Proverbs 24:21

Proverbs 24:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
• New International Version (NIV)Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,
• English Standard Version (ESV)My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,
• New King James Version (NKJV)My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those given to change;

Context of Proverbs 24:21

19Do not get upset because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked; 20For there will be no future for the evil person; The lamp of the wicked will be put out. My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not get involved with those of high rank, 22For their disaster will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them? 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

Proverbs 24:21 word by word

יְרָֽא־אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־תִּתְעָרָֽב׃Read the interlinear

• My sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Do not getעָרַב‛ârab · to pledgeH6148
• of highשָׁנָאshânâ' · to changeH8132

Cross-references for Proverbs 24:21

• Exodus 14:31When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.
• 1 Samuel 24:6So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I would do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
• Ecclesiastes 8:2I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.
• Matthew 22:21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Romans 13:1Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
• 1 Peter 2:13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
• Numbers 16:1Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men,
• 1 Samuel 8:5and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
• 1 Samuel 12:12But when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us!’ Yet the Lord your God was your king.
• 2 Samuel 15:13Then a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”
• 1 Kings 12:16When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people replied to the king, saying, “What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents, Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel went away to their tents.

Commentaries on Proverbs 24:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21My son, fear thou the Lord and the king - Pay to each the homage due: to the Lord, Divine honor and adoration; to the king, civil respect, civil honor, and political obedience. Meddle not with them that are given to change - תתערב אל שונים עם im shonim al titharab : "And with the changelings mingle not thyself." The innovators; those who are always for making experiments on modes of government, forms of religion, etc. The most dangerous spirit that can…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Them that are given to change - Those that seek to set aside the worship of the true God, or the authority of the true king, who represents Him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-22Verses 21-22 The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them that are given change.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-22Saying 30: The king is linked to the Lord, showing his power and rule on earth (see 1 Samuel 12; Psalm 2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2221-22. A warning against impiety and resistance to lawful rule (Ro 13:1-7; 1Pe 2:17). meddle ... change--(Compare Margin), literally, "mingle not yourself," avoid the society of restless persons.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 24:21

• Character
• Citizens
• Fear of God
• Instability
• Loyalty
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Respect
• Face
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 24

• 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