Proverbs 9:17 — Word Study
WLCמַֽיִם־ גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃
BSAStolengânab [secretly taken, plundered] watermayim [a liquid or source of refreshment] is sweetmâthaq▸ [pleasant, delightful] and breadlechem [food, grain] [eaten] in secretçêther [with, or accompanied by, secrecy, hidden] is tastynâʻêm▸ [pleasing, agreeable, pleasant]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַֽיִם־ | waters | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| גְּנוּבִ֥ים | stolen | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine plural |
| יִמְתָּ֑קוּ | they are sweet | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְלֶ֖חֶם | and bread of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| סְתָרִ֣ים | secret places | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יִנְעָֽם׃ | it is delightful | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” |
| KJV | Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. |
| ASV | Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. |
| YLT | 'Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.' |
| WEB | “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.” |
| BBE | Drink taken without right is sweet, and food in secret is pleasing. |
The translations agree on the rendering of גְּנוּבִ֥ים as 'stolen'.
The sentence has a main clause with two parallel phrases, emphasizing the contrast between the two ideas.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbגָּנַב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 9:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Call of Wisdomgenerated
Proverbs 9:17 highlights the deceptive nature of illicit pleasures, illustrating how what is taken secretly can appear sweet but ultimately leads to ruin. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Wisdom invites those who lack understanding to seek her, contrasting the false allure of temptation with the true value of wisdom, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 20:17 | Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. |
| 2 | Proverbs 23:31–32 | Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. |
| 3 | Genesis 3:6 | 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. |
| 4 | Romans 7:8 | But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead. |
| 5 | James 1:14–15 | But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גְּנוּבִ֥ים, ge.nu.Vimgenerated
The word גְּנוּבִ֥ים (ge.nu.Vim) is a participle form of the verb גָּנַב (ganab), meaning 'to steal'. It describes something that has been taken secretly or plundered, emphasizing the act of theft and the nature of what is stolen.
In this verse, it conveys the idea that stolen items, like water, may seem desirable but are ultimately tainted by their illicit nature. The passive participle form suggests that the act of stealing has occurred, and the focus is on the state of the stolen object.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree here, rendering גְּנוּבִ֥ים consistently as 'stolen'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs יִמְתָּ֑קוּ and יִנְעָֽם govern the two clauses in the verse, with each clause presenting a subject followed by a description of what is sweet and tasty. This structure highlights the parallelism between the two ideas.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the stolen water and secret bread, suggesting that both are appealing yet dangerous, drawing the reader's attention to the contrast between appearance and reality.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word κλοπῆς to translate גְּנוּבִ֥ים, which means 'theft' or 'stealing'. This choice reinforces the idea of something taken unlawfully, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
The use of κρυφίων for סְתָרִ֣ים indicates a focus on secrecy, suggesting that the act of eating in secret is not just about the food but also about the hidden nature of the actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 9:17 warns that stolen water and secret bread may seem appealing but are ultimately dangerous. The verse shows how temptations can appear sweet while hiding their true consequences.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It suggests that things gained through deceit or theft may seem desirable, but they come with hidden dangers.
This implies that secret pleasures can be enticing, but they often lead to negative consequences.
The verse contrasts the allure of temptation with the values of wisdom, which encourages honesty and integrity.
We learn to be cautious of what seems appealing, as it may lead us away from what is truly good.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some temptations in my life that seem sweet but may lead to harm?
- How can I seek wisdom to discern between true pleasure and deceptive allure?
- In what ways can I support others in recognizing the dangers of secretive actions?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of what is truly satisfying?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church writers like Clement of Alexandria and Augustine of Hippo referenced this verse to discuss the nature of temptation and the allure of secret sins.
Scripture sets down bread and water in clear reference simply to the heresies that use bread and water in their offertory contrary to the rules of the church. There are some who actually celebrate the Eucharist with plain water.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
“The foolish and bold woman comes to want bread.” What bread? Surely that bread which comes down from heaven. And he immediately adds, “The earth-born perish in her house,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
I came upon that brazen woman, empty of prudence, who, in Solomon’s obscure parable, sits on a seat at the door outside her house and says, “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” This woman seduced me,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 9:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleStolen waters are sweet,.... Wells and fountains of waters in those hot countries were very valuable, and were the property of particular persons; about which there were sometimes great strife and
Read John Gill on Proverbs 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryStolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread (eaten) in secret is pleasant - (cf.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleStolen waters; by which he understandeth, either, 1. Idolatry, or other wickednesses, which in Solomon’ s time before his fall were publicly forbidden and punished, but privately practised; or rather, 2. Adultery. Are sweet; partly, from the difficulty of obtaining them; partly, from the art which men use in contriving such secret sins; and partly, because the very prohibition renders it more grateful to corrupt nature.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 9:17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant.Ver. 17. Stolen waters are sweet.] Forbidden pleasures are most pleasing to sensualists, who count no mirth but madness; no pleasure, unless they may have the devil to their playfellow. Venison is nothing so sweet, they say, as when it is stolen. “ Quod licet ingratum est; quod non licet, acrius urit: Sic interdictis imminet aeger aquis. ” - Ovid. Men long to be meddling with the murdering morsels of sin, which nourish not, but rent and consume the belly that receives them. Many eat on earth that which they digest in hell. In terris manducant quod apud inferos digerant. - Augustine.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Stolen waters are sweet.—See above, on Proverbs 5:15. Bread eaten in secret.—The same figure is used in Proverbs 30:20.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Stolen waters are sweet] I suppose this to be a proverbial mode of expression, importing that illicit pleasures are sweeter than those which are legal. The meaning is easy to be discerned; and the conduct of multitudes shows that they are ruled by this adage. On it are built all the adulterous intercourses in the land.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. stolen waters] Maurer compares what he calls “tristissimum illud Ovidii,” “Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata.”
