Proverbs 21

Proverbs 21 belongs to the collection of "the proverbs of Solomon" that runs from Proverbs 10:1 to 22:16. As in the previous chapter, one- and two-line sayings follow one another without a narrative thread.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 The heart of the king is in the hand of the LORD. The LORD weighs the hearts of men and delights in righteousness and justice more than in sacrifice.
• Verses 4–8 Warnings against pride, hastiness, wealth gained by deceit, and the violence of the wicked.
• Verses 9–13 The saying that it is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house, together with sayings on the wicked who desire evil for others and on the one who stops his ears at the cry of the poor.
• Verses 14–20 Sayings on the secret gift and the bribe, the joy of doing justice, and the poverty of the one who loves pleasure; the saying about the contentious woman appears again (v. 19).
• Verses 21–26 Contrasts among the one who follows after righteousness and mercy, the wise man who scales the city of the mighty, the one who keeps his mouth, the proud scorner, the slothful, and the righteous who gives and spares not.
• Verses 27–31 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, no wisdom can prevail against the LORD, and safety is of the LORD.

Key Verses

• Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water" — a representative verse teaching that even the will of those in power lies under God's providence. The "rivers of water" are watercourses, such as irrigation channels.
• Proverbs 21:3 "To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" — this verse places justice in daily life ahead of Old Testament sacrifices.
• Proverbs 21:31 "But safety is of the LORD" — the verse speaks of both human preparation and God's decision.

People and Places

No named persons or places appear in the chapter. Alongside the LORD, it features character types such as the king, the righteous, the wicked, the slothful, and the contentious woman.

Points for Reflection

• Verses 1 and 30 are frequently cited in discussions of predestination and free will. The Reformed tradition reads them as showing that God's sovereignty extends even to the human will, while the Wesleyan and Arminian traditions read them as affirming God's rule without removing human responsibility.
• The bribe in verse 14 is generally interpreted as an observation of what happens in the world. Proverbs 17:23 condemns the bribe that perverts judgment.
• The "ransom" in verse 18 is understood to mean that the wicked suffer, in place of the righteous, the trouble that would otherwise have come upon the righteous (compare Proverbs 11:8); it is read as distinct from the atonement of Christ.
• Verses 3 and 27 stand in the same line of thought as Micah 6:6–8 and Hosea 6:6. Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6 (Matthew 9:13).
• Verse 9 is repeated almost word for word in Proverbs 25:24.

In the Korean Church

Verse 1 is often cited in prayer meetings and sermons for the nation and its leaders, and verse 31 is widely used to encourage church members facing examinations or other major undertakings.