Bible Strands
Proverbs 11:23
The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The book of Proverbs addresses a general audience seeking practical wisdom, positioned between warnings about undisciplined beauty and principles of generosity.
The words — תַּאֲוַ֣ת (ta'avat) literally means "desire" or "longing," while עֶבְרָֽה ('evrah) translates to "fury" or "wrath."
The thread — The tension between righteous longing and divine judgment echoes in Psalms 37:4, Matthew 5:6, and Romans 2:8.
Why it lands — The text states that the righteous person's desires ultimately produce good, whereas the wicked person's hopes result in divine fury. It demands that readers examine the object of their deepest hopes to ensure they align with righteousness rather than self-deception.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
Cross-references
- Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
- Psalms 10:17 You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
- Psalms 27:4 One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.
- Psalms 119:10 With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
- Proverbs 10:28 The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish.
- Isaiah 26:9 My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
- Jeremiah 17:16 But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.
- Psalms 39:7 And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.