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Proverbs 30:11,17
There is a generationthat curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother…

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 21:17
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

lamp or candle

Proverbs 20:27
The spirit of manis the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

his lamp will be extinguished
The imagery of a lamp represents life, guidance, and prosperity. In biblical times, a lamp was essential for light in the darkness, symbolizing the presence of God and His guidance (Psalm 119:105). The extinguishing of a lamp signifies the removal of divine favor and protection, leading to a life devoid of direction and hope. This metaphor is used elsewhere in Scripture to denote the end of life or the cessation of one's legacy (Job 18:5-6; 21:17).

in deepest darkness
Deepest darkness, or "utter darkness," conveys a state of complete separation from God's presence and blessings. It is often associated with judgment and the absence of spiritual enlightenment (Matthew 8:12; 22:13). This phrase suggests not only physical death but also spiritual desolation, a fate reserved for those who reject divine wisdom and authority. The concept of darkness as judgment is prevalent throughout the Bible, symbolizing the ultimate consequence of living in rebellion against God's commandments.

This opening word sets the warning on wide-angle.

• No exemptions—kings, teens, church-goers, skeptics.

• Scripture often levels the playing field this way: “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

• The principle echoes the fifth commandment, applied universally (Exodus 20:12).

To “curse” is more than muttering a rude word; it is a deliberate act of contempt.

• Proverbs pairs cursing with scoffing (Proverbs 30:17) and calls it an assault on God’s established order.

• Jesus highlights the same sin when He rebukes the Pharisees for nullifying parental honor through legal loopholes (Mark 7:9-13).

• Paul classifies disobedience to parents among the marks of a godless society (Romans 1:30).

God assigns parents as the first human authority we meet.

• Rejecting them is a rehearsal for rejecting all rightful authority, including God Himself (Hebrews 12:9).

•Leviticus 20:9 once set the civil penalty at death, underlining the seriousness.

• Even grown children remain called to honor: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord… that it may go well with you” (Ephesians 6:1-3).

In Proverbs a “lamp” pictures a person’s life, guidance, and future.

•Psalm 119:105 speaks of God’s word as “a lamp,” showing how vital light is for direction.

•Job 18:5-6 uses the same metaphor: the wicked’s lamp is snuffed out, indicating calamity and shame.

The imagery moves from warning to outcome—light removed.

• God actively oversees this consequence; it is not mere bad luck (Proverbs 13:9).

• An extinguished lamp means loss of clarity, favor, and opportunity—life begins to unravel.

The Hebrew picture is pitch-black night—no moon, no stars.

• Deep darkness signals judgment (Exodus 10:21-23’s plague) and spiritual separation (Matthew 8:12’s “outer darkness”).

• Jesus calls Himself “the Light of the world” (John 8:12); refusing parental light foreshadows refusing Christ’s light, ending in darkness.

Proverbs 20:20 lays out a universal law: anyone who treats father or mother with contempt forfeits the light God intended for their life. Dishonor short-circuits guidance, protection, and blessing, leaving the offender to grope in self-made darkness. The verse calls every generation back to honoring parents as the first step toward walking in God’s light.

"Dilige non aegra caros pietate parentes;
Nec matrem offendas, dum vis bonus esse parenti." One of the evil generations denounced by Agur (Proverbs 30:11) is that which curseth parents.

Parallel Commentaries ...