The Meaning of Proverbs 9:17 Explained

Proverbs 9:17

KJV: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

YLT: 'Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.'

Darby: Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.

ASV: Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

Discover Proverbs 9:17

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Proverbs 9:17?

MEANING: What does Proverbs 9:17 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Proverbs 9:17 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Proverbs 9:17?

What is the context of Proverbs 9:17?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Stolen waters are sweet, and bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant.

What does Proverbs 9:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 9:1-18 - Two Contrasted Invitations

There is an age-long competition between Wisdom and Folly, Virtue and Vice. The palace of Wisdom is very attractive-well built and well furnished. It is reared upon seven well-hewn marble pillars, in a quadrangular form, the entrance being left wide-open. An eternal mansion, it is stable and beautiful. Great preparations are made for the feast, which is open to all-in striking contrast to the private supper to which Vice allures the unwary youth. The beautiful owner also sends forth her maidens into the public thoroughfares to give free invitations to all who will accept them. See Matthew 22:1, etc.

Only to the simple or child-hearted, and not to the scorner, is the invitation addressed. Wisdom lets the scorner pass, because a word to him would only recoil on herself, and would add to his wickedness. To scoff at things which are holy and scorn the divine power is to risk the sin that is never forgiven. Such is the man who enters the feast without the wedding garment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 9

¹ The discipline
⁴ and the doctrine of wisdom
¹³ The custom
¹⁶ and error of folly

What do the individual words in Proverbs 9:17 mean?

Water Stolen is sweet and bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant

מַֽיִם־ גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם

מַֽיִם־	Water
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: מַיִם Sense: water, waters.
גְּנוּבִ֥ים	Stolen
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural Root: גָּנַב Sense: to steal, steal away, carry away.
יִמְתָּ֑קוּ	is sweet
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: מָתַק Sense: to be or become sweet or pleasing.
וְלֶ֖חֶם	and bread [eaten]
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: לֶחֶם Sense: bread, food, grain.
סְתָרִ֣ים	in secret
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: סֵתֶר Sense: covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy.
יִנְעָֽם	is pleasant
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: נָעֵם Sense: (Qal) to be pleasant, be beautiful, be sweet, be delightful, be lovely.

What are the major concepts related to Proverbs 9:17?

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Similar Scriptures for Proverbs 9:17

		Proverbs 20:17 [6]
		Proverbs 23:31-32 [5]
		Proverbs 30:20 [4]
		James 1:14-15 [3]
		2 Kings 5:24-27 [2]
		Romans 7:8 [2]
		Genesis 3:6 [2]
		Ephesians 5:12 [2]
		Proverbs 7:18-20 [2]
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