Proverbs 1:14 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 1:14 mean?

Proverbs 1:14 shows a group inviting someone to join them in pooling their resources and sharing equally in whatever they gain, suggesting a promise of shared profit. The verse is part of a warning against joining with people who are planning to do wrong for personal gain.

The speaker in Proverbs 1:14 is a group of people tempting the listener (often understood as a young person or "my son") to join in their scheme. The setting is a father or wise teacher warning about the dangers of being lured into a life of crime or violence. The invitation to "cast in thy lot among us" and have "one purse" is a way of saying, "Let’s all share in the spoils together," making the offer sound appealing and fair, but the context warns that such unity is built on wrongdoing.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 1:14

• "Cast" (נָפַל, naphal): This word often means "to throw" or "to let fall." Here, it suggests actively choosing to join in with the group’s plans, not just being passively included.
• "Lot" (גּוֹרָל, goral): In ancient times, a "lot" was a small object used for making decisions or dividing things up. Here, it means sharing in the outcome or profits, as if everyone’s fate is tied together.
• "One" (אֶחָד, echad): This word means "one" or "united." The idea is that everyone’s money or gain will be pooled together, emphasizing a false sense of unity.
• "Purse" (כִּיס, kis): This refers to a money bag or wallet. Having "one purse" means everyone’s money is combined, which sounds like fairness but is actually a lure into wrongdoing.

Why Proverbs 1:14 matters

• Proverbs 1:14 helps clarify that the appeal of shared gain can be a trap, especially when it comes from those planning evil; the promise of equality is used to entice someone into sin.
• The verse highlights how peer pressure often disguises itself as friendship or fairness, making it harder to recognize the danger in joining with the wrong crowd.
• In the wider passage, this verse is part of a father’s urgent warning to avoid the path of violence and greed, showing that the real danger is not just the act itself but the seductive invitation to belong.