Proverbs 21:25
in Proverbs 21The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The desire of the sluggard killeth him; For his hands refuse to labor.
KJV
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
⋯
This verse in Proverbs 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Mocker is the name of the proud
on Proverbs 21:24-26
"Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man," his conduct having named him. "The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work." All day long he covets more, "but the righteous give without restraint," wanting without working set beside giving without counting the cost.
This site's exposition
The craving of the slacker kills him
The slacker craves, and his hands refuse to work, so the craving itself kills him. Verse 26 sets his endless wanting beside the righteous who give without restraint. Both are appetites, judged by what each is willing to do.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The desire of the slothful killeth him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The desire of the slothful killeth him - He desires to eat, drink, and be clothed: but as he does not labor, hence he dies with this desire in his heart, envying those who possess plenty through their labor and industry. Hence he is said to covet greedily all the day long, Pro 21:26, while the righteous, who has been laborious and diligent, has enough to eat, and some to spare.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Killeth him - He wastes his strength and life in unsatisfied longings for something which he has not energy to gain. The wish to do great or good things may sometimes be taken for the deed, but if the hindrance is from a man’s own sloth, it does but add to his condemnation.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תַּאֲוַ֣ת | taavat | [the] desire of | H8378 → | 20 times |
| עָצֵ֣ל | ʾatzel | a sluggard | H6102 → | 14 times |
| תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ | temitenu | it kills him | H4191 → | 839 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵאֲנ֖וּ | meanu | they refuse | H3985 → | 41 times |
| יָדָ֣יו | yadav | hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ | laasot | to work | H6213 → | 2628 times |
תַּאֲוַ֣ת[the] desire of
taavatH8378 →20 times
עָצֵ֣לa sluggard
ʾatzelH6102 →14 times
תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּit kills him
temitenuH4191 →839 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מֵאֲנ֖וּthey refuse
meanuH3985 →41 times
יָדָ֣יוhands his
yadavH3027 →1618 times
לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃to work
laasotH6213 →2628 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 13:4The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:4
Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Proverbs 12:11
The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
- 2 Peter 1:5–11
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Proverbs 2:2–9
if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
- Proverbs 10:4
Through
Proverbs 12:24The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:27
A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.
- Proverbs 12:27
Through
Proverbs 19:24The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:19
The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
- Proverbs 15:19
Through
Matthew 25:26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.
it leads to
- Matthew 18:32
Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.
- Matthew 18:32
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); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.