Proverbs 10:3

3 The Lord shall not torment the soul of a just man with hunger; and he shall destroy the treasons of unpious men. (The Lord shall not torment the righteous with hunger; but he shall destroy the desires of the wicked.)

Proverbs 10:3 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 10:3

The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish,
&c.] Or to perish by famine: not but that good men may be afflicted with it, as Jacob and his sons were, when the famine was in Egypt and in other lands; and as the apostles, particularly the Apostle Paul, were often in hunger and thirst, yet not so as to be destroyed by it; for in "famine" the Lord redeems such from death; though the young lions lack and suffer hunger, they that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing; at least whatever they may suffer this way does not arise from the wrath of God, nor does it nor can it separate from the love of God and Christ, ( Job 5:20 ) ( Psalms 34:8 Psalms 34:9 ) ( Romans 8:35 ) . Moreover, the souls of such shall not be famished for want of spiritual food; shall not have a famine of the word and ordinances; their souls shall be fed, as with marrow and fatness, with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the rock: the church, though in the wilderness, is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, ( Revelation 12:14 ) ;

but he casteth away the substance of the wicked;
that which is got in a wicked way; as sometimes he causes it to diminish by little and little; at other times he forcibly and suddenly drives it away, and causes it to take wings and fly away; though it has been swallowed down with great greediness and in great abundance, he makes them throw it up again, and casts it out of their belly, whether they will or not, so that it does not profit them, ( Job 20:15 ) .

Proverbs 10:3 In-Context

1 The parables of Solomon. A wise son maketh glad his father; but a fond son is the sorrow of his mother. (The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh his father happy; but a foolish son is the sorrow of his mother.)
2 Treasures of wickedness shall not profit; but rightfulness shall deliver from death. (Treasures gotten by wickedness shall not profit thee; but uprightness shall deliver thee from death.)
3 The Lord shall not torment the soul of a just man with hunger; and he shall destroy the treasons of unpious men. (The Lord shall not torment the righteous with hunger; but he shall destroy the desires of the wicked.)
4 A slow hand hath wrought neediness; but the hand of strong men maketh ready riches. Forsooth he that enforceth to get anything by leasings, feedeth the winds; soothly the same man followeth birds flying. (Lazy hands create neediness; but strong hands create riches. He who endeavoureth to get anything by lying, feedeth the wind; yea, that person runneth after birds in flight.)
5 He that gathereth together in harvest, is a wise son; but he that sleepeth in summer, is a son of confusion. (He who gathereth together at harvest time, is wise; but he who sleepeth in summer, is a disgrace.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.