Amplified Bible
Proverbs 9:17
17“Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Proverbs 9:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
- New International Version (NIV)“Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Context of Proverbs 9:17
15Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: 16“Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says, “Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there, And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).
Read all of Proverbs 9Proverbs 9:17 word by word
מַֽיִם־גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 9:17
- Proverbs 20:17Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair].
- Proverbs 23:31Do not look at wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the glass, When it goes down smoothly.
- Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
- Romans 7:8But sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment [to express itself] produced in me every kind of coveting and selfish desire. For without the Law sin is dead [the recognition of sin is inactive].
- James 1:14But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion).
- Proverbs 7:18Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us console and delight ourselves with love.
- Proverbs 30:20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth And says, “I have done no wrong.”
- 2 Kings 5:24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house [for safekeeping]; and he sent the men away, and they left.
- Ephesians 5:12for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret.
Commentaries on Proverbs 9:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Stolen waters are sweet - I suppose this to be a proverbial mode of expression, importing that illicit pleasures are sweeter than those which are legal The meaning is easy to be discerned; and the conduct of multitudes shows that they are ruled by this adage. On it are built all the adulterous intercourses in the land.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The besetting sin of all times and countries, the one great proof of the inherent corruption of man‘s nature. Pleasures are attractive because they are forbidden (compare Romans 7:7).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupifies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only worldly lusts and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Just like Wisdom, Folly has prepared a banquet for her guests (see Proverbs 9:2–5). However, this meal is deceitful and immoral.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. The language of a proverb, meaning that forbidden delights are sweet and pleasant, as fruits of risk and danger.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 9:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 9
- 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
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