Proverbs 17:11 kjv
An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Proverbs 17:11 nkjv
An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Proverbs 17:11 niv
Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
Proverbs 17:11 esv
An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Proverbs 17:11 nlt
Evil people are eager for rebellion,
but they will be severely punished.
Proverbs 17 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 14:9 | "Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land..." | Rebellion against God leads to fear. |
| Num 16:3 | "You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi! For all the congregation..." | Korah's rebellion met with divine judgment. |
| Deut 9:7 | "Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath..." | Israel's history marked by rebellion. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity..." | Rebellion is a severe spiritual offense. |
| Isa 1:20 | "But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword..." | Rebellion results in destruction. |
| Isa 63:10 | "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself into their enemy..." | Rebellion provokes God to become an adversary. |
| Rom 1:30 | "backbiters, haters of God, insolent, proud, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents..." | Disobedience/rebellion is a mark of wickedness. |
| Rom 2:8 | "...but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath..." | Rebellious disobedience brings wrath. |
| Eph 2:2 | "...you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." | Rebellion linked to spiritual darkness. |
| Psa 7:12 | "If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready." | God's readiness to judge the unrepentant. |
| Psa 58:11 | "So that men will say, 'Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on earth.'" | Assurance of God's earthly judgment. |
| Pro 1:31 | "Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies." | Consequences align with one's choices. |
| Pro 5:22 | "His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin." | Wickedness entraps the doer. |
| Pro 21:10 | "The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes." | The inner desire of the wicked is evil. |
| Pro 28:13 | "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." | Alternative to rebellion is repentance. |
| Joel 2:25 | "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust..." | "Messengers" can be instruments of judgment. |
| Hab 1:6-7 | "For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth..." | God uses nations as His messengers of judgment. |
| Isa 37:36 | "Then the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand..." | An angel as a direct cruel messenger. |
| 2 Thes 1:8 | "...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." | Judgment for those who do not obey. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment..." | Wilful sin/rebellion leads to fearful judgment. |
| Pro 6:12-15 | "A worthless person, a wicked man... In a moment he shall be broken, without remedy." | Immediate and irreparable consequences for the wicked. |
| Psa 119:126 | "It is time for You to act, O LORD, For they have regarded Your law as void." | When laws are defied, divine action is provoked. |
Proverbs 17 verses
Proverbs 17 11 Meaning
This proverb describes a deeply rooted characteristic of a wicked individual: their core desire is consistently bent towards insubordination and defiance against established order or divine authority. Such a persistent and unwavering spirit of rebellion inevitably summons severe and unavoidable repercussions. The "cruel messenger" symbolizes the harsh and unyielding judgment, punishment, or consequence that will be unfailingly dispatched to confront and deal with this recalcitrant heart.
Proverbs 17 11 Context
Proverbs chapter 17 is a collection of various independent maxims offering moral instruction on a wide range of subjects. These include the value of integrity, the consequences of foolishness, the nature of true friendship and family relationships, and the importance of justice and self-control. Within this chapter, verse 11 specifically addresses the character and ultimate destiny of the "evil man" whose fundamental drive is defiance. Historically, ancient Israelite society, like many in the Ancient Near East, placed high value on social order, reverence for elders and authorities, and obedience to the divine law given through Moses. Rebellion, whether against the king, the family patriarch, or directly against God, was seen as a serious transgression that invited certain retribution. The concept of a divine or earthly messenger executing severe judgment was well understood within this cultural framework.
Proverbs 17 11 Word analysis
- An evil man (אִישׁ רָע - ish ra):
- Ish (אִישׁ): "man," referring to an individual.
- Ra (רָע): "evil," "wicked," "bad." This term signifies not merely moral failing but often describes someone whose very nature and actions are hostile, harmful, and destructive, typically disturbing order and peace. It denotes an inner disposition of malice and a consistent outward manifestation of it.
- seeks only rebellion (אַךְ מֶרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע - akh merī yəvaqqesh-ra):
- Akh (אַךְ): "only," "surely," an emphasizing particle that stresses the singular focus or primary pursuit.
- Merī (מֶרִי): "rebellion," "rebelliousness," "stubbornness," "disobedience," "refractoriness." This is a strong biblical term frequently used to describe Israel's defiance against God in the wilderness. It implies deliberate and unyielding resistance to authority, divine instruction, or rightful governance. It is not an occasional lapse but a determined, character-defining orientation.
- Yəvaqqesh (יְבַקֵּשׁ): from the verb "to seek," "to search," "to desire." This word implies active and intentional pursuit. The evil person is not merely falling into rebellion but deliberately and primarily seeking it out; it is their agenda. The construction implies the evil one is seeking out rebellion as a primary pursuit, driven by an evil heart.
- therefore (וּמַלְאַךְ - u-mal’akh): The conjunction "and" (וְ - u) serves here as a logical connector, signifying a direct consequence or "therefore." This links the evil man's rebellious pursuit to its certain outcome.
- a cruel messenger (מַלְאָךְ אַכְזָר - mal’akh akhzar):
- Mal’akh (מַלְאָךְ): "messenger," "angel," "envoy." This term is broad and can refer to a human representative, a divine angel, or a general agent sent on a specific task. In this context, it embodies an appointed agent of judgment.
- Akhzar (אַכְזָר): "cruel," "merciless," "fierce," "harsh," "unsparing." This adjective emphatically describes the nature of the messenger or the consequences they deliver. It underscores the severity and inevitability of the judgment. The "cruel messenger" does not show pity or compromise; the judgment delivered is absolute and unyielding. It signifies God's stern and certain justice against defiance, manifesting through various means such as affliction, destruction, or direct divine intervention.
Proverbs 17 11 Bonus section
- The Law of Reciprocity: This proverb powerfully illustrates the principle of sowing and reaping found throughout Scripture. The rebellious nature of the individual seeds their own destruction by summoning a correspondingly severe agent of consequence. What is sought (rebellion) results in a return (cruelty).
- Divine Governance: The "cruel messenger" underscores God's active involvement in maintaining cosmic and moral order. When humanity defies this order, God ensures that justice is served, even if the instruments are harsh. This is a comfort to those who observe wickedness and question God's oversight.
- Beyond Human Judgment: While a rebellious person may evade human justice for a time, the proverb asserts that a greater, inescapable "messenger" of consequences, perhaps even directly from God, awaits them.
- Warning Against Stubbornness: The emphasis on "seeks only rebellion" is a potent warning against cultivating a stubborn and unteachable heart. This fixed disposition precludes humility, repentance, and any turning towards wisdom, sealing the individual's fate.
Proverbs 17 11 Commentary
Proverbs 17:11 lays bare the essential disposition of the wicked person as one primarily driven by rebellion. This is not a momentary act of disobedience but a consistent, deliberate choice of opposition to order and authority. The Hebrew term meri underlines this deep-seated, intractable defiance often directed against divine principles or God's appointed representatives. The proverb teaches that such an entrenched posture against righteousness will inevitably invoke a powerful and severe response. The "cruel messenger" serves as a vivid metaphor for the harsh consequences that inevitably catch up with the persistent rebel. This could be literal human agents of justice, destructive natural events, or even direct divine retribution (as often seen with God's angels of judgment in Scripture). The certainty and severity ("cruel") of this retribution underscore that defiance of God's order leads to suffering, without possibility of evasion or softening.