Proverbs 24:21
in Proverbs 24My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:
KJV
My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
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This verse in Proverbs 24
Commentary
6 notes on this verseFear the Lord, my son, and the king. Rightly as he himself said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" (Matt. 22). Neither is there any obstacle in the Lord and king to understand the …
This site's exposition
My son, fear the LORD and the king
on Proverbs 24:21-22
"My son, fear the LORD and the king" sets the two fears side by side, reverence for God and due respect for civil authority. The command "do not associate with the rebellious" warns off agitators and conspirators. The reason follows: "they will bring sudden destruction."
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 24:21 · Written before 407.
proposed
"Fear God, my son, and the king," that is, fear Christ, the true God and king. Or by "king" [Solomon] means the one who, before ruling over others, rules himself. "Do not be disobedient to any of them." Indeed, the one who denies respect to the king elected by God dishonors God. The impious will be immediately punished: certainly nobody knows that hour or day. Often for those still living an unexpected punishment is taken. Therefore only the judge knows the opportunity and reason of the punishment to be inflicted, or somebody who is a very close friend. So never have a friend except for the Lord and the king: certainly if they are not friends of the Lord and the king, they are their enemies. In truth, do not consider as friends those who are not the friends of the king and the Lord.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
My son, fear thou the Lord, and the king,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Them that are given to change - Those that seek to set aside the worship of the true God, or the authority of the true king, who represents Him.
My son, fear thou the Lord and the king - Pay to each the homage due: to the Lord, Divine honor and adoration; to the king, civil respect, civil honor, and political obedience. Meddle not with them that are given to change - עם שונים אל תתערב im shonim al titharab: “And with the changelings mingle not thyself.” The innovators; those who are always for making experiments on modes of government, forms of religion, etc. The most dangerous spirit that can infect the human mind.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְרָֽא־ | yera'- | fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּנִ֣י | beni | O son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וָמֶ֑לֶךְ | vamelekh | and [the] king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| עִם־ | ʾimosho- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים | shonim | [those who] change | H8138 → | 21 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּתְעָרָֽב׃ | titarav | you get involved | H6148 → | 22 times |
יְרָֽא־fear
yera'-H3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּנִ֣יO son my
beniH1121 →4930 times
וָמֶ֑לֶךְand [the] king
vamelekhH4428 →2525 times
עִם־with
ʾimosho-H5973 →1050 times
שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים[those who] change
shonimH8138 →21 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּתְעָרָֽב׃you get involved
titaravH6148 →22 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
Titus 3:1Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
it leads to
- Romans 13:1–7
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- 1 Peter 2:13–17
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
- Galatians 6:9–10
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- Matthew 22:21
“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
- Romans 13:1–7
Through
Exodus 14:31When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.
it leads to
- John 2:11
Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
- John 11:45
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
- John 8:30–32
As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.
- John 2:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
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; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 24:21; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).