Proverbs 30:22

22 a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,

Proverbs 30:22 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
English Standard Version (ESV)
22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
New Living Translation (NLT)
22 a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,
The Message Bible (MSG)
22 when the janitor becomes the boss, when a fool gets rich,
American Standard Version (ASV)
22 For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
22 a slave when he becomes king, a godless fool when he is filled with food,
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
22 a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food,
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
22 The first is a servant who becomes a king. The second is a foolish person who is full of food.

Proverbs 30:22 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 30:22

For a servant, when he reigneth
Being unfit for it through his education, not having been trained up in and learned the arts of government and maxims of it; and through the disposition of his mind, which is mean, abject, and servile; and as he has been used himself when a servant, so he will use others F3 and through his circumstances, being poor, he will take oppressive methods to become rich; and being raised from a low estate, he is the more imperious, proud, and haughty F4; all which and more make his reign intolerable; see ( Proverbs 19:10 ) ( 28:3 ) . This may be applied to antichrist, the "servus servorum", who in a haughty, tyrannical, and insolent manner, exalts himself above all that is called God: and reigns over the kings of the earth, at least has done so, and that in such a manner as was unbearable; deposing kings at pleasure, disposing of their kingdoms, and trampling upon their necks, and making their subjects his vassals; see ( 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ) ( Revelation 17:12 Revelation 17:13 Revelation 17:17 Revelation 17:18 ) ; and a fool, when he is filled with meat;
as Nabal at his feast, when he behaved so intolerably in his cups towards David and his messengers, that he determined on his destruction, had not Abigail interposed, ( 1 Samuel 25:10 1 Samuel 25:11 1 Samuel 25:36 ) ; and there are many such fools, who having their bellies full of food, and their heads full of liquor, are very overbearing in company, and give their tongues such a loose as is very disturbing: or this may intend such fools, or wicked men, who are full of wealth and riches, and being purse proud, are exceeding haughty and insolent; set their mouths against the heaven, and blaspheme God that is in it; and their tongues walk through the earth, and spare none, but lash all in an insufferable manner. These disquiet families, neighbourhoods, communities, and commonwealths; see ( Psalms 73:7-9 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F3 "Nec bellua tetrior ulla est, quam servi rabies in libera colla furentis", Claudian. in Eutrop. l. 1. v. 183, 184.
F4 "Asperius nihil est humili, cum surgit in altum", Claudian. ib. v. 181.

Proverbs 30:22 In-Context

20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’
21 “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24 “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Proverbs 19:10; S Proverbs 29:2
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