God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 30:16
16the grave, a barren womb, a land that never gets enough water, a fire that does not say, “Enough!”
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
14A certain kind of person, whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are ⌞like⌟ knives, devours oppressed people from the earth and people from among humanity. 15The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!” Three things are never satisfied. Four never say, “Enough!”: the grave, a barren womb, a land that never gets enough water, a fire that does not say, “Enough!” 17The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures. 18Three things are too amazing to me, even four that I cannot understand:
Read all of Proverbs 30Proverbs 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 27:20Hell and decay are never satisfied, and a person’s eyes are never satisfied.
- Habakkuk 2:5Also because wine is treacherous he is arrogant and never rests. He has a large appetite like the grave. He is like death—never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself. He collects all the people to 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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