What does Proverbs 28:24 mean?

For a child to steal from their parents is immoral, but common (Jeremiah 17:9). The sin involved is relatively obvious. This proverb seems to point at something easier to excuse: those who take from their parents and excuse it as no sin at all. In an ancient middle eastern context, that might mean assuming what was stolen would be inherited later, anyway. It could include the attitude which says, "they should want me to have this, so it's not wrong to just take it." The person who makes excuses for sin—especially sin against their own parents—is on the same moral level as the one who robs or destroys outright.

The New Testament provides a parallel example (Mark 7:9–13). Jesus condemns those who fail to properly care for their parents, claiming that whatever was not given was somehow dedicated to God, instead. Withholding what may be legitimately owed is as much stealing as taking something away.

Such attitudes, at the very least, "destroy" the relationship to the thief's parents (Proverbs 10:5; 19:26; 28:7). It erodes trust and peace of mind (Proverbs 28:25). Greed motivates thieves and robbers, and those actions ruin their victim's sense of security and ownership. Like a robber or a thief, a greedy child steals from their parents. This violates the commandment to honor one's parents and forfeits the promise the commandment entails (Exodus 20:12).