Proverbs 10 · Verse 3

Proverbs 10:3

The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:3, King James Version

Proverbs 10:3 in other translations

BSBThe LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked.
WEBThe LORD will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
ASVJehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.
YLTJehovah causeth not the soul of the righteous to hunger, And the desire of the wicked He thrusteth away.
DARBYJehovah suffereth not the soul of the righteous man to famish; but he repelleth the craving of the wicked.
BBEThe Lord will not let the upright be in need of food, but he puts far from him the desire of the evil-doers.
WebsterThe LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

What does Proverbs 10:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. (Compare Psa 37:16-20). The last clause is better: "He will repel the greedy desires of the wicked."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 But he casteth away the substance of the wicked - But instead of רשעים reshaim, the wicked, בוגדים bogedim, hypocrites, or perfidious persons, is the reading of twelve or fourteen of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and some editions; but it is not acknowledged by any of the ancient versions. The righteous have God for their feeder; and because of his infinite bounty, they can never famish for want of the bread of life. On the contrary, the wicked are often, in the course of his providence, deprived of the property of which they make a bad use.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 10:2-3

Though the righteous may be poor, the Lord will not suffer him to want what is needful for spiritual life.

Read the full comment on Proverbs 10:2-3 →

Proverbs 10:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
יַרְעִ֣יבyar.'Ivhe allows to hungerH7456
יְ֭הוָהYah.wehYahwehH3068
נֶ֣פֶשׁNe.fesh[the] appetite ofH5315
צַדִּ֑יקtza.Dik[the] righteousH6662
וְהַוַּ֖תve.ha.Vatand [the] craving ofH1942
רְשָׁעִ֣יםre.sha.'Imwicked [people]H7563
יֶהְדֹּֽף\׃yeh.Dofhe rejectsH1920

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 10:3

  • Psalms 37:3

    Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

  • Matthew 6:30-33

    Wherefore, 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? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

  • Psalms 37:25

    I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

  • Psalms 34:9-10

    O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

  • Zephaniah 1:18

    Neither 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.

  • Psalms 33:19

    To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

  • Psalms 37:19

    They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

  • Job 5:20

    In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

  • Hebrews 13:5-6

    Let 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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

  • Luke 12:31

    But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

  • Isaiah 33:16

    He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

  • Proverbs 14:32

    The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
will.
Job 5:20; Ps 10:14; 33:19; 34:9,10; 37:3,19,25; Isa 33:16
Mt 6:30-33; Lu 12:22-24,31; Heb 13:5,6
but.
Job 20:5-8,20-22,28; Hab 2:6-8; Zep 1:18
the substance of the wicked. or, the wicked for theirwickedness.
14:32

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 10:2

    Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

  • Proverbs 10:3

    The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

  • Proverbs 10:4

    He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Read all of Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Jehová no dejará hambrear el alma del justo: mas la iniquidad lanzará á los impíos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’ Éternel ne laisse pas l’âme du juste avoir faim, mais il repousse l’avidité des méchants.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jehova läßt die Seele des Gerechten nicht hungern, aber die Gier der Gesetzlosen stößt er hinweg.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non affliget Dominus fame animam justi, et insidias impiorum subvertet.