Proverbs 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon's court scribes collecting wisdom sayings for young nobles learning statecraft in Jerusalem, Israel...
The emotion here: urgent responsibility to pass on life-saving wisdom
The original word
ra'ah (רָעָה) — to shepherd, tend, nourish like a shepherd feeds sheep
Why it matters
Hebrew scribes would test proverbs by observing palace life for generations
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 10:21
The word 'feed' is the same used for shepherds — your words literally nourish souls
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about preaching or teaching, but it's about everyday conversation. Your casual words at work, home, or coffee shops either feed people's souls or leave them starving.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 10:21
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 10:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 10:21 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include righteousness, teaching. Notable phrases: lips feed many; lack of understanding.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 10:21 mean to you, today?
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