Proverbs 20:17
Proverbs 20:17 in Multiple Translations
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
Food you get by cheating may taste sweet, but afterwards it will be like a mouthful of gravel.
The bread of deceit is sweete to a man: but afterward his mouth shalbe filled with grauel.
Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
People may think that food that they acquire by doing what is dishonest will taste very good, but later they will not enjoy what they have done any more than they would enjoy eating gravel/sand.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 20:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 20:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עָרֵ֣ב
לָ֭/אִישׁ
לֶ֣חֶם
שָׁ֑קֶר
וְ֝/אַחַ֗ר
יִמָּֽלֵא
פִ֥י/הוּ
חָצָֽץ
עָרֵ֣ב
ʻârêb
H6156
sweet
Adj
לָ֭/אִישׁ
ʼîysh
H376
man
Prep | N-ms
לֶ֣חֶם
lechem
H3899
food
N-cs
שָׁ֑קֶר
sheqer
H8267
deception
N-ms
וְ֝/אַחַ֗ר
ʼachar
H310
after
Conj | Adv
יִמָּֽלֵא
mâlêʼ
H4390
to fill
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
פִ֥י/הוּ
peh
H6310
lip
N-ms | Suff
חָצָֽץ
châtsâts
H2687
gravel
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 20:17
עָרֵ֣ב
ʻârêb
H6156
"sweet"
Adj
This Hebrew word means something is sweet or pleasant, like the taste of honey described in the book of Judges. It's used to describe a positive experience, often related to God's blessings or joy. The word is used in Psalms to describe a sweet and pleasant sound.
Definition: sweet, pleasant
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: sweet. See also: Proverbs 20:17; Song of Solomon 2:14.
לָ֭/אִישׁ
ʼîysh
H376
"man"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)
Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.
לֶ֣חֶם
lechem
H3899
"food"
N-cs
This Hebrew word refers to food, especially bread or grain. It's used throughout the Bible to describe meals, sacrifices, and daily life, highlighting the importance of food in ancient Israelite culture.
Definition: : food(eating) 1) bread, food, grain 1a) bread 1a1) bread 1a2) bread-corn 1b) food (in general)
Usage: Occurs in 277 OT verses. KJV: (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. See also: Genesis 3:19; 1 Samuel 20:34; Psalms 14:4.
שָׁ֑קֶר
sheqer
H8267
"deception"
N-ms
This word refers to deception or falsehood, often implying a sense of betrayal or disappointment. It's used in the Bible to describe lies, false testimony, or deceitful behavior, like in Psalm 116:11, where the psalmist says all men are liars.
Definition: 1) lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood 1a) deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one) 1b) deceit, fraud, wrong 1b1) fraudulently, wrongfully (as adverb) 1c) falsehood (injurious in testimony) 1c1) testify falsehood, false oath, swear falsely 1d) falsity (of false or self-deceived prophets) 1e) lie, falsehood (in general) 1e1) false tongue 1f) in vain
Usage: Occurs in 109 OT verses. KJV: without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully. See also: Exodus 5:9; Proverbs 25:18; Psalms 7:15.
וְ֝/אַחַ֗ר
ʼachar
H310
"after"
Conj | Adv
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Definition: 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after
Usage: Occurs in 664 OT verses. KJV: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 18:2; Joshua 8:14.
יִמָּֽלֵא
mâlêʼ
H4390
"to fill"
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Definition: 1) to fill, be full 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be full 1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle) 1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended 1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied 1b2) to be accomplished, be ended 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to fill 1c2) to satisfy 1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete 1c4) to confirm 1d) (Pual) to be filled 1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)
Usage: Occurs in 242 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly. See also: Genesis 1:22; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Psalms 10:7.
פִ֥י/הוּ
peh
H6310
"lip"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
חָצָֽץ
châtsâts
H2687
"gravel"
N-ms
Gravel or small stones are what this word refers to, like sharp grit. In the Bible, it is also used to describe an arrow, as in Genesis 49:23. The word highlights something cutting or sharp.
Definition: gravel
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: arrow, gravel (stone). See also: Psalms 77:18; Proverbs 20:17; Lamentations 3:16.
Study Notes — Proverbs 20:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 20:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 20:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 20:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 20:17
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 20:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
- Sermons on Proverbs 20:17
Context — Wine Is a Mocker
15There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance. 19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 9:17–18 | “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. |
| 2 | Ecclesiastes 11:9 | Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. |
| 3 | Lamentations 3:15–16 | He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood. He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled me in the dust. |
| 4 | Job 20:12–20 | Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him. He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading. For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build. Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure. |
| 5 | Hebrews 11:25 | He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin. |
| 6 | Proverbs 4:17 | For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. |
| 7 | Genesis 3:6–7 | When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves. |
Proverbs 20:17 Summary
Proverbs 20:17 teaches us that getting something through dishonest means may seem appealing at first, but it will ultimately lead to trouble and pain. This is because God wants us to live with integrity and honesty, as seen in Proverbs 10:2 and Proverbs 28:20. When we choose to sin, we can expect to face consequences, but when we trust in God and live according to His ways, we can experience His blessing and provision, as promised in Philippians 4:19. By being content with what we have and trusting in God's plan, we can avoid the 'gravel' of sinful consequences and live a life that is pleasing to Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for food to be 'gained by fraud' in Proverbs 20:17?
Gaining food by fraud refers to acquiring something, in this case food, through dishonest or deceitful means, as warned against in Proverbs 10:2 and Proverbs 28:20. This can include cheating, stealing, or lying to get what we want.
Why is food gained by fraud initially 'sweet to a man'?
