The Meaning of Proverbs 24:21 Explained

Proverbs 24:21

KJV: My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

YLT: Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

Darby: My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.

ASV: My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My son,  fear  thou the LORD  and the king:  [and] meddle  not with them that are given to change: 

What does Proverbs 24:21 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Chapter Summary: Pro 24

1  Precepts and Warnings

What do the individual words in Proverbs 24:21 mean?

Fear My son and Yahweh My son and the king with those given to change Not do associate
יְרָֽא־ אֶת־ יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־ שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־ תִּתְעָרָֽב

יְרָֽא־  Fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֶת־  My  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  and  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּנִ֣י  My  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וָמֶ֑לֶךְ  and  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים  those  given  to  change 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: to repeat, do again, change, alter.
תִּתְעָרָֽב  do  associate 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָרַב 
Sense: to pledge, exchange, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for, give pledges, be or become surety, take on pledge, give in pledge.