Proverbs 30:22

Proverbs 30:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
• New International Version (NIV)a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
• English Standard Version (ESV)a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
• New King James Version (NKJV)For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,

Context of Proverbs 30:22

20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth And says, “I have done no wrong.” 21Under three things the earth is disquieted and quakes, And under four it cannot bear up: Under a servant when he reigns, Under a [spiritually blind] fool when he is filled with food, 23Under an unloved woman when she gets married, And under a maidservant when she supplants her mistress. 24There are four things that are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:

Proverbs 30:22 word by word

תַּֽחַת־עֶ֭בֶד כִּ֣י יִמְל֑וֹךְ וְ֝נָבָ֗ל כִּ֣י יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָֽחֶם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For a servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• when he reignethמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• and a foolנָבָלnâbâl · foolishH5036
• when he is filledשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
• with meatלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899

Cross-references for Proverbs 30:22

• Proverbs 19:10Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
• Proverbs 28:3A poor man who oppresses and exploits the lowly Is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.
• Ecclesiastes 10:7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the ground.
• Isaiah 3:4And I will make mere boys their princes, And capricious (impulsive, unpredictable) children will rule over them.
• 1 Samuel 25:3(now the man’s name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings; he was a Calebite).
• 1 Samuel 30:16When he brought David down, the Amalekites had disbanded and spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

Commentaries on Proverbs 30:22

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-23Verses 21-23 Four sorts of persons are very troublesome. Men of low origin and base spirit, who, getting authority, become tyrants. Foolish and violent men indulging in excesses. A woman of a contentious spirit and vicious habits. A servant who has obtained undue influence. Let those whom Providence has advanced from low beginnings, carefully watch against that sin which most easily besets them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-23This proverb lists four things that make the earth tremble because they disrupt the natural order. who is filled with food: In the ancient Near East, as in many non-industrialized parts of the world today, having enough food was a sign of prosperity.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2321-23. Pride and cruelty, the undue exaltation of those unfit to hold power, produce those vices which disquiet society (compare Pr 19:10; 28:3).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 30:22

• Gluttony
• Riddle
• Rulers
• Servant
• Wife
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Agur
• Convenient
• Folk
• Food
• Massa
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Zoology

Commentaries on Proverbs 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings