God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 19:24
24A lazy person puts his fork in his food. He doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.
Proverbs 19:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
- New International Version (NIV)A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
- English Standard Version (ESV)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
Context of Proverbs 19:24
22Loyalty is desirable in a person, and it is better to be poor than a liar. 23The fear of the Lord leads to life, and such a person will rest easy without suffering harm. A lazy person puts his fork in his food. He doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth. 25Strike a mocker, and a gullible person may learn a lesson. Warn an understanding person, and he will gain more knowledge. 26A son who assaults his father ⌞and⌟ who drives away his mother brings shame and disgrace.
Read all of Proverbs 19Proverbs 19:24 word by word
טָ֘מַ֤ן עָצֵ֣ל יָ֭דוֹ בַּצַּלָּ֑חַת גַּם־אֶל־פִּ֝֗יהוּ לֹ֣א יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 19:24
- Proverbs 19:15Laziness throws one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will go hungry.
- Proverbs 6:9How long will you lie there, you lazy bum? When will you get up from your sleep?
- Proverbs 12:27A lazy hunter does not catch his prey, but a hard-working person becomes wealthy.
- Proverbs 15:19The path of lazy people is like a thorny hedge, but the road of decent people is an ⌞open⌟ highway.
- Proverbs 24:30I passed by a lazy person’s field, the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
- Proverbs 26:13A lazy person says, “There’s a ferocious lion out on the road! There’s a lion loose in the streets!”
- Psalms 74:11Why do you hold back your hand, especially your right hand? Take your hands out of your pockets. Destroy your enemies!
Commentaries on Proverbs 19:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom - Is too lazy to feed himself, If he dip his hand once in the dish, he is too lazy to put it in a second time. It is a strange case that a man, through his excessive slothfulness, would rather starve than put himself to the trouble to eat.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Hideth his hand in his bosom - Better, dippeth his hand in the dish (compare 2 Kings 21:13). The scene brought before us is that of an Eastern feast. There are no knives, or forks, or spoons. Every guest has to help himself, or be helped by the host. Compare John 13:26.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24Verse 24 Indolence, when indulged, so grows upon people, that they have no heart to do the most needful things for themselves.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24This proverb humorously highlights the foolishness of laziness (see also Proverbs 10:4–6, 26; 12:11, 27; 13:4; 15:19; 18:9). See the parallel passage in Proverbs 26:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. bosom--literally, a wide dish in which the hand was plunged in eating (Mt 26:23). Compare Pr 26:15, the sentiment expressed with equal irony and less exaggeration.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 19:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 19
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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