If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. If your enemy is hungry,Personal hostility does not cancel the duty to show mercy. In a culture where shared meals often marked peace and fellowship, feeding an adversary rejected the ordinary cycle of retaliation. Elisha modeled such mercy when Israel fed the captured Aramean army and sent them home in peace (2 Kings 6:21–23). Jesus later commanded His disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). Rom 12:20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;… give him food to eat, Meeting an enemy’s immediate need places obedience to God above resentment. God gives daily provision even to those who disregard Him, displaying patience and kindness that call sinners to repentance (Matthew 5:45; Romans 2:4). Such mercy may expose the hardness of an enemy’s heart, open a path toward reconciliation, and guard the righteous person from becoming overcome by evil. 2Ki 6:22-23 “Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those… and if he is thirsty, Water was essential for life in the dry lands of Israel, making its refusal a severe act of hostility. Giving water to one who has opposed you demonstrates a willingness to seek peace rather than revenge. God’s people are called to reflect the mercy of the Lord, who alone satisfies the deepest need of the human heart. Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat,… give him water to drink. Practical kindness is not weakness or approval of evil; it entrusts judgment to God while seeking the good of another. Paul cites this command when urging believers to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:20–21). Christ, who gives living water to the thirsty, enables His people to extend grace even where natural affection has failed. Mrk 9:41 Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water… Persons / Places / Events 1. SolomonTraditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. Proverbs is a collection of his wise sayings. 2. Enemies In the context of this verse, "enemies" refers to those who oppose or have hostility towards us. The verse challenges the natural human response to treat enemies with kindness. 3. Ancient Israel The cultural and historical backdrop of Proverbs, where hospitality and care for others were significant societal values. Teaching Points The Call to Radical KindnessProverbs 25:21 challenges believers to respond to hostility with generosity, reflecting God's grace and mercy. Breaking the Cycle of Retaliation By feeding and giving drink to our enemies, we break the cycle of revenge and hostility, promoting peace and reconciliation. Reflecting Christ's Love As followers of Christ, we are called to mirror His love and forgiveness, even towards those who oppose us. Trusting in God's Justice By showing kindness to our enemies, we trust in God's ultimate justice and leave vengeance to Him. Practical Steps in Loving Enemies Consider practical ways to show kindness to those who oppose you, such as praying for them, offering help, or speaking kindly. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Proverbs 25:21 challenge your natural response to those who oppose you?2. In what ways can you practically "feed" and "give drink" to your enemies in your current life situation? 3. How does the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:44) expand upon the wisdom found in Proverbs 25:21? 4. Reflect on a time when you responded to an enemy with kindness. What was the outcome, and how did it affect your relationship with that person? 5. How can trusting in God's justice help you to let go of the desire for personal revenge against those who have wronged you? Connections to Other Scriptures Matthew 5:44Jesus teaches to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, echoing the wisdom of Proverbs 25:21. Romans 12:20 Paul directly quotes Proverbs 25:21, emphasizing the Christian call to overcome evil with good. Exodus 23:4-5 The Law instructs Israelites to help their enemy's animal in distress, showing an early precedent for kindness to enemies.
People Hezekiah, SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Bread, Cause, Drink, Eat, Enemy, Hater, Hating, Hunger, Hungry, Thirst, ThirstyDictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 25:21 4293 water 4318 coal Library An Unwalled City'He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.'--PROVERBS xxv. 28. The text gives us a picture of a state of society when an unwalled city is no place for men to dwell in. In the Europe of today there are still fortified places, but for the most part, battlements are turned into promenades; the gateways are gateless; the sweet flowers blooming where armed feet used to tread; and men live securely without bolts and bars. But their spirits cannot yet … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture God's Glory in Hiding Sin Good News That a Man Should not be a Curious Searcher of the Sacrament, but a Humble Imitator of Christ, Submitting his Sense to Holy Faith Epistle xxxix. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Epistle Xlii. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Wherefore Christ Undertook a Method of Setting us Free So Painful and Laborious, when a Word from Him, or an Act of his Will, Would Alone "Boast not Thyself of To-Morrow, for Thou Knowest not what a Day May Bring Forth. " Love in the Old Covenant. The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close. How the Silent and the Talkative are to be Admonished. God's Glory the Chief End of Man's Being Christian Behavior Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature The History Books The Ninth Commandment Proverbs Links Proverbs 25:21 NIVProverbs 25:21 NLT Proverbs 25:21 ESV Proverbs 25:21 NASB Proverbs 25:21 KJV Proverbs 25:21 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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