Proverbs 10:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

NIV: The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.

NASB: The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not live in the land.

CSB: The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not remain on the earth.

NLT: The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land.

KJV: The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

NKJV: The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

This recalls God's promise to the Israelites before they entered Canaan, the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 27:1–2 Moses and the elders of Israel reminded the people that they would enter Canaan, "the land that the LORD your God is giving you." However, in Deuteronomy 28 Moses promised punishment if the Israelites turned away from the Lord in the Promised Land. He warned: "And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it" (Deuteronomy 28:63).

The general meaning of this proverb is the same as the others in this section of chapter 10 (Proverbs 10:27–29). In general, those who sincerely pursue truth will find more success than those who defy God.

This comment also carries an eternal application. Psalm 37:29 echoes the promise God gave to Israel in Deuteronomy 27. It says, "The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever." Someday, the Lord Jesus will establish His kingdom on earth, and Israel will be a peaceful, productive, prosperous land in which the righteous will dwell, but not a single wicked person will set foot in it (Matthew 25:31–46; John 3:5).

Proverbs 10:11–32 contrasts the righteous and the wicked, focusing on their different speech patterns, their different lifestyles, their different attitudes, and their different destinies. Verses 21 through 27 are especially focused on the different results which can be expected from pursuing godliness, versus pursuing sin.

This chapter begins 375 "proverbs," which are general-case lessons or observations. These wise remarks continue the discussion of wisdom and wickedness begun in chapters 1—9. Most of the verses in chapter 10 contain a sharp contrast, with the conjunction "but" separating the lines. Often, the subject changes from verse to verse. The contrasting subjects include sons, treasure, work ethic, reputation, relationships, success, and speech.

In Proverbs 7—9 Solomon contrasts wisdom and wickedness in the symbolic persons of Lady Wisdom and Woman Folly. He calls upon his sons, or students, to choose wisdom, and he points out the benefits of choosing wisdom and the disastrous results of choosing wickedness. Chapter 10 presents vivid contrasts between wisdom and wickedness in many of life's settings. These comparisons continue into chapter 11.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.