Proverbs 17:13 (LSB)

Passage

He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Proverbs 17:12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

Proverbs 17:13 He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Let a man meet a bear robbed..." into verse 14's "The beginning of strife is like letting...", so "for good" and "returns" 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 "returns" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.