What the Bible Says About Anger

"Anger" appears 234 times in the King James Bible, "angry" 44 times and "angered" once. That's 279 times in all, in 269 verses, and all but 12 are in the Old Testament. The first is Genesis 18:30, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak". The last is Revelation 11:18, "And the nations were angry".

Of the 279, 176 stand for one Hebrew word, aph. Strong's Concordance defines it as "properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire." Below are passages on anger, each quoted word for word with its reference. Short notes give the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English. A table near the end counts the words behind anger, and a list gives every verse where the King James text says it.

A soft answer turneth away wrath (Proverbs 15:1)

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

"Wrath" is chemah, which Strong's defines as "heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)." "Anger" is aph. "Soft" is rak, "tender (literally or figuratively); by implication, weak."

Slow to anger (Proverbs 16:32, 14:29 and 15:18)

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (Proverbs 14:29)

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. (Proverbs 15:18)

In these three verses "slow to anger" and "slow to wrath" are the same two Hebrew words, arek and aph. Strong's defines arek as "long." The two come together 13 times. The KJV prints them slow to anger 8 times, longsuffering 4 times and slow to wrath once, in Proverbs 14:29. In Proverbs 15:18 "wrathful" is chemah. Two of the 13, Nehemiah 9:17 and Psalm 103:8, are on the forgiveness page, and Proverbs 15:17 is on the love page.

Deferreth his anger (Proverbs 19:11)

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. (Proverbs 19:11)

"Deferreth" is arak, "to be (causative, make) long (literally or figuratively)," and Strong's derives arek from it. Arak comes with aph again in Isaiah 48:9, "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger".

The wringing of the nose (Proverbs 30:33)

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. (Proverbs 30:33)

"Nose" and "wrath" are the same Hebrew word, aph. "Churning," "wringing" and "forcing" are one word too, mits, which Strong's defines as "pressure." Besides anger 172 times and angry 4, the KJV prints aph nostrils 13 times and nose 11. The KJV's first "nostrils" is in Genesis 2:7, where the LORD God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life". Strong's derives aph from anaph, "to breathe hard, i.e. be enraged," which the KJV prints angry 13 times.

Make no friendship with an angry man (Proverbs 22:24, 25 and 29:22)

24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. (Proverbs 22:24-25)

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. (Proverbs 29:22)

In both places "angry" is aph and "furious" is chemah, the two words of Proverbs 15:1.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

"Angry" here is the verb ka'as, and "anger" is the noun from it, which Strong's defines as "vexation." The verb stands behind 45 of the KJV's anger words, and 43 of them come in a form of "provoke ... to anger." The noun is also the KJV's grief 7 times, which the grief page counts.

Cease from anger (Psalm 37:8)

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. (Psalm 37:8)

"Anger" is aph and "wrath" is chemah once more. "Fret" is charah, "to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy." The KJV prints charah kindled 44 times, as in Exodus 4:14, "And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses". Verses 11 and 37 are on the peace page.

Why art thou wroth? (Genesis 4:5 to 7)

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:5-7)

The KJV says "wroth" here for the first and second times, and both are charah. The first "angry," in Genesis 18:30, is charah too. "Countenance" is panim, whose definition opens "the face (as the part that turns)."

Moses' anger waxed hot (Exodus 32:19)

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. (Exodus 32:19)

"Anger" is aph, and "waxed hot" is charah.

Merciful and gracious, longsuffering (Exodus 34:6)

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6)

"Longsuffering" is arek and aph, the first of the 13 times they come together. The pair is longsuffering three more times, in Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15 and Jeremiah 15:15.

Doest thou well to be angry? (Jonah 4:1 to 4 and 9)

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry? (Jonah 4:1-4)

And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. (Jonah 4:9)

Each "angry" here is charah, four in all, and "slow to anger" in verse 2 is arek and aph. "Doest thou well" is yatab, whose definition in Strong's opens "to be (causative) make well." Verse 6 is on the grief page.

They angered him also (Psalm 106:32 and 33)

32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: 33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. (Psalm 106:32-33)

This is the only "angered" in the King James Bible. It's qatsaph, "to crack off, i.e. (figuratively) burst out in rage." "Strife" is meribah, which Strong's defines as "quarrel."

