When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Proverbs 10:25
What does Proverbs 10:25 mean?
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 10:25
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The true strength of the righteous isn't just that they stand firm, but that they are a foundation, inherently stable and life-giving, unlike the wicked who are swept away as if they never were. This verse whispers of Christ, the ultimate "Everlasting Foundation" on whom all true stability is built.
When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb sits within a section contrasting the paths of the wicked and the righteous. It’s a sharp, vivid image: when disaster strikes, like a sudden storm or tempest, the wicked are swept away entirely, leaving no trace. In contrast, the righteous, like a solid structure built on a deep foundation, remain secure and stand firm forever.
Imagine a violent storm that tears through everything in its path, leaving nothing behind. This verse uses that imagery to describe the fate of the wicked.
A Swift and Complete Demise
The verse paints a stark picture of destruction for the wicked. Like a destructive whirlwind that sweeps away everything, their existence is often characterized by a swift and complete end. This doesn't necessarily mean annihilation, but rather the utter collapse of their power, prosperity, and influence.
This sudden disappearance highlights the instability of a life built on ungodly principles. When the 'storm' – whether it's divine judgment, life's calamities, or the natural consequences of their actions – hits, there's no solid ground to stand on. They are simply 'no more' in the context of their former standing.
While the wicked are swept away, the righteous are described as having an 'everlasting foundation.' What makes their standing so secure?
Built on the Rock
In contrast to the fleeting nature of the wicked, the righteous are portrayed as having an 'everlasting foundation.' This isn't about their own inherent strength, but about the solid ground upon which they stand.
This foundation is often understood to be God Himself, His promises, and His covenant. It's the unshakeable truth that the righteous are rooted in Christ, the 'chief cornerstone.' Like a house built on rock, their lives, though perhaps facing storms, will not be ultimately destroyed. Their security is eternal, not dependent on changing circumstances.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
cuwphah · Hebrew Noun
A violent storm or whirlwind, often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent divine judgment or the overwhelming trials that test the stability of a person’s life.
kuwn · Hebrew Verb
To be made firm, stable, or secure. It implies being grounded, unshakeable, and established by God’s power and faithfulness.
Jesus uses the imagery of a storm to contrast those who build their lives on His words (the righteous) with those who don't (the wicked), showing that only the former will stand firm.
Job 21:18This passage describes the wicked being swept away by a storm, highlighting their complete and sudden destruction, paralleling the ephemeral nature of their existence mentioned in Proverbs.
Psalm 37:9-10These verses speak of the wicked being cut off and vanishing, while the righteous inherit the land, reinforcing the ultimate triumph and permanence of the godly over the ungodly.
Psalm 125:1This psalm declares that those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved and stands forever, directly echoing the idea of the righteous as an 'everlasting foundation.'
1 Corinthians 3:11This New Testament passage identifies Jesus Christ as the only foundation on which believers can build, connecting to the idea that the righteous stand on a solid, eternal basis.
clarkeProverbs 10:25: "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation."
As the whirlwind passeth - As tornadoes that sweep every thing away before them; so shall the wrath of God sweep away the wicked; it shall leave him neither branch nor root. But the righteous, being built on the eternal foundation, יסוד עולם yesod olam, shall never be shaken.
pulpitProverbs 10:25: "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation."
Verse 25. - As the whirlwind passeth. According to this rendering (which has the support of the Vulgate) the idea is the speed with which, under God's vengeance, the sinner is consumed, as Isaiah 17:13; Job 21:18. But it is better to translate, as the LXX., "when the whirlwind is passing," i.e. when the storm of judgment falls, as Christ represents the tempest beating on the ill…
The true strength of the righteous isn't just that they stand firm, but that they are a foundation, inherently stable and life-giving, unlike the wicked who are swept away as if they never were. This verse whispers of Christ, the ultimate "Everlasting Foundation" on whom all true stability is built.
This proverb sits within a section contrasting the paths of the wicked and the righteous. It’s a sharp, vivid image: when disaster strikes, like a sudden storm or tempest, the wicked are swept away entirely, leaving no trace. In contrast, the righteous, like a solid structure built on a deep foundation, remain secure and stand firm forever.
This proverb sits within a section contrasting the paths of the wicked and the righteous. It’s a sharp, vivid image: when disaster strikes, like a sudden storm or tempest, the wicked are swept away entirely, leaving no trace. In contrast, the righteous, like a solid structure built on a deep foundation, remain secure and stand firm forever.
"When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever." — The true strength of the righteous isn't just that they stand firm, but that they are a foundation, inherently stable and life-giving, unlike the wicked who are swept away as if they never were. Th…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026