Proverbs 17:13 (GNV)

Passage

He that rewardeth euil for good, euil shall not depart from his house.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:11 A sedicious person seeketh onely euill, and a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Proverbs 17:12 It is better for a man to meete a beare robbed of her whelpes, then a foole in his follie.

Proverbs 17:13 He that rewardeth euil for good, euil shall not depart from his house.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore or the contention be medled with, leaue off.

Proverbs 17:15 He that iustifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iust, euen they both are abomination to the Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "for good", "rewardeth", "euil", "shall", "depart", and "house". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "for good" and "rewardeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "It is better for a man to..." into verse 14's "The beginning of strife is as one...", so "for good" and "rewardeth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "for good" and "rewardeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.