Be ye angry, and sin not (Ephesians 4:26 and 27)

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

"Be ye angry" is orgizō, "to provoke or enrage, i.e. (passively) become exasperated." Strong's derives it from orgē, the noun in verse 31 below. "Wrath" is parorgismos, "rage," a word found nowhere else in the New Testament.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger (Ephesians 4:31)

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Ephesians 4:31)

"Wrath" is thumos, which Strong's defines as "passion (as if breathing hard)." "Anger" is orgē, whose definition opens "properly, desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy), violent passion." Verse 32 is on the forgiveness page.

Put off all these (Colossians 3:8)

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)

The same two words come here in the other order, orgē and then thumos. The KJV prints orgē anger only three times, here, in Ephesians 4:31 and in Mark 3:5. Most often it's wrath. Verse 13 is on the forgiveness page, verse 14 on the love page and verse 15 on the peace page.

Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (James 1:19 and 20)

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20)

Both wraths are orgē. "Slow" is bradus, "slow; figuratively, dull." It comes three times in the New Testament, twice in verse 19 and once in Luke 24:25, "slow of heart to believe".

Angry with his brother (Matthew 5:22)

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:22)

"Is angry" is orgizō, as in Ephesians 4:26. The verb comes eight times in the New Testament, and the KJV prints it angry 5 times and wroth 3.

Looked round about on them with anger (Mark 3:5)

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. (Mark 3:5)

This is the only "anger" in the four Gospels, and it's orgē. "Being grieved" is sullupeō, "to afflict jointly, i.e. (passive) sorrow at (on account of) someone," a word found nowhere else in the New Testament. Verse 4 is on the peace page.

He was angry, and would not go in (Luke 15:28)

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. (Luke 15:28)

"Was angry" is orgizō again. The Gospels say "angry" four times. The others are Matthew 5:22, Luke 14:21 and John 7:23. In John 7:23 the word is cholaō, whose definition in Strong's opens "to be bilious." Cholaō is found nowhere else in the New Testament.

Provoke not your children (Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21)

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. (Colossians 3:21)

The two verses use different Greek verbs. In Ephesians 6:4 "provoke ... to wrath" is parorgizō, "to anger alongside, i.e. enrage." In Colossians 3:21 "provoke" is erethizō, "to stimulate (especially to anger)," and "to anger" has no Greek word behind it. The KJV supplies it, and printed editions set it in italics. Erethizō comes once more, in 2 Corinthians 9:2, "your zeal hath provoked very many".

Not soon angry (Titus 1:7)

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (Titus 1:7)

"Soon angry" is one Greek word, orgilos, "irascible," found only here.

The words behind anger

The KJV says anger, angry or angered 279 times. Counted by their Strong's numbers, the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words in this table stand behind 275 of them. The other four are anger words the KJV supplies in italics with no Hebrew or Greek word behind them, in Psalm 103:9, Jeremiah 3:5 and 3:12 and Colossians 3:21.

In Psalm 80:4 the "angry" of "how long wilt thou be angry" is ashan, which Strong's defines as "to smoke, whether literal or figurative." In Judges 18:25 the "angry" of "angry fellows" is two words together. They're mar, whose definition opens "bitter," and nephesh, whose definition opens "properly, a breathing creature." Panim, the face, stands behind anger in Psalm 21:9, Jeremiah 3:12 and Lamentations 4:16.

Every place the KJV says anger

Anger, angry and angered come in these 269 verses.

