Proverbs 25:25
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 25:25
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights that good news from afar is so impactful because it's rare and uncertain in ancient times. This makes the arrival of any tidings, especially positive ones, incredibly precious and deeply refreshing, much like finding a life-giving spring in a dry desert.
This proverb appears in a section of Proverbs featuring wisdom collected during King Hezekiah's reign, focusing on practical advice for daily life. It follows warnings against boasting and offers further analogies for understanding the value of timely words, much like the preceding proverb about a timely word being like apples of gold in a silver setting.
Imagine the searing heat, the endless road, and a thirst so deep it consumes your every thought. What does it feel like to be that desperately thirsty?
This proverb paints a vivid picture of need. The "thirsty soul" isn't just a little parched; they are in a state of extreme deprivation.
A Deeper Thirst
The original language and ancient context highlight this intensity. In hot, arid lands, finding water was a matter of life and death. Water wasn't just a drink; it was survival. Cold water, specifically, offered immediate, powerful relief from oppressive heat and exhaustion.
This isn't just about physical thirst. It speaks to a soul that is weary, longing, and depleted. It’s the feeling of being worn out by life’s struggles, spiritually dry, and desperately needing something to revive you.
In a world without instant communication, how much more precious were the messages that traveled great distances?
The phrase "good news from a far country" carries a special weight. In ancient times, communication was slow, unreliable, and often fraught with uncertainty. News from afar was rare, taking weeks or months to arrive, and often arrived through uncertain means like traveling merchants.
Why 'Far Country' Matters
The relief and joy felt upon receiving such news were profound, akin to a life-saving drink of cold water.
Understand the original words
nepheš · Hebrew Noun
The inner person, the seat of life, appetite, and emotions. It signifies the totality of the human person, often highlighting deep needs, desires, and the capacity for spiritual longing.
This verse directly illustrates the proverb, showing how the news of Joseph being alive revived the heart of his father Jacob, much like cold water revives a thirsty soul.
Jeremiah 18:14This passage speaks of the snows of Lebanon and the cold waters from a distant mountain, evoking the same imagery of refreshing coolness that is central to the proverb.
Luke 15:10This parable highlights the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, mirroring how profoundly good news, especially from a place of separation (heaven and earth), brings immense relief and celebration.
Isaiah 52:7This verse describes the beauty of the feet of one who brings good news and proclaims peace, emphasizing the incredible value and refreshment that such tidings hold, much like the proverb's depiction.
pooleProverbs 25:25: "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."
Because it comes thither more rarely and difficultly after it hath been long expected and earnestly desired; all which circumstances make it more acceptable.
gillProverbs 25:25: "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."
As cold waters to a thirsty soul,.... Water is naturally cold; and is by classic writers expressed by "cold" itself (c), and is very refreshing to one athirst through heat: or, "to a weary soul" (d); to one wearied with labour; or to a traveller weary with travelling, especially in hot countries, as in the deserts of Arabia, or in places where it is rare to meet with a brook, stream, or fountain of water; wh…
The verse highlights that good news from afar is so impactful because it's rare and uncertain in ancient times. This makes the arrival of any tidings, especially positive ones, incredibly precious and deeply refreshing, much like finding a life-giving spring in a dry desert.
This proverb appears in a section of Proverbs featuring wisdom collected during King Hezekiah's reign, focusing on practical advice for daily life. It follows warnings against boasting and offers further analogies for understanding the value of timely words, much like the preceding proverb about a timely word being like apples of gold in a silver setting.
This proverb appears in a section of Proverbs featuring wisdom collected during King Hezekiah's reign, focusing on practical advice for daily life. It follows warnings against boasting and offers further analogies for understanding the value of timely words, much like the preceding proverb about a timely word being like apples of gold in a silver setting.
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 25:25 is available in the Sola app.
"Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." — The verse highlights that good news from afar is so impactful because it's rare and uncertain in ancient times. This makes the arrival of any tidings, especially positive ones, incredibly precious an…