Proverbs 30:16 kjv

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

Proverbs 30:16 nkjv

The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water? And the fire never says, "Enough!"

Proverbs 30:16 niv

the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'

Proverbs 30:16 esv

Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."

Proverbs 30:16 nlt

the grave,
the barren womb,
the thirsty desert,
the blazing fire.

Proverbs 30 verses

Proverbs 30 16 Meaning

Proverbs 30:16 describes four distinct entities that share a common characteristic: an insatiable nature, perpetually desiring more without ever reaching a point of contentment or sufficiency. These elements — the grave, the barren womb, thirsty ground, and unquenchable fire — serve as vivid metaphors illustrating relentless appetite and endless demand, conveying a deep wisdom about the futility of seeking fulfillment from endless acquisition or consumption.

Proverbs 30 16 Context

Proverbs chapter 30 primarily contains the "words of Agur, son of Jakeh, of Massa." This section stands out from much of the rest of the book of Proverbs, introducing different forms of wisdom literature, including numerical proverbs. Verses 15-16 introduce a category of things that are never satisfied, specifically four of them. This specific numerical proverb follows the pattern of "three things... and a fourth," used by Agur to categorize and teach profound truths about the world and human nature. The surrounding context highlights the limitations of human understanding and wisdom (vv. 2-6), contrasting it with God's perfect truth, and then moves into observations about creation and human behavior. This verse particularizes the broader theme of insatiable appetites observed in the world. The historical and cultural context values large families and the security of a male heir, making barrenness a source of deep sorrow and societal disadvantage.

Proverbs 30 16 Word analysis

• the grave (שְׁאוֹל - Sheol):
  • Literally "Sheol," referring to the realm of the dead, the underworld.
  • Significance: Sheol is consistently depicted as having an infinite capacity, ever-receiving new occupants without ever being filled or declaring itself full. It is the ultimate devourer of humanity, relentless and all-consuming. It underscores the certainty and finality of death and the insatiable appetite for lives.
• and the barren womb (רֶחֶם עָצוּר - rechem atzur):
  • Literally "womb closed" or "shut womb."
  • Significance: In ancient Near Eastern culture, children, especially sons, were vital for family lineage, social status, and security in old age. Barrenness was considered a great sorrow, a curse, or even a disgrace. The "barren womb" symbolizes a profound, aching, unfulfilled desire, an internal emptiness that no external thing can fill except the longed-for child. This longing can become all-consuming, never finding "enough" without its fulfillment.
• the earth that is not satisfied with water:
  • Refers to parched, thirsty ground.
  • Significance: The earth, especially in arid regions, can absorb immense amounts of water without becoming oversaturated or ever declaring "enough." It reflects a bottomless need for sustenance, akin to a ceaseless thirst that never truly ends, highlighting an innate craving in nature for life-giving refreshment.
• and the fire that says not, It is enough:
  • Refers to an uncontained or unchecked fire.
  • Significance: Fire continuously consumes fuel and spreads as long as it has something to burn. Its destructive and expansive nature implies a boundless appetite; it cannot be satisfied by simply consuming its present fuel but seeks more, an endless, devouring force.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the grave, and the barren womb": These two items immediately present two deeply serious, yet different, aspects of life and death, both sharing an insatiable nature. The grave consumes all lives, and the barren womb, metaphorically, consumes the desire for offspring, never fulfilled. This pairing brings together both existential inevitability and profound personal longing.
• "the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that says not, It is enough": These two natural elements illustrate processes of endless absorption and consumption. They are ceaseless in their function, never reaching a state of satiation. This reinforces the principle of limitless appetite observed in nature, paralleling it with aspects of human experience and the grim finality of Sheol. The combination reveals a recurring pattern of entities that constantly demand more, embodying limitless need or destructive expansion.

Proverbs 30 16 Bonus section

The specific choice of these four entities by Agur for a numerical proverb ("four things") highlights his keen observation of natural and human conditions. The grouping is intentional: two are related to the ultimate end of life (Sheol, death's insatiability), one to the beginning/continuation of life (barren womb, life's deep longing), and two to natural forces (earth/water and fire/fuel) that symbolize relentless consumption or unquenchable need. This illustrates a broad, timeless truth about entities or desires that always demand more, serving as a cautionary insight into destructive and unsatisfiable cravings, both in the natural world and, by implication, in the human spirit apart from God.

Proverbs 30 16 Commentary

Proverbs 30:16 poetically presents a universal principle through four seemingly disparate examples: some things are never truly satisfied. This truth reflects not only natural phenomena but also spiritual realities. Sheol, representing death, perpetually expands its domain. The barren womb embodies a profound and unrelenting longing that cannot be filled by anything else. Parched earth ceaselessly draws in water, much like a burning fire always seeks new fuel. Each of these illustrates a state of infinite appetite or demand. The wisdom here serves as a potent warning against unchecked desire, human greed, and the pursuit of satisfaction in worldly things. True contentment comes not from having "enough," as these entities never do, but from finding sufficiency in a deeper, spiritual source—ultimately, in God, as opposed to endlessly consuming or desiring what can never fully satisfy. This verse can subtly allude to humanity's inherent spiritual void, a "God-shaped hole" that nothing in creation can fill.