Proverbs 20:1 kjv
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 nkjv
Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 niv
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 esv
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 nlt
Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
Proverbs 20 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 9:20-21 | Noah...drank of the wine and was drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. | Noah's shameful act due to drunkenness. |
| Prov 1:22 | How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing... | Definition of a mocker/scoffer. |
| Prov 3:34 | Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. | God's attitude toward scoffers. |
| Prov 9:7-8 | Whoever corrects a scoffer gets dishonor...Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. | Mocker's inability to receive instruction. |
| Prov 15:12 | A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise. | Mocker resists correction and wisdom. |
| Prov 19:29 | Judgments are prepared for scoffers, and blows for the back of fools. | Consequences awaiting scoffers. |
| Prov 23:20-21 | Do not be with those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor. | Warning against association with drunkards. |
| Prov 23:29-35 | Who has woe? Who has sorrow? ...Those who tarry long over wine...Their eyes will see strange things, and their heart utter perverse things. | Detailed negative effects of prolonged drinking. |
| Prov 25:28 | A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. | Emphasizes the loss of self-control. |
| Prov 31:4-5 | It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to drink wine, nor for rulers strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. | Drunkenness compromises leadership and justice. |
| Isa 5:11 | Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into evening as wine inflames them! | Condemns addiction to strong drink. |
| Isa 28:7 | But these also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink...priest and prophet reel with strong drink...stagger in judgment. | Drunkenness corrupts even spiritual leaders' judgment. |
| Hab 2:15 | "Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink, making them drunk to gaze on their nakedness!" | Shameful conduct associated with drunkenness. |
| Rom 13:13 | Let us walk properly, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality... | Calls for conduct avoiding drunkenness. |
| 1 Cor 6:9-10 | Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ...nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. | Drunkenness disqualifies from inheriting God's kingdom. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife...drunkenness, orgies... | Drunkenness listed as a work of the flesh. |
| Eph 5:18 | And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. | Direct prohibition of drunkenness and positive command. |
| 1 Thes 5:6-8 | So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. | Call for sobriety and alertness. |
| Tit 2:3 | Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. | Warning against excess wine, especially for leaders/teachers. |
| 1 Pet 4:3-4 | For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do—living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. | Connects drunkenness with Gentile vices. |
| Dan 5:1-4, 23 | Belshazzar...made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand...Then they brought in the golden and silver vessels...and the king...and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. | Belshazzar's drunken sacrilege and impending doom. |
| 2 Pet 1:5-6 | For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control... | Emphasizes self-control as a Christian virtue. |
Proverbs 20 verses
Proverbs 20 1 Meaning
Proverbs 20:1 sternly warns against the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, portraying wine and strong drink as deceptive forces that corrupt character and wisdom. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler" indicates that these substances, when consumed in excess, lead a person to exhibit behavior characterized by scorn, arrogance, quarrelsomeness, and disorder. The consequence for anyone who allows themselves to be "led astray" or overcome by them is a complete lack of wisdom and sound judgment. The verse underscores that intoxication strips an individual of their dignity and ability to act wisely, contrary to the core principles of divine wisdom promoted throughout the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 20 1 Context
Proverbs 20:1 stands as the opening statement of the twentieth chapter, setting a foundational warning against one of the key perils to wisdom: uncontrolled indulgence. The broader context of the book of Proverbs is a collection of divine wisdom intended to instruct individuals on how to live righteously, prosper, and please God. Throughout Proverbs, a central theme is the sharp contrast between the wise and the foolish, and the paths they choose. This verse directly links alcohol abuse with foolishness, identifying it as an active agent in leading people astray from the path of wisdom.
Historically and culturally, wine and strong drink were common in ancient Israelite society, used for nourishment, celebration, and sometimes medicinal purposes. However, their misuse was consistently condemned in the Scriptures due to its devastating social, moral, and spiritual consequences. The emphasis on wine as a "mocker" and strong drink as a "brawler" speaks to the observable behaviors in Israelite society that resulted from intoxication – disruptive, arrogant, quarrelsome, and often violent conduct. This warning also subtly contrasts with pagan practices where drunkenness was sometimes part of religious festivals or rituals, highlighting a different ethical standard rooted in self-control and clear-mindedness for the Israelite community. The audience primarily consists of young men receiving instruction for living a wise and godly life, for whom such temptations would have been prevalent.
Proverbs 20 1 Word analysis
- Wine (יַיִן, yayin): Refers to fermented grape juice, a common beverage in ancient times. Here, it is personified to illustrate its inherent deceptive nature when abused, actively "mocking" or making a fool of the drinker.
