The Meaning of Proverbs 4:17 Explained

Proverbs 4:17

KJV: For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

YLT: For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.

Darby: For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

ASV: For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

Discover Proverbs 4:17

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Proverbs 4:17?

MEANING: What does Proverbs 4:17 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Proverbs 4:17 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Proverbs 4:17?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For they eat  the bread  of wickedness,  and drink  the wine  of violence. 

What does Proverbs 4:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 4:10-27 - Guide-Posts On The Way Of Life
One or two sentences stand out in this section, demanding special attention. The path of the just, etc., Proverbs 4:18. We may compare this beautiful similitude with 2 Samuel 23:4. In the East, where the heavens are for the most part free of cloud, the steadily increasing light of any day to perfect noontide glory is the ordinary experience. Let us so live that the path of our life may become ever more radiant and beneficent in its heat and light.
Keep thy heart, etc., Proverbs 4:23. "Above all keeping," margin. The gates of the heart need careful scrutiny. When we are careless, thoughts creep in with malign intent. We should imitate the good Nehemiah 13:19. Ask that pure and holy angels may stand sentry as at the gates of pearl, Revelation 21:12. If you think right, you will live right.
Ponder the path, etc., Proverbs 4:26. "Weigh carefully." Act in haste and repent at leisure! Ask God to keep you back from presumptuous sins; and bear in mind the wise exhortation of Ecclesiastes 5:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 4

1  persuades to wisdom
14  and to show wickedness
20  He exhorts to sanctification

What do the individual words in Proverbs 4:17 mean?

For they eat the bread of wickedness and the wine of violence drink
כִּ֣י לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע וְיֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים יִשְׁתּֽוּ

לָ֭חֲמוּ  they  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
לֶ֣חֶם  the  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
רֶ֑שַׁע  of  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶשַׁע  
Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
וְיֵ֖ין  and  the  wine 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
חֲמָסִ֣ים  of  violence 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.
יִשְׁתּֽוּ  drink 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.

What are the major concepts related to Proverbs 4:17?

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