Proverbs 30:21-31

21 There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure:

22 a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,

23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

25 Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.

26 Hyraxes —they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.

27 Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.

28 Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about:

30 the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,

31 the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.

Proverbs 30:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 17

This chapter begins with a prophecy of Elijah, that there should be want of rain for some years to come, and he is directed to go first to the brook Cherith, where he should be fed by ravens, 1Ki 17:1-7, and afterwards he is sent to a widow at Zarephath, where he, she, and her son, were supported for a considerable time with a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse miraculously increased, 1Ki 17:8-16, whose son falling sick and dying, he restored to life, 1Ki 17:17-24.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Coneys, or Rock badgers.