Proverbs 24:21

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels,

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

יְרָֽא־אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־תִּתְעָרָֽב׃

Transliteration

Yərāʾ-ʾet-YHWH bənî and-melek with-šônîm not-titʿārāb

Grammar Details

• *yərāʾ*: Qal imperative, masculine singular - fear
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD
• *bənî*: masculine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - my son
• *melek*: masculine singular noun - king
• *šônîm*: Qal participle, masculine plural - changers/those who change
• *titʿārāb*: Hithpael imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - associate yourself

Word Meanings

• *yərāʾ*: fear/reverence/be in awe of
• *šônîm*: changers/those who change/rebels
• *titʿārāb*: associate yourself/mix yourself/join

Referenced Verses

• Rom 13:1-7 : 1 Submission to Civil Government Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation 4 because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing. 7 Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
• Titus 3:1 : 1 Conduct Toward Those Outside the Church Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.
• 1 Pet 2:13-17 : 13 Submission to Authorities Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 14 or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.
• Exod 14:31 : 31 When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, they feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
• Num 16:1-3 : 1 The Rebellion of Korah Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, took men 2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders of the community, chosen from the assembly, famous men. 3 And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them,“You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the LORD.
• 1 Sam 8:5-7 : 5 They said to him,“Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.” 6 But this request displeased Samuel, for they said,“Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 The LORD said to Samuel,“Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.
• 1 Sam 12:12-19 : 12 “When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me,‘No! A king will rule over us’– even though the LORD your God is your king! 13 Now look! Here is the king you have chosen– the one that you asked for! Look, the LORD has given you a king! 14 If you fear the LORD, serving him and obeying him and not rebelling against what he says, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, all will be well. 15 But if you don’t obey the LORD and rebel against what the LORD says, the hand of the LORD will be against both you and your king. 16 “So now, take your positions and watch this great thing that the LORD is about to do in your sight. 17 Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the LORD so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the LORD by asking for a king for yourselves.” 18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the LORD and Samuel. 19 All the people said to Samuel,“Pray to the LORD your God on behalf of us– your servants– so we won’t die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king.”
• 1 Sam 24:6 : 6 He said to his men,“May the LORD keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the LORD’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the LORD’s chosen one.”
• 2 Sam 15:13-37 : 13 David Flees from Jerusalem Then a messenger came to David and reported,“The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,“Come on! Let’s escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 15 The king’s servants replied to the king,“We will do whatever our lord the king decides.” 16 So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace. 17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away. 18 All his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites– some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with the king. 19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite,“Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. 20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!” 21 But Ittai replied to the king,“As surely as the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means death or life, there I will be as well!” 22 So David said to Ittai,“Come along then.” So Ittai the Gittite went along, accompanied by all his men and all the dependents who were with him. 23 All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert. 24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok,“Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. 26 However, if he should say,‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.” 27 The king said to Zadok the priest,“Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. 28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there. 30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. 31 Now David had been told,“Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed,“Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O LORD. 32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him,“If you leave with me you will be a burden to me. 34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom,‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’ 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Everything you hear in the king’s palace you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.” 37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
• 1 Kgs 12:16 : 16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king,“We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes.
• Eccl 8:2-5 : 2 Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. 3 Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste– do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. 4 Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?” 5 Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.
• Matt 22:21 : 21 They replied,“Caesar’s.” He said to them,“Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”