Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 4:17
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
17. This verse may be taken either (1) literally, they procure their bread and wine, get their living, by wickedness and violence, or (2) figuratively, wickedness and violence are to them as meat and drink. Comp. Job 15:16; Job 34:7; Joh 4:34.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness] By privately stealing.
And drink the wine of violence.] By highway robbery.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They eat the bread of wickedness: the sense is either,
1. Wickedness is as necessary and as pleasant to them as their bread; which suits well with the former verse. Or,
2. They live wholly upon what they get by wicked courses; which gives the reason of what he last said, why they could not sleep without prey.
The wine of violence, i.e. gotten by violence. See on the former clause.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For they eat the bread of wickedness,…. Either that is gotten by wicked and unlawful means, or wickedness itself is bread unto them; it is that to their minds as bread is to their bodies; they feed upon it with as much eagerness, appetite, gust, and pleasure; it is a sweet morsel to them; it is meat, drink, sleep, and everything to them; they take the highest satisfaction and the utmost delight in it;
and drink the wine of violence: either that which is obtained by rapine and violence; or they as greedily commit such acts of oppression and injury as a man drinks a glass of wine; they do not drink up iniquity like water only, but even like wine, the most generous and delicious. Wherefore all society with such men should be avoided.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) The bread of wickedness.i.e., acquired by wickedness, as (Pro. 10:2) treasures of wickedness.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Eat bread of wickedness The same sentiment in another form. They have as strong an appetite for wickedness and violence as for food and intoxicating drink. Bishop Patrick’s paraphrase is: “They live by robbery and spoil, having no other meat and drink but what is the fruit of rapine and violence, and not of their honest labours.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Ver. 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness. ] As Tartarians feed upon dead carcasses of horses, asses, cats, dogs, yea, when they stink, and are full of maggots, and hold them as dainty as we do venison. a As spiders feed upon aconite; b as Mithridates, and the maid in Pliny, upon spiders; or as the Turkish galley slaves upon opium – they will eat near an ounce at a time, as if it were bread (the tithe whereof would kill him that is not accustomed to it), and can neither sleep nor live without it.
a Petcham’s Valley of Vanity.
b A genus of poisonous plants, belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. esp. the common European species Aconitum Napellus , called also Monk’s-hood and Wolf’s-bane. Also applied loosely or erroneously to other poisonous plants.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bread. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part) for food in general.
of = obtained. Genitive of Origin. App-17(2).
wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.
of violence = obtained by violence. Genitive of Origin. App-17(2).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 9:17, Pro 20:17, Job 24:5, Job 24:6, Psa 14:4, Jer 5:26-28, Eze 22:25-29, Amo 8:4-6, Mic 3:5, Mic 6:12, Zep 3:3, Mat 23:14, Jam 5:4, Jam 5:5
Reciprocal: Gen 27:42 – comfort himself 1Sa 20:24 – the king 1Ki 21:15 – Arise Job 34:7 – General Psa 73:6 – violence Pro 13:2 – the soul Isa 57:20 – like Mic 7:3 – do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:17 For they eat the bread of {g} wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
(g) Gotten my wicked means and cruel oppression.