Proverbs 24:17-18
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This verse isn't just saying "be nice." It highlights that even secret gladness in your heart when an enemy stumbles is forbidden, because God sees those inner thoughts and disfavors them. This shows the Old Testament's call to actively love enemies, not just avoid personal vengeance.
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
These verses warn against gloating over an enemy's misfortune, whether they fall into trouble or simply stumble. This counsel appears within a broader section of Proverbs that contrasts the paths of the wise and the wicked, urging readers to pursue righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of malice and vengeful satisfaction. The instruction here sets up a contrast with the potential for God to turn away from the one rejoicing and inflict similar hardship on them.
Ever felt a little too happy when someone who wronged you messed up? The Bible confronts this tendency head-on. It reminds us that our internal reactions matter, even if no one else notices.
The verse warns us not to rejoice or be glad when an enemy falls or stumbles. This isn't just about outward actions; it's about the heart's true disposition. The commentaries highlight that God sees these internal feelings of pleasure at another's misfortune. This 'secret joy' is displeasing to Him and can have serious consequences, potentially leading to God turning His wrath from the enemy and onto you.
We often think of 'love your enemies' as a purely New Testament idea from Jesus. But this verse reveals that the principle of extending compassion even to adversaries is much older than we might realize.
The prohibition against rejoicing over an enemy's fall is presented as a continuation of God's will for His people. Commentators point out that this is not a new commandment given by Jesus, but a principle that was already present in the Old Testament Law. While specific instances of national triumph over public enemies were celebrated, the standard for personal interactions was always toward mercy and the avoidance of malice, even towards private enemies.
Understand the original words
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oyeb · Hebrew Noun
An adversary or opponent. Biblical teaching emphasizes loving one's enemy and avoiding vindictiveness, recognizing that ultimate justice belongs to God.
leb · Hebrew Noun
The seat of the intellect, will, and emotions in biblical anthropology; the center of a person's moral life and decision-making.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the Creator and Redeemer God of Israel; the self-existent One who is faithful to His promises and judges the hearts of men.
ra'a · Hebrew Verb
A feeling of resentment, displeasure, or indignation, often resulting in a change of action or the withholding of favor. God's displeasure is triggered by attitudes that violate His moral character, such as pride or malice.
aph · Hebrew Noun
A burning or strong emotion of divine judgment against sin and unrighteousness; God's anger is His settled, holy opposition to all that is contrary to His nature.
This passage from the Law directly echoes the sentiment in Proverbs, instructing the Israelites to help even an enemy's struggling animal, highlighting a long-standing principle of showing compassion.
Luke 6:27Jesus expands on this principle, commanding his followers not only to refrain from rejoicing at an enemy's misfortune but to actively love and pray for those who persecute them, deepening the call to selfless love.
Matthew 5:44In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reiterates the command to love enemies and pray for them, framing it as a way to become like our heavenly Father who shows kindness to all. This verse casts Jesus' teaching as the ultimate fulfillment of the wisdom found in Proverbs.
Romans 12:14Paul urges believers to bless those who persecute them, directly opposing the temptation to rejoice at an enemy's fall and underscoring that vengeance belongs to God, aligning with Proverbs' warning.
Proverbs 25:21This verse is a direct companion to the one you provided, offering the positive instruction to feed and give water to a hungry or thirsty enemy, showing the practical outworking of the principle not to rejoice in their suffering.
pooleProverbs 24:17: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:"
Falleth, to wit, into mischief, as in the former verse. Please not thyself in his destruction; which plainly shows that the love of our enemies is a precept of the old law as well as of the gospel. See Exodus 23:4,5 .
jfbProverbs 24:17: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:"
17, 18. Yet let none rejoice over the fate of evildoers, lest God punish their wrong spirit by relieving the sufferer (compare Pr 17:5; Job 31:29).
This verse isn't just saying "be nice." It highlights that even secret gladness in your heart when an enemy stumbles is forbidden, because God sees those inner thoughts and disfavors them. This shows the Old Testament's call to actively love enemies, not just avoid personal vengeance.
These verses warn against gloating over an enemy's misfortune, whether they fall into trouble or simply stumble. This counsel appears within a broader section of Proverbs that contrasts the paths of the wise and the wicked, urging readers to pursue righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of malice and vengeful satisfaction. The instruction here sets up a contrast with the potential for God to turn away from the one rejoicing and inflict similar hardship on them.
These verses warn against gloating over an enemy's misfortune, whether they fall into trouble or simply stumble. This counsel appears within a broader section of Proverbs that contrasts the paths of the wise and the wicked, urging readers to pursue righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of malice and vengeful satisfaction. The instruction here sets up a contrast with the potential for God to turn away from the one rejoicing and inflict similar hardship on them.
"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him." — This verse isn't just saying "be nice." It highlights that even secret gladness in your heart when an enemy stumbles is forbidden, because God sees those inner thoughts and disfavors them. This sho…
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Last reviewed October 2026
