Proverbs 16:14 (LSB)

Passage

The wrath of a king is like messengers of death, But a wise man will atone for it.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, For in righteousness a throne is established.

Proverbs 16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And he who speaks uprightly is loved.

Proverbs 16:14 The wrath of a king is like messengers of death, But a wise man will atone for it.

Proverbs 16:15 In the light of a king’s face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the late rain.

Proverbs 16:16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than fine gold! And to acquire understanding is to be chosen above silver.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wrath", "king", "like", "messengers", "death", "wise", and "atone". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wrath" and "king", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Righteous lips are the delight of kings..." into verse 15's "In the light of a king s...", so "wrath" and "king" 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 "wrath" and "king" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.