Proverbs 30:16

Proverbs 30:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
• New International Version (NIV)the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."
• New King James Version (NKJV)The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!”

Context of Proverbs 30:16

14There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind. 15The leech has two daughters: “Give, Give!” Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough!”: Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough!” 17As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it. 18Three things are too wondrous for me; four I can’t understand:

Proverbs 30:16 word by word

שְׁאוֹל֮ וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא־שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא־אָ֥מְרָה הֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The graveשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
• and the barrenעֹ֫צֶר‛ôtser · coercionH6115
• wombרַחַםracham · wombH7356
• the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• is not filledשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
• with waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• enoughהוֹןhôn · substanceH1952

Cross-references for Proverbs 30:16

• Proverbs 27:20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and people’s eyes are never satisfied.
• Habakkuk 2:5Moreover, wine betrays; an arrogant man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself; he collects all the peoples for himself.

Commentaries on Proverbs 30:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 Cruelty and covetousness are two daughters of the horseleech, that still cry, "Give, give," and they are continually uneasy to themselves. Four things never are satisfied, to which these devourers are compared. Those are never rich that are always coveting. And many who have come to a bad end, have owned that their wicked courses began by despising their parents' authority.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16The number parallelism (three...four) is a method to list poetic examples. This list shows powers that are never satisfied and often dangerous. See also Proverbs 30:18–19, 21–23, 29–31. The grave, representing death, never seems to have enough—people keep dying (Proverbs 27:20). barren womb: Women unable to have children often long for them, like Sarah before Isaac, Rebekah before Esau and Jacob, and Hannah before Samuel. The thirsty desert and a fire…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. horse leech--supposed by some to be the vampire (a fabulous creature), as being literally insatiable; but the other subjects mentioned must be taken as this, comparatively insatiable. The use of a fabulous creature agreeably to popular notions is not inconsistent with inspiration. There are three ... yea, four--(Compare Pr 6:16).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 30:16

• Hell
• Riddle

In the dictionaries

• Agur
• Convenient
• Folk
• Food
• Hell
• Fire
• Massa
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Sheol
• 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