Proverbs 30:14

Proverbs 30:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
• New International Version (NIV)those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.
• English Standard Version (ESV)There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

Context of Proverbs 30:14

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. 13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men. 15The leech has two daughters— Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: 16The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!”

Proverbs 30:14 word by word

דּ֤וֹר׀ חֲרָב֣וֹת שִׁנָּיו֮ וּֽמַאֲכָל֪וֹת מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥יו לֶאֱכֹ֣ל עֲנִיִּ֣ים מֵאֶ֑רֶץ וְ֝אֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים מֵאָדָֽם׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• a generationדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
• whose teethשֵׁןshên · toothH8127
• swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and their jaw teethמְתַלְּעוֹתmethalle‛âh · jawH4973
• knivesמַאֲכֶ֫לֶתma'ăkeleth · knifeH3979
• to devourאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• the poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• from off the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and the needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120

Cross-references for Proverbs 30:14

• Proverbs 12:18There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
• Job 29:17I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.
• Psalms 3:7Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
• Psalms 52:2Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
• Psalms 57:4My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
• Psalms 58:6Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
• Daniel 7:5“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
• Revelation 9:8They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
• Proverbs 22:16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
• Proverbs 28:3A poor man who oppresses the poor Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
• Psalms 10:8He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
• Psalms 12:5“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
• Psalms 14:4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the Lord?
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.
• Isaiah 32:7Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.
• Amos 2:7They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, And pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, To defile My holy name.

Commentaries on Proverbs 30:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14The fourth, The greedy, cruel, and oppressive, and, especially, oppressive to the poor.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 In every age there are monsters of ingratitude who ill-treat their parents. Many persuade themselves they are holy persons, whose hearts are full of sin, and who practise secret wickedness. There are others whose lofty pride is manifest. There have also been cruel monsters in every age.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-14These verses describe traits that wise people dislike. Fools: Disrespect their parents (Proverbs 10:1; 20:20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) Deceive themselves (Proverbs 8:7) Think they are clean when they are not (Proverbs 20:9) Are proud (Proverbs 6:17–18; 11:2; 13:10; 15:33; 16:18; 18:12; 19:20; 29:23) Hurt others with their words (teeth like swords, see Proverbs 25:18) Harm the poor (Proverbs 3:27; 11:24; 28:27; 29:7, 14)Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1411-14. Four kinds of hateful persons--(1) graceless children, (2) hypocrites, (3) the proud, (4) cruel oppressors (compare on Pr 30:14; Psa 14:4; 52:2)--are now illustrated; (1) Pr 30:15, 16, the insatiability of prodigal children and their fate; (2) Pr 30:17, hypocrisy, or the concealment of real character; (3 and 4) Pr 30:18-20, various examples of pride and oppression.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 30:14

• Malice
• Oppression
• Poor

In the dictionaries

• Agur
• Convenient
• Folk
• Food
• Knife
• Jaw; Jawbone; Jaw Teeth
• Massa
• Proverbs, the Book of
• 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