Proverbs 21:24
“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse reveals that the arrogant person isn't just called a scoffer, but their very nature is characterized by "proud wrath." This isn't merely occasional anger, but a way of operating where pride overflows into every interaction and decision, making them uncontrollable and disrespectful.
This proverb appears within a larger section of Proverbs that contrasts wisdom with folly, and righteousness with wickedness. It follows verses detailing the importance of justice and generosity, warning against the dangers of pride and excessive wealth. The verse is essentially a definition of the "scoffer," highlighting that their arrogance and haughty actions are not merely characteristics, but the very essence of their identity.
Some people seem to get a kick out of being difficult, challenging everything, and looking down on others. But what does God call them?
This verse nails down the identity of a specific kind of person: the 'arrogant, haughty man' who also happens to be a 'scorner.' It's not just a description; it's like a label God gives them.
A Title, Not Just a Trait
The text says ' 'Scoffer' is the name...' This isn't just saying they act like a scoffer; it means this is their fundamental identity in God's eyes. Their arrogance and haughtiness aren't just fleeting moods; they define who they are. They 'act with arrogant pride,' which means their whole way of living is saturated with this self-important, dismissive attitude.
Ever wonder why some people are so quick to mock and dismiss others' beliefs or efforts? There's a deep wellspring fueling that attitude.
The verse connects the scoffer's actions to 'arrogant pride.' This isn't just a mild sense of self-worth; it's an excessive, inflated view of oneself that dismisses others.
The 'Proud Wrath'
The phrase 'acts with arrogant pride' (or in some translations, 'deals in proud wrath') highlights that this isn't passive. It’s an active, forceful expression. Their pride doesn't just sit there; it spills over into their actions and words, often manifesting as a kind of self-righteous anger or contempt towards anything or anyone that doesn't align with their inflated self-image.
Understand the original words
letz · Hebrew Noun
An insulting or cynical person who rejects wisdom and truth, often characterized by a mocking attitude toward God and others.
zadon · Hebrew Noun
Excessive self-esteem and self-reliance that rejects submission to God; it is the root of prideful and sinful behavior.
This psalm speaks of David's commitment to reject those who are arrogant and haughty, mirroring Proverbs' description of the 'scoffer' as someone characterized by such pride.
Proverbs 16:18This verse directly links pride to a fall, highlighting the destructive nature of arrogance that Proverbs 21:24 condemns and exposes.
Isaiah 14:13-14The ambitious and arrogant boasts of the 'king of Babylon' here echo the 'proud wrath' and self-exaltation described in Proverbs, showing a pattern of defiant pride.
James 4:6James explicitly states that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, reinforcing the theological truth that God's favor is distant from those described as proud and haughty in Proverbs.
bensonProverbs 21:24: "Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath."
Proverbs 21:24 . Proud and haughty scorner is his name, &c. — Instead of that respect and glory, which he seeks by such a practice, he shall be branded with the title and imputation of an arrogant and scornful person; who dealeth in proud wrath — Who, in the conduct of his affairs and dealings in the world, is not governed by reason and justice, but by his own pride and passions.
pulpitProverbs 21:24: "Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath."
Verse 24. - Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. (For "scorner" (לצ), the esprit fort, the freethinking sceptic of Solomon's day, see notes on Proverbs 1:22 and Proverbs 14:6.) The verse is better translated, A proud, arrogant man, scoffer is his name, who worketh in superfluity of pride. עֶבְרָה (ebrah), translated "wrath," denotes also want of moderation, excess, presumption (see…
This verse reveals that the arrogant person isn't just called a scoffer, but their very nature is characterized by "proud wrath." This isn't merely occasional anger, but a way of operating where pride overflows into every interaction and decision, making them uncontrollable and disrespectful.
This proverb appears within a larger section of Proverbs that contrasts wisdom with folly, and righteousness with wickedness. It follows verses detailing the importance of justice and generosity, warning against the dangers of pride and excessive wealth. The verse is essentially a definition of the "scoffer," highlighting that their arrogance and haughty actions are not merely characteristics, but the very essence of their identity.
This proverb appears within a larger section of Proverbs that contrasts wisdom with folly, and righteousness with wickedness. It follows verses detailing the importance of justice and generosity, warning against the dangers of pride and excessive wealth. The verse is essentially a definition of the "scoffer," highlighting that their arrogance and haughty actions are not merely characteristics, but the very essence of their identity.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Proverbs 21:24 is available in the Sola app.
"“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride." — This verse reveals that the arrogant person isn't just called a scoffer, but their very nature is characterized by "proud wrath." This isn't merely occasional anger, but a way of operating where pr…
