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Proverbs 27:4

in Proverbs 27

Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?

KJV

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

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This verse in Proverbs 27

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Proverbs · Written before 735.

Anger holds no mercy, etc. This is not said of all anger, for of a most mild and modest man it is written that he went out from Pharaoh in great anger (Exod. X). But he speaks of the anger of a fool, which he …

This site's exposition

A stone is heavy

on Proverbs 27:3-6

Verse 3 sets "aggravation from a fool" beside stone and sand and finds it heavier than both. Wrath and anger are named, but jealousy is left unanswered: "who can withstand jealousy?" Verses 5 and 6 turn to speech, since "Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed."

This site's exposition

but who can withstand jealousy

Wrath and anger are pictured as cruelty and a flood, yet jealousy is set above both as harder to withstand. Bede applies the verse to a fool's anger. He points to Moses, who left Pharaoh in great anger, as anger of another kind.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

envy--or, "jealousy" (compare Margin; Pr 6:34), is more unappeasable than the simpler bad passions. 5, 6. secret love--not manifested in acts is useless; and even, if its exhibition by rebukes wounds us, such love is preferable to the frequent (compare Margin), and hence deceitful, kisses of an enemy.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Who is able to stand before envy? - The rabbins have a curious story on this subject, and it has been formed by the moderns into a fable. There were two persons, one covetous and the other envious, to whom a certain person promised to grant whatever they should ask; but double to him who should ask last. The covetous man would not ask first, because he wished to get the double portion, and the envious man would not make the first request because he could not bear the thoughts of thus benefiting his neighbor.
Envy - Better, as in the margin, the violence of passion in the husband who thinks himself wronged (compare Pro 6:34).

The words behind it

8 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • אַכְזְרִיּ֣וּת[the] cruelty of

    ʾakhzeriyutH395 →

  • חֵ֭מָהrage

    chemahH2534 →125 times

  • וְשֶׁ֣טֶףand [the] flood of

    veshetefH7858 →

  • אָ֑ףanger

    ʾafH639 →276 times

  • וּמִ֥יand who?

    umiH4310 →423 times

  • יַ֝עֲמֹדwill he stand

    yaamodH5975 →521 times

  • לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • קִנְאָֽה׃jealousy

    kinahH7068 →43 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 27:18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.8 worksProverbs 6:34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.7 worksProverbs 14:30A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.6 worksJames 3:14–16But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.5 worksJob 5:2For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.4 worksMark 15:10For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 37:20“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”4 worksGenesis 26:14He owned so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.4 worksNehemiah 2:10But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.4 works1 John 3:12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.3 worksActs 7:9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him3 works1 Samuel 18:8And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”3 worksActs 5:17Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out3 worksDaniel 3:12But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”3 worksGenesis 31:1Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”3 works1 Samuel 17:28Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”3 worksSong of Solomon 8:6Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all.2 worksJames 1:19–21My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 14:30

    A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 17:22

      A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

    • Proverbs 3:8

      This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

    • Job 5:2

      For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

    • Proverbs 4:23

      Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.

    • Proverbs 12:4

      A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

  • Through

    Job 5:2

    For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

    it leads to

    • Ecclesiastes 7:9

      Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

  • Through

    Matthew 27:18

    For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

    it leads to

    • Acts 5:17

      Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out

    • Mark 15:10

      For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.

Where this verse is studied

About Proverbs

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Proverbs: the study guide →Read Proverbs 27 →

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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).

Read on in Proverbs 27 →