- Mocker (לֵץ, lēṣ): Transliterated lēṣ. This term denotes someone who is arrogant, scornful, defiant, and resistant to correction or wisdom. It's not merely a light-hearted jest but a deep-seated contempt for divine instruction and prudent living. When wine is called a "mocker," it signifies that drunkenness reduces a person to such a contemptuous and irrational state, diminishing their judgment and self-control.
- Strong drink (שֵׁכָר, shēḵār): Transliterated shēḵār. This refers to any intoxicating liquor, likely with a higher alcohol content than wine, perhaps made from grains or dates. The pairing with "wine" indicates a comprehensive warning against all types of intoxicating beverages.
- Brawler (הֹומֶה, hômeh): Transliterated hômeh, derived from hāmâ, meaning "to make a loud noise, rage, roar, be boisterous, confused, or violent." This word paints a picture of the tumult, strife, and aggressive behavior that often accompany intoxication. Strong drink, by its effect, incites contention and disorder in those who partake excessively.
- And whoever is led astray by it (וְכָל־שֹׁוגֶה בֹּו, wəḵāl-šôḡeh bô): This phrase highlights the individual's submission to the drink. Šôḡeh (from shāḡâ) means to "err, go astray, wander, stumble, be deceived, or be intoxicated." The preposition bô ("in it" or "by it") clarifies that the drink is the causative agent that leads to this error or wandering from the path of wisdom. It suggests a loss of direction, self-control, and proper judgment.
- Is not wise (לֹא יֶחְכָּם, lōʼ yeḥkām): Transliterated lōʼ yeḥkām, from ḥāḵam meaning "to be wise, act wisely." This is the ultimate verdict and central warning of the proverb. Allowing oneself to be controlled by wine or strong drink means forfeiting the ability to act prudently, discern rightly, or make sound decisions. Such behavior is directly opposed to the pursuit of wisdom championed by Proverbs.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler": This anthropomorphic portrayal emphasizes that these substances, through their influence, diminish human dignity and replace wise conduct with arrogant scorn and disruptive violence. They do not merely intoxicate but transform character.
- "and whoever is led astray by it is not wise": This directly links the consequence to personal responsibility and wisdom. It highlights that the state of being intoxicated or dominated by drink results in foolishness, which is the antithesis of the fear of the Lord and discerning living. The loss of wisdom is a spiritual and moral downfall, not just a physical impairment.
Proverbs 20 1 Bonus section
The Hebrew word lēṣ (mocker/scorner) is deeply significant in the wisdom literature. A lēṣ is not simply someone who makes jokes, but an individual characterized by intellectual and moral arrogance, actively rejecting divine wisdom and instruction (Prov 1:22, 15:12, 19:29). By calling wine a lēṣ, the proverb highlights how drunkenness does not merely remove inhibitions, but specifically undermines one's capacity for reverence, teachability, and a right attitude towards God and His ways, turning them into someone spiritually defiant and foolish. This demonstrates a progression: intoxication leads to reckless, mocking behavior, which then inevitably results in the absence of wisdom itself. The choice between sobriety and being led astray is fundamentally a choice between wisdom and folly, a central theme running throughout the Book of Proverbs and the entire biblical narrative of walking with God.
Proverbs 20 1 Commentary
Proverbs 20:1 delivers a potent and concise warning against the destructive nature of alcohol abuse, particularly its corrosive effect on wisdom. By personifying wine as a "mocker" and strong drink as a "brawler," the verse dramatically illustrates how excessive indulgence strips away self-control and dignity. A mocker despises sound instruction and truth; likewise, one intoxicated loses their capacity for wise judgment and often acts in ways that are scornful, arrogant, and contrary to their own best interests. Similarly, a brawler is characterized by strife, loudness, and aggressive behavior; strong drink often fuels such contentiousness and disorder.
The core message is not simply about physical drunkenness, but about the profound moral and spiritual foolishness that ensues. To be "led astray" implies losing one's moral compass and falling victim to deception, which alcohol facilitates by clouding judgment. This leads directly to a state of being "not wise"—a fundamental rejection of the very principles of discernment, righteousness, and prudent living that Proverbs advocates. This warning applies not only to overt intoxication but also to the subtle ways alcohol can erode inhibitions, lead to poor decisions, and ultimately alienate an individual from God-given wisdom. The passage calls for sobriety in mind and action, reminding us that true wisdom requires clarity and self-mastery, aligning with biblical calls for being "filled with the Spirit" rather than with wine (Eph 5:18).
Practical application:
- Self-awareness: Recognize how even small amounts of alcohol can influence judgment and inclinations toward "mocking" or "brawling" behavior.
- Setting Boundaries: Establish clear personal limits regarding alcohol consumption, prioritizing sober judgment over social pressure or indulgence.
- Impact on Wisdom: Consider whether current choices enhance or diminish your capacity for wise decision-making and character development in God's eyes.