KJV King James Version
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Proverbs 25:21
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
WEB World English Bible
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:
ASV American Standard Version
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
Surrounding context — Proverbs 25
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 [As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so [is] he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 [It is] better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
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Original-language word links
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Cross-references
Romans 12:20-21Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.Matthew 5:44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;Proverbs 24:17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:Exodus 23:4-5If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.Luke 10:33-36But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him],2 Kings 6:22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite [them]: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.2 Chronicles 28:15And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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