therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about a bad outcome; the verse emphasizes the suddenness of the destruction and the completeness of the ruin, like a shattered pot that can't be pieced back together. It highlights that the swift and total downfall is the direct, inescapable consequence of one's harmful actions.
therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse serves as a stark warning at the end of a description of a "worthless fellow" or "wicked man" who plots evil. After detailing his deceptive speech and actions, the text pivots to the inevitable, swift, and utter destruction awaiting him, a consequence directly stemming from his malicious schemes. This pronouncement of unavoidable ruin highlights the severe judgment that follows persistent evil, contrasting sharply with the short-term "success" he might imagine.
Ever felt like disaster struck out of nowhere? This verse paints a picture of swift, unexpected ruin. What does the suddenness of calamity tell us about God's justice?
The verse emphasizes that the wicked person's downfall will be sudden and unexpected. This isn't just about bad luck; it's about a divine retribution that catches them off guard, often when they least expect it, perhaps even when they believe their wicked schemes are succeeding.
The Element of Surprise
This suddenness serves as a stark warning. It suggests that the wicked person, consumed by their deceit, fails to see the approaching consequences. Their plans, which seemed so clever, will crumble in an instant, revealing their true nature and leading to their inevitable doom.
What does it mean to be 'broken beyond healing'? This verse uses powerful imagery to describe a finality that's truly chilling.
The phrase 'broken without remedy' speaks to a complete and utter destruction from which there is no recovery. It's not merely a setback, but a shattering, like a potter's vessel that is broken into irreparable pieces.
The Finality of Judgment
This imagery conveys that the punishment is not temporary or curable. For the person who lives a life of malice and deceit, the consequences are absolute. There is no way to mend the damage, no possibility of earning forgiveness or restoration once this point of judgment is reached. It's a picture of total ruin, both in this life and potentially in the life to come.
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Understand the original words
ed · Hebrew Noun
Sudden, severe distress, ruin, or catastrophe. It often represents the divine judgment or natural consequences that befall those who persist in wickedness.
This passage vividly describes a shattering, much like a potter's vessel, emphasizing complete destruction that cannot be mended, echoing the 'broken beyond healing' idea in Proverbs.
Psalm 2:9It speaks of crushing rebellious nations with an iron scepter, comparing it to shattering a potter's vessel, which directly illustrates the sudden and total destruction described in Proverbs.
Jeremiah 48:41This verse uses the imagery of a city being captured and its inhabitants becoming like 'women' fleeing, signifying a sudden and utter downfall, similar to the irreversible ruin in Proverbs.
1 Thessalonians 5:3This passage foretells a sudden and unexpected destruction ('sudden destruction will come upon them') for those who are not prepared, mirroring the abrupt calamity mentioned in Proverbs.
Proverbs 29:1This verse repeats the phrase 'suddenly shall he be broken without remedy,' underscoring the consistent warning throughout Proverbs about the swift and irreparable consequences of wicked behavior.
pulpitProverbs 6:15: "Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy."
Verse 15. - Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. Great sins, as Muffet, in loc., observes, have great punishments; neither only great, but sudden. Therefore; Hebrew, al-ken. A Nemesis or retribution awaits this man of malice and deceit. His calamity or destruction is represented as the direct result of, as flowing forth from, what he has don…
clarkeProverbs 6:15: "Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy."
Suddenly shall he be broken - Probably alluding to some punishment of the adulterer, such as being stoned to death. A multitude shall join together, and so overwhelm him with stones, that he shall have his flesh and bones broken to pieces, and there shall be no remedy - none to deliver or pity him.
This isn't just about a bad outcome; the verse emphasizes the suddenness of the destruction and the completeness of the ruin, like a shattered pot that can't be pieced back together. It highlights that the swift and total downfall is the direct, inescapable consequence of one's harmful actions.
This verse serves as a stark warning at the end of a description of a "worthless fellow" or "wicked man" who plots evil. After detailing his deceptive speech and actions, the text pivots to the inevitable, swift, and utter destruction awaiting him, a consequence directly stemming from his malicious schemes. This pronouncement of unavoidable ruin highlights the severe judgment that follows persistent evil, contrasting sharply with the short-term "success" he might imagine.
This verse serves as a stark warning at the end of a description of a "worthless fellow" or "wicked man" who plots evil. After detailing his deceptive speech and actions, the text pivots to the inevitable, swift, and utter destruction awaiting him, a consequence directly stemming from his malicious schemes. This pronouncement of unavoidable ruin highlights the severe judgment that follows persistent evil, contrasting sharply with the short-term "success" he might imagine.
"therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing." — This isn't just about a bad outcome; the verse emphasizes the suddenness of the destruction and the completeness of the ruin, like a shattered pot that can't be pieced back together. It highlight…
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Last reviewed October 2026