Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’ New Living Translation the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire. English Standard Version Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.” Berean Standard Bible Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ Berean Literal Bible Sheol, and the barren womb, earth not satisfied with water, and the fire never having said, ‘Enough!’ King James Bible The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. New King James Version The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!” New American Standard Bible Sheol, the infertile womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.” NASB 1995 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.” NASB 1977 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.” Legacy Standard Bible Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.” Amplified Bible Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “It is enough.” Berean Annotated Bible Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough! Christian Standard Bible Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough! ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough!” American Standard Version Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough. Contemporary English Version The world of the dead and a childless wife, the thirsty earth and a flaming fire. English Revised Version The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not, Enough. GOD'S WORD® Translation the grave, a barren womb, a land that never gets enough water, a fire that does not say, "Enough!" Good News Translation the world of the dead, a woman without children, dry ground that needs rain, and a fire burning out of control. International Standard Version The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire—they never say, "Enough". NET Bible the grave, the barren womb, land that is not satisfied with water, and fire that never says, "Enough!" New Heart English Bible Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn't say, 'Enough.' Webster's Bible Translation The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ World English Bible Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSheol, and a restrained womb, "" Earth—it [is] not satisfied [with] water, "" And fire—it has not said, “Sufficiency,” Berean Literal Bible Sheol, and the barren womb, earth not satisfied with water, and the fire never having said, ‘Enough!’ Young's Literal Translation Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it is not satisfied with water, And fire -- it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' Smith's Literal Translation Hades; and the closed womb; the earth not filled with water; and fire said not, Wealth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleHell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough. Catholic Public Domain Version Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, ‘Enough.’ New American Bible Sheol, a barren womb, land that never gets its fill of water, and fire, which never says, “Enough!” New Revised Standard Version Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSheol; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that never says, It is enough. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Sheol and her barren womb, the ground that is not filled with water, and fire does not say, "It is enough.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The grave; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not: 'Enough.' Brenton Septuagint Translation The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Words of Agur…15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: 16Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ 17As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.… Cross References Sheol, Proverbs 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Isaiah 5:14 Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s nobles and masses, her revelers and carousers! Habakkuk 2:5 and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own. the barren womb, 1 Samuel 1:5-6 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb. / Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her. Genesis 25:21 Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. Judges 13:2-3 Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children. / The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son. land never satisfied with water, Psalm 65:9-10 You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth. / You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth. Isaiah 55:10-11 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. Job 38:26-27 to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives, / to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Mark 9:43-48 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. / where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’ / If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. … Isaiah 66:24 “As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.” Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing. Job 18:13 It devours patches of his skin; the firstborn of death devours his limbs. Job 20:15 He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. Treasury of Scripture The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that said not, It is enough. Proverbs 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Habakkuk 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Jump to Previous Barren Child Earth Enough Filled Fire Grave Satisfied Sheol Sufficiency Thirsty Underworld Water WombJump to Next Barren Child Earth Enough Filled Fire Grave Satisfied Sheol Sufficiency Thirsty Underworld Water WombProverbs 30 1. Agur's confession of his faith7. The two points of his prayer 10. The meanest are not to be wronged 11. Four wicked generations 15. Four things insatiable 24. four things exceeding wise 29. Four things stately 32. Wrath is to be prevented Sheol Sheol is often understood as the realm of the dead in Hebrew thought, a place of darkness and silence. It is depicted as insatiable, always consuming but never full. This concept is echoed in other scriptures such as Isaiah 5:14 and Habakkuk 2:5, where Sheol is portrayed as having an unending appetite. Theologically, it represents the inevitability of death and the grave, a reminder of human mortality and the need for redemption. the barren womb land never satisfied with water and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ Persons / Places / Events 1. The Grave (Sheol)In Hebrew, "Sheol" refers to the realm of the dead. It is often depicted as insatiable, always seeking more souls. 