The big picture
Proverbs 20 opens in verse 1 with “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious…”, and closes in verse 30 with “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Proverbs · King James Version · 30Proverbs 20:1-8
1–8: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived…
Proverbs 20:1–8 opens with “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” and reaches “A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 20 develops its own movement around LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination, with particular weight carried by king, anger, blessed.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Naming Wine keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Proverbs 20:1-8
King James Version1Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Proverbs 20:9-16
9–16: Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Proverbs 20:9–16 opens with “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” and reaches “Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 20 develops its own movement around LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination, with particular weight carried by both, divers, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Proverbs 20:9-16
King James Version9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD .
11Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Proverbs 20:17-24
17–24: Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be…
Proverbs 20:17–24 opens with “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” and reaches “Man’s goings are of the LORD ; how can a man then understand his own way?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 20 develops its own movement around LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination, with particular weight carried by LORD, good, abomination.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Proverbs 20:17-24
King James Version17Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD , and he shall save thee.
23Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD ; and a false balance is not good.
24Man’s goings are of the LORD ; how can a man then understand his own way?
Proverbs 20:25-30
25–30: It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after…
Proverbs 20:25–30 opens with “It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.” and reaches “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 20 develops its own movement around LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination, with particular weight carried by belly, inward, king.
Context that brings the passage to life
“It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.” The line’s distinctive content terms include devoureth, enquiry, holy. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
Proverbs 20:25-30
King James Version25It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD , searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Proverbs 20:1 begins with “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
Where the chapter turns
Proverbs 20:9 forms a natural hinge: “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?”
The final note
Proverbs 20:30 leaves the reader with “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, king, Divers, evil, abomination, belly help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What assumption drives Abraham's deception?
He assumes there is no fear of God in the place and that he will be killed.
How does the chapter expose that assumption?
Abimelech responds seriously to God's warning and confronts Abraham about wrongdoing.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
- lest
- so that something does not happen
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.