Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This isn't just about being nice; it's a strategic act of love that aims to melt the hardened heart of an enemy. By meeting their basic needs when they're in distress, you're not just showing mercy, but intentionally disarming them with unexpected kindness, potentially transforming their animosity into repentance.
This proverb appears within a collection of wisdom sayings, following verses that caution against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's misfortune. It calls for active kindness toward those who wish you harm, setting a remarkably high ethical standard that contrasts sharply with common desires for retribution. The instruction to provide for a hungry or thirsty enemy is immediately followed by the provocative image of heaping "coals of fire" on their head, suggesting that such generosity is a powerful, transformative act designed to melt their hostility.
What does it mean to truly give to someone who has wronged you? Proverbs doesn't hold back, calling for an astonishing act of kindness.
This proverb challenges the natural human instinct for retaliation. Instead of returning harm for harm, it commands us to meet an enemy's basic needs.
Beyond Basic Needs
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Proverbs 25:21-22 is available in the Sola app.
Giving to an enemy isn't just a nice gesture; the proverb suggests it has a powerful, transformative effect. What is it?
The phrase 'heap coals of fire upon his head' might sound harsh, but it's a vivid metaphor for the impact of unexpected kindness.
Melting the Enmity
Is there a benefit to showing such radical kindness to those who actively oppose us? The proverb points to a powerful motivation.
This teaching isn't just about the potential impact on the enemy; it assures the giver of a divine response.
God's Part in the Equation
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.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of God in the Old Testament, representing His faithfulness, holiness, and personal relationship with His people. It is the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush.
This passage directly quotes and expands on Proverbs 25:21, urging believers to 'overcome evil with good' by feeding their enemies, showing the New Testament's embrace of this ancient wisdom.
2 Kings 6:22This narrative shows the prophet Elisha demonstrating this very principle by providing food and water to a captured enemy army, highlighting a historical example of this radical kindness.
Matthew 5:44Jesus commands His followers to 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,' echoing the spirit of Proverbs 25:21 by calling for active goodwill even towards those who wrong us.
Luke 6:35In this teaching, Jesus instructs believers to 'love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,' which aligns with the generous, selfless spirit of providing for an enemy's needs as outlined in Proverbs.
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 isn't just about being nice; it's a strategic act of love that aims to melt the hardened heart of an enemy. By meeting their basic needs when they're in distress, you're not just showing mercy, but intentionally disarming them with unexpected kindness, potentially transforming their animosity into repentance.
This proverb appears within a collection of wisdom sayings, following verses that caution against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's misfortune. It calls for active kindness toward those who wish you harm, setting a remarkably high ethical standard that contrasts sharply with common desires for retribution. The instruction to provide for a hungry or thirsty enemy is immediately followed by the provocative image of heaping "coals of fire" on their head, suggesting that such generosity is a powerful, transformative act designed to melt their hostility.
This proverb appears within a collection of wisdom sayings, following verses that caution against seeking revenge and rejoicing in an enemy's misfortune. It calls for active kindness toward those who wish you harm, setting a remarkably high ethical standard that contrasts sharply with common desires for retribution. The instruction to provide for a hungry or thirsty enemy is immediately followed by the provocative image of heaping "coals of fire" on their head, suggesting that such generosity is a powerful, transformative act designed to melt their hostility.
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you." — This isn't just about being nice; it's a strategic act of love that aims to melt the hardened heart of an enemy. By meeting their basic needs when they're in distress, you're not just showing mercy,…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
