Proverbs 30:15 - Meaning and Application

He had already spoken of those who devour the poor (Proverbs 30:14), and had named them last as the worst of the four evil groups there mentioned. Now he shows how never satisfied they are in doing this. The spirit behind them is a mix of cruelty and greed. These are like the two daughters of the horse-leech, its true offspring, always crying, “Give, give, give more blood, give more money.” The cruel keep wanting blood, and the greedy never stop wanting money. Those who love silver will never be satisfied with silver. So while they are feeding on the poor, they are also restless and unhappy themselves, like David’s enemies (Psalm 59:14-15).

To make this clearer, he points to four other things that never say, “It is enough,” or “I have wealth enough.” People are never truly rich if they are always wanting more. The first is the grave, which takes in great crowds and still wants more. It swallows people up and gives none back. Hell and destruction are never full (Proverbs 27:20). When our time comes, we will find the grave ready for us (Job 17:1). The second is the barren womb, which feels its sorrow and cries out, as Rachel did, “Give me children.” The third is dry ground in a time of drought, especially in hot lands, which drinks in the rain when it comes in abundance and soon wants more. The fourth is fire, which can consume a great amount of fuel and still keep devouring whatever burns.

In the same way, sinful desires are never satisfied, and people get little real pleasure even when they get what they want. He also gives a serious warning to disobedient children (Proverbs 30:17). This is meant as a warning to the first of the four wicked groups, those who curse their parents (Proverbs 30:11). This includes not only children who curse in anger, but also those who mock their parents, even with a scornful look. Some look down on their parents because of age or weakness, or they stare back with a hard, angry face when corrected or commanded. God notices the look in a child’s eye, and he will judge the bad look as well as the bad words.

It also includes those who refuse to obey their parents, who think it is beneath them to be dutiful, especially toward their mother. They will not let her guide them, even though she carried them and brought them up in pain, only to bear their bad behavior later with even greater sorrow. Their punishment will be severe. Those who dishonor their parents will stand as public warnings of God’s judgment, as if hung up in chains for birds of prey to tear at their eyes, the same eyes with which they once looked so proudly and contemptuously at their good parents. The bodies of criminals were not to stay hanging all night, but before night the ravens would have picked out their eyes. If people do not punish disobedient children, God will. He will mark with great shame those who act proudly toward their parents. Many who have come to a disgraceful end have admitted that the sinful path that led them there began with contempt for parental authority.