Proverbs 26:15
in Proverbs 26The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
KJV
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
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This verse in Proverbs 26
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThe slothful hideth his hand in his bosom,.... To keep it warm; Jarchi's note is, "he puts his hand in a hot basin, because of the cold.'' The word (c) for "bosom" does sometimes signify a "pot" or basin.
This site's exposition
The slacker says
on Proverbs 26:13-16
Four proverbs on the slacker read as small comedies: the lion invented to keep him indoors, the door turning as he turns on his bed. The last verse stops the laughter, for "The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly."
This site's exposition
The slacker buries his hand in the dish
John Gill notes that the Hebrew word for the dish can also mean the bosom. He cites a Jewish commentator who pictured the slacker warming his hand in a hot dish against the cold. Bringing his hand back to his mouth wearies him.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
in the cauldron He buries his hand in a hot cauldron because of the cold.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| טָ֘מַ֤ן | taman | he hides | H2934 → | |
| עָצֵ֣ל | ʾatzel | a sluggard | H6102 → | 14 times |
| יָ֭דוֹ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת | batzalachat | in the dish | H6747 → | |
| נִ֝לְאָ֗ה | nilah | he is weary | H3811 → | |
| לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ | lahashivah | to bring back it | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| פִּֽיו׃ | piv | mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
טָ֘מַ֤ןhe hides
tamanH2934 →
עָצֵ֣לa sluggard
ʾatzelH6102 →14 times
יָ֭דוֹhand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
בַּצַּלָּ֑חַתin the dish
batzalachatH6747 →
נִ֝לְאָ֗הhe is weary
nilahH3811 →
לַֽהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּto bring back it
lahashivahH7725 →1056 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
פִּֽיו׃mouth his
pivH6310 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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 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 6:9–10
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
- Proverbs 26:13–16
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
- Proverbs 24:30–34
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
- Mark 14:20
He answered, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping his hand into the bowl with Me.
- Proverbs 15:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Proverbs
This page draws on Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.