• Genesis 18:30, 18:32, 27:45, 30:2, 44:18, 45:5, 49:6, 49:7
• Exodus 4:14, 11:8, 32:19, 32:22
• Leviticus 10:16
• Numbers 11:1, 11:10, 12:9, 22:22, 22:27, 24:10, 25:3, 25:4, 32:10, 32:13, 32:14
• Deuteronomy 1:37, 4:21, 4:25, 6:15, 7:4, 9:8, 9:18, 9:19, 9:20, 13:17, 29:20, 29:23, 29:24, 29:27, 29:28, 31:17, 31:29, 32:16, 32:21, 32:22
• Joshua 7:1, 7:26, 23:16
• Judges 2:12, 2:14, 2:20, 3:8, 6:39, 8:3, 9:30, 10:7, 14:19, 18:25
• 1 Samuel 11:6, 17:28, 20:30, 20:34
• 2 Samuel 6:7, 12:5, 19:42, 24:1
• 1 Kings 8:46, 11:9, 14:9, 14:15, 15:30, 16:2, 16:7, 16:13, 16:26, 16:33, 21:22, 22:53
• 2 Kings 13:3, 17:11, 17:17, 17:18, 21:6, 21:15, 22:17, 23:19, 23:26, 24:20
• 1 Chronicles 13:10
• 2 Chronicles 6:36, 25:10, 25:15, 28:25, 33:6, 34:25
• Ezra 9:14
• Nehemiah 4:5, 5:6, 9:17
• Esther 1:12
• Job 9:5, 9:13, 18:4, 21:17, 35:15
• Psalms 2:12, 6:1, 7:6, 7:11, 21:9, 27:9, 30:5, 37:8, 38:3, 56:7, 69:24, 74:1, 76:7, 77:9, 78:21, 78:38, 78:49, 78:50, 78:58, 79:5, 80:4, 85:3, 85:4, 85:5, 90:7, 90:11, 103:8, 103:9, 106:29, 106:32, 145:8
• Proverbs 14:17, 15:1, 15:18, 16:32, 19:11, 20:2, 21:14, 21:19, 22:8, 22:24, 25:23, 27:4, 29:22
• Ecclesiastes 5:6, 7:9
• Song of Solomon 1:6
• Isaiah 1:4, 5:25, 7:4, 9:12, 9:17, 9:21, 10:4, 10:5, 10:25, 12:1, 13:3, 13:9, 13:13, 14:6, 30:27, 30:30, 42:25, 48:9, 63:3, 63:6, 65:3, 66:15
• Jeremiah 2:35, 3:5, 3:12, 4:8, 4:26, 7:18, 7:19, 7:20, 8:19, 10:24, 11:17, 12:13, 15:14, 17:4, 18:23, 21:5, 23:20, 25:6, 25:7, 25:37, 25:38, 30:24, 32:29, 32:30, 32:31, 32:32, 32:37, 33:5, 36:7, 42:18, 44:3, 44:6, 49:37, 51:45, 52:3
• Lamentations 1:12, 2:1, 2:3, 2:6, 2:21, 2:22, 3:43, 3:66, 4:11, 4:16
• Ezekiel 5:13, 5:15, 7:3, 7:8, 8:17, 13:13, 16:26, 16:42, 20:8, 20:21, 22:20, 25:14, 35:11, 43:8
• Daniel 2:12, 9:16, 11:20
• Hosea 8:5, 11:9, 12:14, 13:11, 14:4
• Joel 2:13
• Amos 1:11
• Jonah 3:9, 4:1, 4:2, 4:4, 4:9
• Micah 5:15, 7:18
• Nahum 1:3, 1:6
• Habakkuk 3:8, 3:12
• Zephaniah 2:2, 2:3, 3:8
• Zechariah 10:3
• Matthew 5:22
• Mark 3:5
• Luke 14:21, 15:28
• John 7:23
• Romans 10:19
• Ephesians 4:26, 4:31
• Colossians 3:8, 3:21
• Titus 1:7
• Revelation 11:18

Deuteronomy 29:20, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 78:38, Psalm 103:8 and 9 and Micah 7:18 are on the forgiveness page. Psalm 30:5 is on the grief page, Isaiah 7:4 is on the fear page and Jeremiah 25:37 is on the peace page.

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope and peace

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope and peace have pages of their own. They're What the Bible Says About Worry, What the Bible Says About Fear, What the Bible Says About Grief, What the Bible Says About Strength, What the Bible Says About Love, What the Bible Says About Forgiveness, What the Bible Says About Hope and What the Bible Says About Peace.

How this page was made

Every verse is quoted from the 1769 standard text of the King James Version and checked word for word against two more digital copies. The printed KJV sets supplied words in italics, which this page doesn't show. Verse numbers follow the KJV. Hebrew Bibles number some of the verses named here differently, among them Psalm 80:4, which is 80:5 there, and Psalm 7:11, 21:9 and 38:3, which are 7:12, 21:10 and 38:4.

Hebrew words were identified with the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. Greek words were identified with STEPBible's tagged Greek New Testament. The counts of the words behind anger come from the Strong's numbers in the CrossWire Bible Society's KJV, each checked against the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible or STEPBible's Greek. Greek counts follow the Textus Receptus as STEPBible gives it. Every Greek word the notes cite in a quoted verse stands in all eight Greek editions STEPBible compares. Some quoted words don't. "Without a cause" in Matthew 5:22 stands in three of the eight, and the notes cite no Greek for words like it. STEPBible is a Tyndale House Cambridge project. STEPBible's data and the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible are both shared under CC BY 4.0. The definitions come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). If you find a mistake, tell us through the support page.

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