Proverbs 1:26 kjv
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Proverbs 1:26 nkjv
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
Proverbs 1:26 niv
I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you?
Proverbs 1:26 esv
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,
Proverbs 1:26 nlt
So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you ?
Proverbs 1 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 2:4 | He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: ... | God's laughter at adversaries |
| Ps 37:13 | The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. | God laughs at wicked's coming judgment |
| Ps 59:8 | But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them;... | God mocks nations who rage against Him |
| Prov 1:24 | Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand,... | Wisdom's prior rejected call |
| Prov 1:25 | But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: | They spurned her advice and warning |
| Prov 1:27 | When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;... | Further description of coming judgment |
| Prov 1:28 | Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early,... | Wisdom's refusal to answer late pleas |
| Prov 8:36 | But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. | Sin against wisdom is self-destruction |
| Isa 27:11 | When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: ... for it is a people of no understanding:... | Divine removal of the unfruitful |
| Jer 7:13 | And now, because ye have done all these works,... I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; | God called, Israel did not listen |
| Eze 5:11 | Therefore as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary... I will also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity. | God's explicit declaration of no pity in judgment |
| Eze 8:18 | Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. | God's finality in judgment when pity exhausted |
| Zec 7:13 | Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: | Reciprocity in divine hearing/not hearing |
| Rom 1:28 | And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; | God gives over those who reject Him |
| Heb 10:26 | For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, | Willful rejection leading to no further hope |
| Heb 10:27 | But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. | The dreadful expectation of judgment |
| Deut 32:35 | To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. | God's right to vengeance/recompense |
| Jer 30:5 | For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. | Description of terror/fear |
| Amos 5:18 | Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. | Day of judgment brings terror, not salvation |
| Rev 6:16 | And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: | Terror and attempt to hide from divine wrath |
| Obad 1:15 | For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. | Poetic justice/recompense principle |
| Gal 6:7 | Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. | Universal principle of reaping what is sown |
Proverbs 1 verses
Proverbs 1 26 Meaning
This verse depicts Lady Wisdom (personified divine wisdom) declaring her resolve to respond without pity to those who consistently spurned her calls for righteousness. When calamity, disaster, and terror strike those who refused her guidance, Wisdom will not mourn or help, but will rather find their deserved downfall a matter for righteous "laughter" and "mockery." This signifies the just and inevitable outcome of rejecting spiritual truth and the divine order.
Proverbs 1 26 Context
Proverbs 1:26 is part of Lady Wisdom's first major discourse (Proverbs 1:20-33), where she actively calls out to humanity, specifically addressing "the simple," "scoffers," and "fools." She proclaims wisdom's essential role and offers guidance. However, she also warns of the severe consequences for those who reject her counsel. Verses 24 and 25 describe the audience's active refusal to listen or heed her reproof. This specific verse (26) immediately follows their rejection, emphasizing that Wisdom's seemingly harsh response is a just and proportionate consequence of their deliberate scorn. The historical context positions Proverbs within Ancient Near Eastern wisdom traditions, affirming a divine cosmic order where moral choices inherently lead to specific outcomes.
Proverbs 1 26 Word analysis
- I also will laugh (אֶשְׂחַק – 'eschaq): From the root ṣāḥaq (צָחַק), meaning to laugh. Here, it denotes laughter of derision, scorn, or triumph. It's not joyous amusement, but a demonstration of the utter futility of their choices and the justice of their downfall. It conveys a righteous, dispassionate satisfaction with the inevitability of the judgment.
- at your calamity (לְאֵידְכֶם – ləʾêd-ḵem): 'êd (אֵיד) refers to disaster, misfortune, calamity, or ruin. It's a comprehensive term for the adverse events that will befall those who reject wisdom. It underscores that the suffering is a direct result of their choices.
- I will mock (אֶלְעַג – 'el'ag): From la'ag (לָעַג), meaning to mock, scorn, ridicule, or stammer. This word intensifies the meaning of "laugh." It expresses contempt and an explicit dismissal of any pleas for mercy. It implies a sense of "poetic justice" – the very ones who mocked Wisdom will now be mocked.
- when your terror cometh (בְּבֹא חִתַּתְכֶם – bəḇō ḥittatkem):
- cometh (בְּבֹא – bəḇō): Means "when it comes" or "at the coming of." It indicates the arrival and full realization of their dreaded circumstances.
- your terror (חִתַּתְכֶם – ḥittatkem): From ḥittāh (חִתָּה), meaning terror, dread, panic, or dismay. This refers to the inner, psychological aspect of their judgment—the overwhelming fear and desolation that seizes them as consequences unfold.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock": This parallelism emphasizes the resolute and dual nature of Wisdom's response. The doubling highlights that this is a deliberate and certain reaction. It is a divine confirmation of the just order being maintained, even if it appears harsh. It illustrates divine retributive justice.
- "at your calamity; when your terror cometh": These phrases link the external outcome (calamity/disaster) with the internal experience (terror/dread). It signifies a complete, all-encompassing judgment where both physical and psychological dimensions of suffering are experienced. The coming of the outward disaster immediately brings inward fear.
Proverbs 1 26 Bonus section
The personification of Wisdom in Proverbs (often seen as a pre-incarnate representation of Christ or divine attribute) here takes on a prophetic, almost judicial role, openly declaring the severe repercussions for scoffing at the truth. This passage reflects a core principle of retributive justice often seen in Old Testament legal codes and prophetic warnings: one reaps what one sows (Gal 6:7). It illustrates the "boundary" or "limitation" of divine mercy when faced with unrelenting, willful rebellion. While God is gracious and slow to anger, there comes a moment where active contempt for His revealed wisdom necessitates a response of non-intervention, allowing the rebels to be engulfed by the very consequences they scorned. This also underscores the solemnity and earnestness of God's initial call.
Proverbs 1 26 Commentary
Proverbs 1:26 conveys a profound and sober truth about divine judgment and consequences. Lady Wisdom's "laughter" and "mockery" are not expressions of arbitrary cruelty or sadism, but rather an unveiling of the fixed spiritual order of the universe. For those who, despite repeated and public calls, deliberately scorn truth, righteousness, and divine guidance, there comes a point of no return. Their ultimate distress is not pitied because it is the self-inflicted, inevitable outcome of their hardened rejection. Wisdom's response here symbolizes the unyielding justice of God's character. It signifies that there are times when God, having exhausted His patient warnings, will stand by and allow the natural and deserved consequences of defiance to run their course, demonstrating that ultimate reality upholds truth and rejects persistent folly.