If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 25:21
What does Proverbs 25:21 mean?
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Proverbs 25:21
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This verse isn't just about basic charity; it's about a radical, counter-intuitive strategy. By offering practical help—bread for hunger, water for thirst—you're not just being kind; you're actively disarming your enemy and potentially melting their hostility.
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb comes right after a warning against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's downfall. It sets up a radical alternative: instead of reciprocating harm, we are to actively show kindness to those who have wronged us, offering them basic necessities like food and water. The immediate follow-up verse explains the surprising result of such generosity, suggesting it can melt even the hardest heart.
It’s easy to dismiss an enemy, but what happens when we’re called to actively care for them? This proverb goes beyond just basic survival.
This proverb instructs us to provide not just food and water, but all things necessary for sustenance. This isn't about grudgingly giving the bare minimum. It’s about offering complete provision for a person's needs. Think about it: 'bread' and 'water' here represent the essentials for life. The call is to demonstrate generosity, even to someone who has wronged you. This act of profound kindness is intended to be a powerful demonstration of love and humanity.
Why would Scripture tell us to be kind to those who have hurt us? The answer is surprisingly powerful, and it's not about revenge.
The proverb, particularly when read alongside its continuation in verse 22, suggests that this act of kindness has a transformative purpose. The image of 'heaping coals of fire upon his head' isn't about punishment; it's a metaphor for melting away hostility. Just as coals can melt metals, intense kindness can melt the hardened heart of an enemy. This deliberate generosity aims to expose the enemy's wrongdoing through contrast, potentially leading them to repentance, shame, and a change of heart. It’s about overcoming evil with overwhelming good.
Showing this kind of radical kindness to an enemy is challenging. What assurance do we have that it's worth it?
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Proverbs doesn't leave us without hope or motivation. It assures us that such acts of selfless generosity toward enemies are not unnoticed. The proverb concludes with a divine promise: 'and the Lord shall reward thee.' This isn't about earning salvation, but about receiving a blessing and vindication from God for obedience to His principles. It’s an affirmation that when we choose to reflect God's character—His patience, His love, His willingness to forgive—He will ultimately honor that choice, potentially through the enemy’s changed heart or, at the very least, through His own gracious recompense.
Understand the original words
’ôyēḇ · Hebrew Noun
An adversary or opponent; one who acts with hostility toward another. Biblically, it emphasizes the command to love and show grace even to those who oppose or mistreat us.
This passage directly quotes and expands upon Proverbs 25:21, urging believers to 'overcome evil with good' by showing kindness to enemies, echoing the proverb's command to feed and water them.
Matthew 5:44Jesus' teaching to 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' provides the ultimate New Testament example and motivation for the practical kindness described in Proverbs, highlighting a spirit of active goodwill.
2 Kings 6:22This Old Testament narrative shows the prophet Elisha instructing King Ahab to feed and water the Aramean army that had surrounded and captured him, demonstrating this principle of showing mercy to enemies in action.
Luke 6:35Similar to Proverbs, this verse encourages 'love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,' emphasizing the selfless and proactive nature of benevolence towards those who are not friendly.
gillProverbs 25:21: "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:"
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat,.... Which includes all manner of food; whatever persons may have in their houses, that they should bring out and feed the hungry with, even though an enemy; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; which was what was usually and in common drank in those countries. These two, bread and water, take in all the necessaries of life;…
clarkeProverbs 25:21: "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:"
If thine enemy be hungry - See this and the next verse explained, Romans 12:20 (note).
This verse isn't just about basic charity; it's about a radical, counter-intuitive strategy. By offering practical help—bread for hunger, water for thirst—you're not just being kind; you're actively disarming your enemy and potentially melting their hostility.
This proverb comes right after a warning against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's downfall. It sets up a radical alternative: instead of reciprocating harm, we are to actively show kindness to those who have wronged us, offering them basic necessities like food and water. The immediate follow-up verse explains the surprising result of such generosity, suggesting it can melt even the hardest heart.
This proverb comes right after a warning against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's downfall. It sets up a radical alternative: instead of reciprocating harm, we are to actively show kindness to those who have wronged us, offering them basic necessities like food and water. The immediate follow-up verse explains the surprising result of such generosity, suggesting it can melt even the hardest heart.
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink," — This verse isn't just about basic charity; it's about a radical, counter-intuitive strategy. By offering practical help—bread for hunger, water for thirst—you're not just being kind; you're actively…
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Last reviewed October 2026