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe besetting sin of all times and countries, the one great proof of the inherent corruption of man’s nature. Pleasures are attractive because they are forbidden (compare Romans 7:7).
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”
“Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”
“Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!”
Tyndale line
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant.
Strictly literal
Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.
'Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.'
“Stolen waters are sweet, || And hidden bread is pleasant.”
“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is pleasant.”
“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is delicious.”
From the Latin
Stolen waters are sweeter, and hid den bread is more pleasant.
Simplified
“Stolen water is sweet, and food eaten in secret tastes good!”
Drink taken without right is sweet, and food in secret is pleasing.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with only minor differences in structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a damaged text, with six words supplied by an editor, but they align with the Masoretic Text in meaning.
מַֽיִם־ גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[מים] [גנובים] [ימתקו] [ולחם] [סתרים] [ינעם]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 9:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.
The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…
גָּנַב (ganab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to steal. It encompasses various forms, including stealing, being stolen, and going by stealth. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, which cover both the act of stealing and the state of being stolen.
[גָּנַב] vb. steal
Qal steal
Niph. be stolen
Pi. steal away (trans.)
Pu. be stolen away
Hithp. go by stealth, syeal away
base
H1589 גָּנַב steal
1589 ganab gaw-nab'
a primitive root; to thieve (literally or figuratively); by
implication, to deceive:--carry away, X indeed, secretly
bring, steal (away), get by stealth.
גָּנַב (ga.nav) — to steal.
1) to steal, steal away, carry away
1a) (Qal) to steal
1b) (Niphal) to be stolen
1c) (Piel) to steal away
1d)(Pual) to be stolen away, be brought by stealth
1e) (Hithpael) to go by stealth, steal away
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine pluralHVqsmpa
The Hebrew word מָתֹק (mathaq) primarily means to become or be sweet or pleasant. It can refer to the act of sucking or relishing something sweet. The entries indicate that it can be used in both Qal and Hiphil forms, with the Hiphil form implying the act of giving a sweet taste.
[מָתֹק] vb. become or be sweet, pleasant
Qal
lit. become sweet
= be pleasant
suck
Hiph. if evil gives a sweet taste in his mouth; we who used to make sweet (our) intimacy.
base
H4985 מָתֹק become or be sweet, pleasant
4985 mathaq maw-thak'
a primitive root; to suck, by implication, to relish, or
(intransitively) be sweet:--be (made, X take) sweet.
מָתֹק (ma.taq) — be sweet.
1) to be or become sweet or pleasing
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be or become sweet
1a2) to be or become pleasant
1a3) to suck
1b) (Hiphil) to give sweet taste
Also means: ma.taq (מָתָק "to sweeten" H4988)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.
לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food
base
H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food
3899 lechem lekh'-em
from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or
grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,
loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
see HEBREW for 03898
see HEBREW for 01036
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.
: food(eating)
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.
: bread/loaf
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.
: allowance
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) refers to concepts of covering, hiding, and secrecy, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can denote a hiding place or shelter, as well as the idea of secrecy, including slanderous speech. The feminine form, סִתְרָה (sit.rah), specifically means shelter or protection, with a reference to Deuteronomy 32:38.
ref
H5643a סֵ֫תֶר covering, hiding-place, secrecy H5643b סִתְרָה shelter, protection
5643 cether say'-ther
or (feminine) cithrah (Deut. 32:38), {sith-raw'}; from 5641;
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative
sense):--backbiting, covering, covert, X disguise(-th),
hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place).
see HEBREW for 05641
סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) — secrecy.
1) covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy
1a) covering, cover
1b) hiding place, shelter, secret place
1c) secrecy
1c1) secrecy (of tongue being slanderous)
סִתְרָה (sit.rah) — shelter.
shelter, protection
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
נָעֵם (na`em) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be pleasant, delightful, or lovely. It is a primitive root that conveys a sense of beauty and sweetness. The word appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, including descriptions of land, physical beauty, and pleasant words. Notably, it is used in Genesis 49:15 and Song of Solomon 7:7.
[נָעֵם] vb. be pleasant, delightful, lovely;—Qal Pf. 3 fs. נָעֵ֑מָה Gn 49:15 (poem in J; of land); 2 ms. (of delightful friend) נָעַ֥מְתָּ לִי מְאֹד 2 S 1:26, also (of physical beauty) מִמִּי נָעָ֑מְתָּ Ez 32:19; 2 fs. (id.) וּמַה־נָּעַמְתְּ Ct 7:7 how lovely art thou!; 3 pl., of pleasant words, נָעֵ֑מוּ ψ 141:6; Impf. 3ms יִנְעָ֑ם: Pr 2:10 (of knowledge); 9:17; 24:25 is impers. c. ל, to them ... shall be delight.
ref
H5276 [נָעֵם] be pleasant, delightful, lovely
5276 na`em naw-ame'
a primitive root; to be agreeable (literally or
figuratively):--pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be
sweet.
נָעֵם (na.em) — be pleasant.
(Qal) to be pleasant, be beautiful, be sweet, be delightful, be lovely
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms