Proverbs 20:17Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. The royal court where Solomon teaches wisdom to young nobles and officials in Jerusalem, Israel...
The emotion here: paternal concern watching young people make destructive choices
The original word
mirmah (מִרְמָה) — deliberate deception for personal gain, treachery that destroys trust
Why it matters
Gravel was often mixed with grain by dishonest merchants to increase weight and profit
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 20:17
The word 'afterwards' implies the consequences come LATER, when escape seems impossible
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about food poisoning, but it's about ANY deceptive gain that seems sweet initially but becomes bitter. The 'gravel' is the inevitable consequences grinding away at your life.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 20:17
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 20:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 20:17 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include consequences, deception. Notable phrases: fraudulent food; mouth filled with gravel.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 20:17 mean to you, today?
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