Pro 21:26 | KingComments | STEP | “The sluggard” has a powerful working “desire”, but “hands” that “refuse to work” ( ). That combination puts him to death. A sluggard lies daydreaming about food and drink, about all that others have and all that he wants too. But he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. That costs him too much energy. It is not a matter of not being able to, but of not wanting to. He chooses not to work. In doing so, the sluggard is also naive or gullible, because he does not realize that his laziness is leading him to death. He is so preoccupied with his desires, he lives so much in the make-believe world of “wishful thinking”, that this way of life becomes fatal to him and that he dies of want. connects directly to and continues the theme of the sluggard and what he desires. A sluggard is completely wrapped up in his own lifestyle. He is filled with cravings looking for satisfaction all day long. It may be about good food and drink, or acquiring things that make life fun or exciting. To him, these are covetable things. In his imagination he has surrounded himself with these, but he throws off the thought of purchasing these things with money earned by himself. “The righteous man” is not a sluggard, but a diligent worker. That he is a righteous person is also evidenced by his generosity. The Bible teaches that a righteous person is a giving person. The righteous person is not only diligent and not only has enough for himself, but has so much that he also gives to the poor. He who is lazy constantly covets; the righteous one gives constantly and does not hold back (cf. ). The sluggard always wants to receive without working for it. The righteous works hard and gives generously to those who are poor.

‏ Proverbs 21:26

The Sluggard and the Righteous

“The sluggard” has a powerful working “desire”, but “hands” that “refuse to work” (Pro 21:25). That combination puts him to death. A sluggard lies daydreaming about food and drink, about all that others have and all that he wants too. But he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. That costs him too much energy. It is not a matter of not being able to, but of not wanting to. He chooses not to work.

In doing so, the sluggard is also naive or gullible, because he does not realize that his laziness is leading him to death. He is so preoccupied with his desires, he lives so much in the make-believe world of “wishful thinking”, that this way of life becomes fatal to him and that he dies of want.

Pro 21:26 connects directly to Pro 21:25 and continues the theme of the sluggard and what he desires. A sluggard is completely wrapped up in his own lifestyle. He is filled with cravings looking for satisfaction all day long. It may be about good food and drink, or acquiring things that make life fun or exciting. To him, these are covetable things. In his imagination he has surrounded himself with these, but he throws off the thought of purchasing these things with money earned by himself.

“The righteous man” is not a sluggard, but a diligent worker. That he is a righteous person is also evidenced by his generosity. The Bible teaches that a righteous person is a giving person. The righteous person is not only diligent and not only has enough for himself, but has so much that he also gives to the poor. He who is lazy constantly covets; the righteous one gives constantly and does not hold back (cf. Acts 20:34-35). The sluggard always wants to receive without working for it. The righteous works hard and gives generously to those who are poor.