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Proverbs 25:21

If thine enemy hungereth, feed thou him; if he thirsteth, give thou him water to drink;

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

In Context

20and loseth his mantle in the day of cold. Vinegar in a vessel of salt is he, that singeth songs to the worst heart. As a moth harmeth a cloth, and a worm harmeth a tree, so the sorrow of a man harmeth the heart. (Like him who taketh away a mantle on a cold day, and like vinegar in a vessel of salt, is he who singeth songs to an aggrieved heart. Like a moth harmeth a cloak, and a worm harmeth a tree, so a person’s sorrow harmeth his heart.)

22for thou shalt gather together coals on his head; and the Lord shall yield to thee. (for thou shalt gather together coals upon his head; and the Lord shall reward thee.)

Read all of Proverbs 25

Cross References

1 Samuel 24:20And now, for I know, that thou shalt reign most certainly, and shalt have in thine hand the realm of Israel, (And now, for I know, that most certainly thou shalt reign, and shalt have in thy hands the kingdom of Israel,)

2 Chronicles 28:15And the men stood there, which we remembered before, and they took the prisoners, and they clothed of the spoils all that were naked; and when they had clothed them, and shod them, and refreshed them with meat, and with drink, and anointed them for (their) travail, and gave cure, either medicine, to them; whichever of them were feeble, and might not go, they putted on horses, and they brought them to Jericho, the city of palms, to their brethren; and they turned again into Samaria. (And the men stood there, whom we named before, and they took the prisoners, and they clothed all who were naked with the spoils; and when they had clothed them, and shod them, and refreshed them with food, and with drink, and anointed them for their travail, and gave a cure, or medicine, to them; whomever of them were feeble, or were weak, and could not walk, they put on horses, and they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, back to their kinsmen; and then they returned to Samaria.)

Proverbs 24:17When thine enemy falleth, have thou not joy; and thine heart have not full out joying in his falling;

Matthew 5:44But I say to you, love ye your enemies, do ye well to them that hate you, and pray ye for them that pursue, and slander you; (But I tell you, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute, and slander you;)

Romans 12:20But if thine enemy hungereth, feed thou him; if he thirsteth, give thou drink to him; for thou doing this thing shalt gather together coals on his head [or forsooth doing these things thou shalt gather together coals on his head].

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 25:21

20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. 1. The absurdity here censured is singing songs to a heavy heart. Those that are in great sorrow are to be comforted by sympathizing with them, condoling with them, and concurring in their lamentation. If we take that method, the moving of our lips may assuage their grief ( Job xvi. 5 ); but we take a wrong course with them if we think to relieve them by being merry with them, and… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

King James VersionBíblia Almeida (Português)Luther Bibel (Deutsch)Bible Louis Segond (Français)Библия (Русский)聖經 (中文)성경 (한국어)الكتاب المقدس (العربية)बाइबल (हिन्दी)Biblia (Kiswahili)Bibbia Diodati (Italiano)Alkitab (Bahasa Indonesia)Kinh Thánh (Tiếng Việt)

Study Proverbs 25:21

Matthew HenryJamieson-Fausset-BrownAdam ClarkeJohn WesleyJohn CalvinKeil and DelitzschScofieldFamily Bible NotesGeneva Bible Notes (1599)
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