Proverbs 6:30-31
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's striking here is that the verse doesn't say people excuse the thief, but that they don't despise him. There's a subtle but important difference: while the act is still wrong and has consequences, the immediate, burning hatred or contempt we might feel for someone driven by sheer necessity is tempered by understanding. This highlights how, even in the ancient world, people recognized that desperation can drive even otherwise "good" people to do wrong, a far cry from the unmitigated ruin adultery brings.
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this section of Proverbs, Solomon is contrasting the relatively minor offense of a desperate thief with the far more destructive sin of adultery. He explains that while a thief driven by extreme hunger might earn pity rather than outright scorn, the adulterer is presented as someone who utterly "lacks understanding" because their actions carry much heavier consequences and cause deeper harm, ultimately leading to self-destruction.
When someone steals out of sheer hunger, our reaction is different than when they steal for greed. Why?
The verse highlights a crucial distinction in how society views actions driven by basic survival versus those driven by desire or malice.
Driven by Need
A thief stealing to quell immediate hunger is seen as desperate, acting out of necessity. While still wrong and requiring restitution, their motive isn't inherently malicious. There's a level of understanding, even pity, because their action is aimed at sustaining life itself. This is about filling an empty stomach, a primal need.
Driven by Lust
In contrast, the passage implies that adultery, though not explicitly detailed in this verse, stems from a different kind of 'hunger' – a lustful appetite. This isn't about survival but about illicit desire. The comparison suggests that this 'hunger' is far less justifiable and leads to much more severe consequences, both socially and spiritually.
While a thief might have to pay back what they took (and more!), the damage of adultery is something else entirely. What's the difference?
Proverbs 6:30-31 draws a stark contrast between the consequences of theft and the consequences of adultery, focusing on the possibility of making amends.
The Thief's Accountability
The thief, even when driven by hunger, is still held accountable. The text suggests a heavy penalty, potentially a seven-fold restitution (though interpretations vary on whether this was legal requirement or social custom). The key is that . The thief can, in theory, repay their debt and clear their name through action and restoration.
Ask a follow-up
The Adulterer's Irredeemable Stain
Adultery, on the other hand, is presented as a far greater offense. It's described as a lack of understanding, leading to a loss that cannot be recouped. Unlike stolen property, the damage done to trust, relationships, and reputation in adultery is often irreparable. The verse implies that the shame and consequences for adultery are profound and lasting, with no easy way to 'restore' what has been broken.
Understand the original words
gannab · Hebrew Noun
One who takes property belonging to another without permission. In biblical law, theft is a violation of the commandment to love one's neighbor and respect property, though it is viewed through different lenses depending on the necessity of the thief.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The physical or metaphorical desire or craving of a person. It refers to the basic human drive for sustenance or satisfaction, which, if left uncontrolled, can lead to sinful behavior.
shalam · Hebrew Verb
In biblical law and wisdom, to pay or restore something, often implying the concept of restitution for a wrong committed. The number seven is frequently associated with completeness or the intensity of the penalty required to satisfy justice.
hon · Hebrew Noun
A general term referring to material possessions, wealth, or substance. In the context of wisdom literature, it represents the fruits of one's labor or the resources God has provided to an individual.
This passage details the laws regarding restitution for theft, showing that even in ancient Israel, a thief wasn't necessarily despised but was required to make restitution, highlighting the legal framework surrounding such acts.
Luke 7:41-43Jesus tells a parable about two debtors, one forgiven a large debt and one a small one, illustrating how the extent of forgiveness or leniency is often related to the magnitude of the offense or the person's need.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10This passage lists various sins that will prevent people from inheriting God's kingdom, including thieves, but it also places adultery in a similarly condemned category, reinforcing the contrast Proverbs makes between the two.
Galatians 6:7This verse warns, 'Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows,' which directly speaks to the consequences of actions, whether theft born of hunger or the far greater sin of adultery.
bensonProverbs 6:30: "Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;"
Proverbs 6:30-35. Men do not despise a thief — That is, abhor or reproach him, but rather pity and pardon him, who is urged by mere necessity to these practices, but the adulterer is abhorred by all. If he — The thief; be found, he shall restore seven-fold — The law ( Exodus 22:1-4 ) did not oblige the thief to restore seven-fold, but only five oxen for one, or in another case double. Some persons th…
clarkeProverbs 6:30: "Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;"
Men do not despise a thief if he steal - Every man pities the poor culprit who was perishing for lack of food, and stole to satisfy his hunger; yet no law clears him: he is bound to make restitution; in some cases double, in others quadruple and quintuple; and if he have not property enough to make restitution, to be sold for a bondsman; Exodus 22:1-4 ; Leviticus 25:39 .
What's striking here is that the verse doesn't say people excuse the thief, but that they don't despise him. There's a subtle but important difference: while the act is still wrong and has consequences, the immediate, burning hatred or contempt we might feel for someone driven by sheer necessity is tempered by understanding. This highlights how, even in the ancient world, people recognized that desperation can drive even otherwise "good" people to do wrong, a far cry from the unmitigated ruin adultery brings.
In this section of Proverbs, Solomon is contrasting the relatively minor offense of a desperate thief with the far more destructive sin of adultery. He explains that while a thief driven by extreme hunger might earn pity rather than outright scorn, the adulterer is presented as someone who utterly "lacks understanding" because their actions carry much heavier consequences and cause deeper harm, ultimately leading to self-destruction.
In this section of Proverbs, Solomon is contrasting the relatively minor offense of a desperate thief with the far more destructive sin of adultery. He explains that while a thief driven by extreme hunger might earn pity rather than outright scorn, the adulterer is presented as someone who utterly "lacks understanding" because their actions carry much heavier consequences and cause deeper harm, ultimately leading to self-destruction.
"People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house." — What's striking here is that the verse doesn't say people excuse the thief, but that they don't despise him. There's a subtle but important difference: while the act is still wrong and has conseq…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
