“As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 10:25 Mean?
"As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." The wicked are compared to a whirlwind's passage — violent, brief, and gone. The righteous are compared to a permanent foundation — unmoved, lasting, and structural. The temporal contrast is absolute: the whirlwind passes in seconds. The foundation endures forever.
The phrase "as the whirlwind passeth" (ka'avor suphah — like the passing of a storm-wind) captures both the wicked's apparent power AND their brevity: the whirlwind is powerful while it lasts — terrifying, destructive, impossible to resist. But it passes. The power was real but temporary. The destruction was genuine but not permanent. The wicked's moment of dominance is a weather event, not a geological reality.
The "everlasting foundation" (yesod olam — foundation of eternity) contrasts temporary power with permanent structure: the righteous person isn't flashy like a whirlwind. They're foundational — underground, unseen, bearing weight. The foundation doesn't attract attention the way a storm does. But the foundation outlasts every storm.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Are you building whirlwind power (impressive but brief) or everlasting foundation (unseen but permanent)?
- 2.What seemingly unstoppable 'whirlwind' in your life is actually just passing through?
- 3.What does being a foundation — underground, unglamorous, weight-bearing — look like practically?
- 4.What would you choose if you could only have one: the whirlwind's moment or the foundation's eternity?
Devotional
The whirlwind passes — and the wicked are gone. The foundation remains — and the righteous endure forever. The contrast isn't between good and bad. It's between temporary and permanent. The wicked are a weather event. The righteous are geology.
The whirlwind is terrifying WHILE IT'S HAPPENING: powerful, destructive, impossible to ignore. But it passes. That's the word the proverb uses — 'passeth.' The whirlwind's defining characteristic isn't its power. It's its brevity. The wicked may be loud, may be dominant, may seem unstoppable — but they pass. Their power is real and temporary. Their influence is genuine and brief.
The 'everlasting foundation' is the opposite of flashy: foundations are underground. You don't see them. Nobody photographs foundations. Nobody is impressed by concrete beneath the soil. But every building that stands, stands on one. The righteous person is like that — unseen, unglamorous, bearing weight that nobody notices until the foundation is removed.
The proverb asks which one you want to be: the whirlwind or the foundation? The wicked choose power that passes. The righteous choose permanence that endures. The whirlwind gets attention. The foundation gets eternity. The whirlwind dominates the moment. The foundation outlasts every moment.
Are you building whirlwind power or everlasting foundation — and which will matter in ten years?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more,.... The wicked themselves are like a whirlwind, noisy, boisterous,…
Or, when the whirlwind is passing, then the wicked is no more. Compare Mat 7:24-27. The righteous ... - In the later…
It is here said, and said again, to the righteous, that it shall be well with them, and to the wicked, Woe to them; and…
As &c.] Rather, When the whirlwind passeth the wicked is no more. The parallelism is thus best preserved. Like the house…
Cross References
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