Proverbs 6:30 kjv

Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Proverbs 6:30 nkjv

People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.

Proverbs 6:30 niv

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Proverbs 6:30 esv

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,

Proverbs 6:30 nlt

Excuses might be found for a thief
who steals because he is starving.

Proverbs 6 verses

Proverbs 6 30 Meaning

Proverbs 6:30 observes a societal distinction: people do not generally hold a thief in contempt or scorn him if he steals solely to appease extreme, life-threatening hunger. This does not condone the act of theft, which remains wrong, but highlights that the motivation stemming from desperate necessity is perceived differently than theft driven by greed or malice. It contrasts this with the profound, irreparable shame and ruin brought by adultery, emphasizing the differing moral gravity of sins.

Proverbs 6 30 Context

Proverbs chapter 6 serves as a series of urgent warnings against various dangers. It begins by admonishing against unwise financial decisions (surety for a neighbor) and laziness (using the ant as an example). It then lists behaviors abhorrent to the Lord, like pride and discord. The latter part of the chapter (verses 20-35) provides a stark warning against adultery, framing it as an act of immense folly and self-destruction. Verse 30 sets the stage for this primary condemnation of adultery by drawing a comparison. It contrasts the relatively "understandable" theft of a starving man (who might pay back if caught) with the irreparable and devastating nature of adultery, which brings shame, disgrace, and ultimate destruction to the one who commits it. The verse implicitly argues that even though theft is wrong, adultery is a far more heinous offense in terms of its societal impact, personal shame, and lack of restitution.

Proverbs 6 30 Word analysis

• Men: (Not explicitly in the Hebrew text, which reads "They will not despise," implying a general societal observation or "people").
• despise (Hebrew: yavuzu, יָב֗וּזוּ): Means to scorn, look down on, hold in contempt, treat with disdain. It suggests a lack of deep-seated revulsion.
• a thief (Hebrew: le-gannav, לְגַנָּ֥ב): Refers to one who takes another's property without permission. The text introduces a distinction in the moral culpability or societal perception of this "thief" based on motivation.
• if he steals (Hebrew: ki yignov, כִּ֣י יִגְנֹ֣ב): Simply states the act of stealing. The emphasis immediately shifts to why he steals.
• to satisfy his hunger (Hebrew: behafli nefesh, בְּהַפְלִ֣יא נָ֑פֶשׁ, and le-malle-nephesh be-ra'av, לְמַלֵּא־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בְּרָעָֽב׃): This is a crucial phrase defining the thief's motivation and circumstances.
  • nephesh (נָ֑פֶשׁ / נֶ֖פֶשׁ): Literally "soul" or "life," but in this context refers to vital sustenance, appetite, or extreme need of the inner being.
  • behafli nefesh: Literally "to make soul marvelous" or "extraordinary," here conveying a dire and unusual state of necessity, an urgent and extreme requirement for survival. It's not just "hungry," but extraordinarily so.
  • be-ra'av (בְּרָעָֽב): "in hunger" or "by reason of hunger," explicitly indicating starvation or intense famine.
  • Combined, these phrases depict someone in the grips of profound and life-threatening hunger, compelled by an instinct for sheer survival. The human psyche responds with less contempt to a situation of such extreme duress compared to deliberate, malicious intent.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "Men do not despise a thief": Highlights the prevailing human sentiment or judgment. Society typically scorns thieves, but not this kind of thief.
  • "if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving": Clearly articulates the unique and dire circumstance. It’s a stealing that springs from an ultimate human necessity, differentiating it from theft motivated by covetousness or criminal intent. The focus is on desperation, not greed.

Proverbs 6 30 Bonus section

The passage implicitly draws on ancient Near Eastern legal and moral traditions, which sometimes considered the context and motive for an offense, even if the act itself was punishable. While the Mosaic Law generally condemned theft, provisions like gleaning (allowing the poor to gather leftover harvest, Deut 24:19-21) and the specific allowances for the hungry passing through a field (Deut 23:24-25) show an understanding and concern for basic human need. This Proverb echoes a wisdom that perceives gradations of guilt and social stigma. It’s not about legal permissibility, but societal reaction and moral standing. This concept challenges believers to consider motivation and circumstance when evaluating actions, though not to compromise God’s clear moral standards. It guides judgment toward mercy for the desperate while unequivocally condemning more insidious forms of sin.

Proverbs 6 30 Commentary

Proverbs 6:30 does not legalize or justify theft under any circumstance; rather, it makes an observation about human perception and the varying degrees of social condemnation applied to different wrongs. A person driven by starvation to steal, while still legally liable (as v. 31 shows a specific restitution), evokes empathy rather than the full societal "despise" that would be leveled against a thief driven by avarice. The underlying point is one of proportionality and understanding human frailty under extreme duress. This verse serves as a crucial comparative prelude to the strong condemnation of adultery (Proverbs 6:32-35). Unlike the thief for food, who steals an object that can be replaced or restituted, the adulterer takes not merely property, but innocence, trust, fidelity, and self-respect, committing a devastating betrayal for which there is no payment or apology that can undo the harm and shame. The consequence of adultery is internal, spiritual ruin and external, irredeemable dishonor, illustrating that certain sins carry far greater intrinsic destructive power and a lack of any conceivable excuse or restitution, earning society’s profound and permanent contempt.