The initial sweetness of food gained by fraud is likely due to the temporary satisfaction or pleasure it brings, but as seen in Proverbs 20:17, this is short-lived and ultimately leads to negative consequences, similar to the warnings in 1 Timothy 6:10 about the love of money.
What does it mean for a person's 'mouth to be full of gravel'?
Having a mouth full of gravel is a metaphor for the unpleasant and painful consequences that come from sinning, as seen in Proverbs 20:17. This can be compared to the punishment for disobedience described in Deuteronomy 28:38-42, where disobedience leads to suffering and hardship.
How can we apply the lesson of Proverbs 20:17 to our daily lives?
We can apply this lesson by being honest and content with what we have, as encouraged in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 and Hebrews 13:5, and avoiding the temptation to gain things through dishonest means, instead trusting in God's provision and timing, as seen in Philippians 4:19.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I may be tempted to gain things through dishonest means, and how can I resist those temptations?
- How can I cultivate a sense of contentment and gratitude for what I already have, rather than constantly desiring more?
- What are some examples of 'gravel' that I may have experienced in my own life as a result of sinful choices, and how can I learn from those experiences?
- In what ways can I trust in God's provision and timing, rather than trying to take matters into my own hands and risking the consequences of sin?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 20:17
Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man,.... Which may be understood of sin in general, which is bread to the sinner, he eats it: it is called "the bread of wickedness", Proverbs 4:17; but it is but poor
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 20:17
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Bread of deceit - bread obtained by deceit (Proverbs 4:17; Proverbs 23:3).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
Bread of deceit; gain or pleasure procured by unrighteous courses. His mouth shall be filled with gravel; it shall be bitter and pernicious at last, like gritty bread, which offends the teeth and stomach. It will certainly bring upon him the horrors of a guilty conscience, and the wrath and judgments of the Almighty God.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
Proverbs 20:17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.Ver. 17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man.] Sin’ s murdering morsels will deceive those that devour them. There is a deceitfulness in all sin, a lie in all vanity. The stolen waters of adultery are sweet, but bitterness in the end: such sweet meat hath sour sauce. Commodities craftily or cruelly compassed, yield a great deal of content for present. But when the unconscionable cormorant hath "swallowed down such riches, he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly." Either by remorse and restitution in the meantime, or with despair and impenitent horror hereafter. His mouth shall be filled with gravel.] Pane lapidoso, as Seneca hath it - with grit and gravel, to the torment of the teeth; that is, terror of the conscience, and torture of the whole man. Such a bitter-sweet was Adam’ s apple, Esau’ s mess, the Israelites’ quails, Jonathan’ s honey, the Amalekites’ cates after the sack of Ziklag, Adonijah’ s dainties, which ended in horror; ever after the meal is ended, comes the reckoning. Men must not think to dine with the devil, and then to sup with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: to feed upon the poison of asps, and yet that the viper’ s tongue shall not slay them. When the asp stings a man, it doth first tickle him, so as it makes him laugh, till the poison by little and little gets to the heart, and then it pains him more than ever it delighted him.
So doth sin. At Alvolana in Portugal, three miles from Lisbon, many of our English soldiers under the Earl of Essex perished, by eating of honey, purposely left in the houses and spiced with poison, as it was thought. And how the treacherous Greeks destroyed many of the western Christians, French and English, marching toward the Holy Land, by selling them meal mingled with lime, is well known out of the Turkish history. Speed in Queen Elizabeth.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
Verse 17. Bread of deceit is sweet] Property acquired by falsehood, speculation, c., without labour, is pleasant to the unprincipled, slothful man but there is a curse in it, and the issue will prove it.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 20:17
17. Bread of deceit] or of falsehood, R.V., i.e. bread (or whatever else that word represents) gotten by dishonest and deceitful methods. with gravel] Comp. Lamentations 3:16.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 20:17
“To eat gravel” was a Hebrew Lamentations 3:16, and is an Arabic, phrase for getting into trouble. So “bread,” got by deceit, tastes sweet at first, but ends by leaving the hunger of the soul unsatisfied.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 20:17
17. Bread of deceit — Enjoyments and possessions acquired by fraud, or any illicit means. (Compare Proverbs 23:3; Proverbs 9:17.) Filled with gravel — Comp. Lamentations 3:16.
Sermons on Proverbs 20:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Pdf Book) the Spirit of Truth by Art Katz | Art Katz emphasizes the critical importance of truth in the Church, arguing that the institution has become inauthentic and predictable due to a lack of genuine commitment to truth |
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The Hidden Secrets of Kabbalah-a Messianic Approach by Michael L. Brown | In this sermon, the speaker discusses a mystical encounter in the garden of paradise involving four men: Ben-Azai, Ben-Zoma, An-Akhair, and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva warns the other |
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Chin-Chin Turns Gravel by E.A. Adeboye | E.A. Adeboye delivers a powerful sermon on the consequences of acquiring wealth through fraudulent or deceitful means, emphasizing that the end result of ill-gotten gains is not bl |
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Celebrating Christ and Transforming Lives - Part 2 by K.P. Yohannan | In this sermon, Dr. K. P. Ohannon discusses the importance of caring for the poor and the lost world, just as Jesus did when he was on earth. He highlights the harsh reality of mil |
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Lessons From the Temptation of Jesus by Timothy Tow | Timothy Tow preaches on the temptations faced by Jesus in the wilderness, highlighting the importance of using God's Word as a weapon against the Devil's schemes. He emphasizes the |
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Youth by Matt Chandler | In this sermon, the preacher talks about the importance of taking steps and not being afraid to fail. He emphasizes that God's power flows through us and that we should embrace the |
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All Is Vanity by David Hocking | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the futility of pursuing worldly goals and pleasures. He emphasizes that these pursuits do not bring lasting satisfaction or fulfillment. The |