The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
- BSB The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked.
- NKJV The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
- NASB The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked.
- NLT The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Yahweh will not let the righteous go hungry but thwarts the craving of the wicked. God provides for his own and frustrates the desires of the wicked.
Overview
This proverb affirms God's faithful care for the righteous and his opposition to the wicked. As a general principle of God's providence, it assures believers that he sustains those who trust him (cf. Matthew 6:33). Proverbs speaks in broad terms rather than absolute guarantees in every case, yet it reveals God's settled disposition toward righteousness, fulfilled in his provision for all who are his in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Ps 37:3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
- Matt 6:30–33Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
- Ps 37:25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
- Ps 34:9–10O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
- Ps 33:19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
- Ps 37:19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
- Zeph 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
- Job 5:20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
- Luke 12:31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Heb 13:5–6Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
- Isa 33:16He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
- Prov 14:32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
- Ps 112:10The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
- Job 20:28The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
- Job 20:5–8That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
- Job 20:20–22Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
- Luke 12:22–24And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
- Hab 2:6–8Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
- Ps 10:14Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 10:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.