The Meaning of Proverbs 20:17 Explained

Proverbs 20:17

KJV: Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

YLT: Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel.

Darby: Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

ASV: Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Discover Proverbs 20:17

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Proverbs 20:17?

MEANING: What does Proverbs 20:17 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:17 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Proverbs 20:17?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Bread  of deceit  [is] sweet  to a man;  but afterwards  his mouth  shall be filled  with gravel. 

What does Proverbs 20:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:16-30 - "the Glory Of Young Men"
What a wonderful thought is given in Proverbs 20:27! We stand like a row of unlighted candles until God's Spirit kindles us. Has the Divine Nature ever bent over your nature, communicating to it its glow and fire? If so, be very careful that no puff of wind shall extinguish that sacred spark; and see that it is supplied with the daily nutriment it requires. The whole paragraph seems to indicate the clear shining of this light, which must not be hidden under a bushel, but placed on the stand, that it may give light to all who come in. So let your light shine that men may admire neither the lamp-stand nor the wick, but the glory of the light of God radiating from you.
Such a soul will be true, Proverbs 20:17; will be wise, Proverbs 20:18; will eschew tale-bearing and flattery, Proverbs 20:19; will honor the parents that gave it birth, Proverbs 20:20; will win a good inheritance by patient industry, Proverbs 20:21; will wait on the salvation of God, Proverbs 20:22; will accept God's guidance, Proverbs 20:24; will follow mercy and truth, Proverbs 20:28; will be strong, and pure, and faithful. Such should be the glory of all young men and maidens if their old age shall be beautiful, Proverbs 20:29. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:17 mean?

[is] sweet to a man Bread [gained] by deceit but afterward will be filled his mouth with gravel
עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־ פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ

עָרֵ֣ב  [is]  sweet 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָרַב  
Sense: (Qal) to be pleasant, be sweet, be pleasing.
לָ֭אִישׁ  to  a  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לֶ֣חֶם  Bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
שָׁ֑קֶר  [gained]  by  deceit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
וְ֝אַחַ֗ר  but  afterward 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יִמָּֽלֵא־  will  be  filled 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
פִ֥יהוּ  his  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חָצָֽץ  with  gravel 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָצָץ  
Sense: gravel.

What are the major concepts related to Proverbs 20:17?

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Similar Scriptures for Proverbs 20:17

Proverbs 9:17-18 [3]
Ecclesiastes 11:9 [3]
Lamentations 3:15-16 [3]
Proverbs 4:17 [2]
Genesis 3:6-7 [2]
Job 20:12-20 [2]
Hebrews 11:25 [2]