Proverbs 24 · Verse 21

Proverbs 24:21

My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
Proverbs 24:21, King James Version

Proverbs 24:21 in other translations

BSBMy son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
WEBMy son, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
ASVMy son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:
YLTFear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,
DARBYMy son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
BBEMy son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
WebsterMy son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

What does Proverbs 24:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 24:21-22
21-22. A warning against impiety and resistance to lawful rule (Ro 13:1-7; 1Pe 2:17). meddle ... change--(Compare Margin), literally, "mingle not yourself," avoid the society of restless persons.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king - Pay to each the homage due: to the Lord, Divine honor and adoration; to the king, civil respect, civil honor, and political obedience. Meddle not with them that are given to change - עם שונים אל תתערב im shonim al titharab: "And with the changelings mingle not thyself." The innovators; those who are always for making experiments on modes of government, forms of religion, etc. The most dangerous spirit that can infect the human mind.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 24:21-22
The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them that are given change.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 24:21 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.

יְרָֽא\־ye.ra'-fearH3372
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
בְּנִ֣יbe.NiO son myH1121
וָמֶ֑לֶךְva.Me.lekhand [the] kingH4428
עִם\־'i.mo.Sho-withH5973
שׁ֝וֹנִ֗יםSho.Nim[those who] changeH8138
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תִּתְעָרָֽב\׃tit.'a.Ravyou get involvedH6148

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

Cross references for Proverbs 24:21

  • Romans 13:1-7

    Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. …

  • 1 Peter 2:13-17

    Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. …

  • Titus 3:1

    Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

  • 1 Kings 12:16

    So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

  • Exodus 14:31

    And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

  • Matthew 22:21

    They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:2-5

    I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

  • 1 Samuel 12:12-19

    And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you. If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers. …

  • 1 Samuel 24:6

    And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.

  • 2 Samuel 15:13-37

    And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. …

  • Numbers 16:1-3

    Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

  • 1 Samuel 8:5-7

    And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fear.
Ex 14:31; 1Sa 24:6; Ec 8:2-5; Mt 22:21; Ro 13:1-7; Tit 3:1
1Pe 2:13-17
meddle.
Nu 16:1-3; 1Sa 8:5-7; 12:12-19; 2Sa 15:13-37; 1Ki 12:16
given to change. Heb. changers.

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

Context

  • Proverbs 24:20

    For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

  • Proverbs 24:21

    My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

  • Proverbs 24:22

    For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

Read all of Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Teme á Jehová, hijo mío, y al rey; no te entrometas con los veleidosos:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mon fils, crains l’ Éternel et le roi; ne te mêle pas avec les gens remuants,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Mein Sohn, fürchte Jehova und den König; mit Aufrührern laß dich nicht ein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis: