → | 177 times |
| רַבִּ֑ים | rabim | many [people] | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים | veevilim | and fools | H191 → | 26 times |
| בַּחֲסַר־ | bachasar- | by lack of | H2638 → | 17 times |
| לֵ֥ב | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| יָמֽוּתוּ׃ | yamutu | they die | H4191 → | 839 times |
שִׂפְתֵ֣י[the] lips of
sifteiH8193 →176 times
צַ֭דִּיק[the] righteous
tzadikH6662 →206 times
יִרְע֣וּthey feed
yiruH7462 →177 times
רַבִּ֑יםmany [people]
rabimH7227 →454 times
וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗יםand fools
veevilimH191 →26 times
בַּחֲסַר־by lack of
bachasar-H2638 →17 times
לֵ֥בheart
levH3820 →595 times
יָמֽוּתוּ׃they die
yamutuH4191 →839 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
Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget…
it leads to
- Isaiah 5:13
Therefore My people will go into exile for their lack of understanding; their dignitaries are starving and their masses are parched with thirst.
- Proverbs 19:2
Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.
- Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- 2 Corinthians 4:3–6
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
- Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God…
- Isaiah 5:13
Through
Proverbs 1:29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
it leads to
- Proverbs 6:23
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
- Proverbs 1:22
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Proverbs 6:23
Through
Proverbs 17:16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:25–26
The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
- Proverbs 21:25–26
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.