2. The Barren Womb Represents unfulfilled longing and desire, a deeply personal and often painful experience for women in biblical times. 3. Land Never Satisfied with Water Symbolizes the earth's constant need for nourishment and the cycle of life that depends on water. 4. Fire Represents destruction and consumption, an element that continually seeks fuel to sustain itself. Teaching Points Understanding Insatiable DesiresRecognize that certain desires and aspects of life are inherently insatiable, reflecting the fallen nature of the world. Spiritual Contentment Seek contentment in Christ, who satisfies our deepest needs and desires, unlike the insatiable elements described in Proverbs 30:16. The Danger of Unchecked Desires Be aware of the dangers of unchecked desires, whether material, emotional, or spiritual, and strive to align them with God's will. The Role of Prayer and Faith Use prayer and faith as tools to address unfulfilled desires, trusting in God's timing and provision. Reflecting on God's Sufficiency Meditate on God's sufficiency and how He meets our needs, contrasting with the world's insatiable nature. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Proverbs 30:16?2. How can we recognize and avoid the "never satisfied" desires in Proverbs 30:16? 3. What does Proverbs 30:16 teach about contentment in our daily lives? 4. How does Proverbs 30:16 connect with Paul's teachings on contentment in Philippians 4:11-12? 5. In what ways can we apply Proverbs 30:16 to our financial decisions? 6. How can Proverbs 30:16 guide us in cultivating gratitude and satisfaction? 7. What does Proverbs 30:16 reveal about human desires and their insatiable nature? 8. How does Proverbs 30:16 challenge our understanding of contentment and satisfaction? 9. Why are the four things in Proverbs 30:16 never satisfied, according to biblical teachings? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 30? 11. What insatiable desires are never satisfied? 12. Did God create the realm known as hell? 13. Proverbs 30:15-16 personifies a leech and lists things never satisfied; what evidence supports or refutes these claims scientifically? 14. Proverbs 15:11: How do ancient concepts of Sheol and Abaddon align with modern historical or archaeological findings on the afterlife? What Does Proverbs 30:16 Mean Sheol“Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20), and Isaiah 5:14 pictures Sheol opening its mouth wide to receive more. Death’s realm is a bottomless maw; every generation enters, yet it still hungers. Habakkuk 2:5 likens relentless greed to Sheol, underscoring the proverb’s first image: an appetite that will never be appeased. the barren womb Rachel cried, “Give me children, or I will die!” (Genesis 30:1). Hannah wept “in bitterness of soul” (1 Samuel 1:10). Elizabeth “had no children” and felt the reproach (Luke 1:7, 25). The unfulfilled longing for a child can ache for years, illustrating another hunger only God can satisfy (Psalm 113:9). Until He opens the womb, the yearning remains insistent. land never satisfied with water Parched ground soaks up rain yet soon thirsts again. Isaiah 55:10 describes water falling to make the earth “bud and sprout,” but the process must repeat. Jeremiah 14:4 shows cracked soil because rain stopped. The earth’s continual need for moisture mirrors our daily dependence on God’s provision (Matthew 6:11). fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ Flames consume wood and instantly reach for more. “As charcoal for embers and wood for fire” (Proverbs 26:21), so unchecked desire keeps feeding itself. Isaiah 9:18 portrays wickedness burning like fire; Nahum 1:6 warns of divine wrath poured out like fire. Left to itself, fire devours everything in its path, a vivid warning against unrestrained passion. summary Four literal realities—Sheol, barrenness, drought-stricken land, and fire—share one trait: they never declare themselves full. Proverbs 30:16 uses them to caution us against desires that echo that same cry for “more.” Only the Lord can sate the deepest hunger; contentment comes by resting in Him (Psalm 107:9; John 4:14; Philippians 4:11-13). (16) The grave.--See above, on Proverbs 15:11, where it is translated "hell."Verse 16. - The four insatiable things are now named: first, the grave, sheol (Proverbs 27:20), which can never be filled with its victims. Horace talks of a man as -"Victima nil miserantis Orci." Νηλεὲς ῆτορ ἔχων Hebrew Sheol,שְׁאוֹל֮ (šə·’ō·wl) Noun - common singular Strong's 7585: Underworld (place to which people descend at death) the barren וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר (wə·‘ō·ṣer) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6115: Closure, constraint womb, רָ֥חַם (rā·ḥam) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7356: Compassion, the womb, a maiden land אֶ֭רֶץ (’e·reṣ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land that is never לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no satisfied שָׂ֣בְעָה (śā·ḇə·‘āh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 7646: To be sated, satisfied or surfeited with water, מַּ֑יִם (ma·yim) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen and fire וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ (wə·’êš) Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire that never לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no says, אָ֥מְרָה (’ā·mə·rāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Enough!” הֽוֹן׃ (hō·wn) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1952: Wealth, sufficiency Links Proverbs 30:16 NIVProverbs 30:16 NLT Proverbs 30:16 ESV Proverbs 30:16 NASB Proverbs 30:16 KJV Proverbs 30:16 BibleApps.com Proverbs 30:16 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 30:16 Chinese Bible Proverbs 30:16 French Bible Proverbs 30:16 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 30:16 Sheol the barren womb (Prov. 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