Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Literal Standard Version

Proverbs 3:14

For better [is] her merchandise || Than the merchandise of silver, || And than gold—her increase.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Happiness;   Peace;   Wisdom;   Young Men;   Thompson Chain Reference - Call, Divine;   God's;   Gold;   Knowledge;   Knowledge-Ignorance;   Silver;   Wisdom;   Wisdom-Folly;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gold;   Silver;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Wise, Wisdom;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jealousy;   Proverbs, Book of;   Silver;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gold;   Old Testament (Ii. Christ as Student and Interpreter of).;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Proverbs book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fine;   Gain;   Gold;   Merchandise;   Silver;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
for she is more profitable than silver,and her revenue is better than gold.
Hebrew Names Version
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, The profit of it better than fine gold.
King James Version
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
English Standard Version
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.
New Century Version
Wisdom is worth more than silver; it brings more profit than gold.
New English Translation
For her benefit is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than gold.
Amplified Bible
For wisdom's profit is better than the profit of silver, And her gain is better than fine gold.
New American Standard Bible
For her profit is better than the profit of silver, And her produce better than gold.
World English Bible
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, The profit of it better than fine gold.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then golde.
Legacy Standard Bible
For her profit is better than the profit of silverAnd her produce better than fine gold.
Berean Standard Bible
for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
Contemporary English Version
Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold.
Complete Jewish Bible
for her profit exceeds that of silver, gaining her is better than gold,
Darby Translation
For the gain thereof is better than the gain of silver, and her revenue than fine gold.
Easy-to-Read Version
Profit that comes from wisdom is better than silver and even the finest gold.
George Lamsa Translation
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and its gains than fine gold.
Good News Translation
There is more profit in it than there is in silver; it is worth more to you than gold.
Lexham English Bible
For her income is better than the income of silver, and her revenue than that of gold.
Literal Translation
For its profit is better than the gain from silver, and its increase more than fine gold;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for the gettinge of it is better then eny marchaundise of syluer, & the profit of it is better then golde.
American Standard Version
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold.
Bible in Basic English
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
King James Version (1611)
For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof, then fine gold.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For the marchaundise of it, is better then the marchaundise of siluer, and the gayne therof [is better] then golde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
English Revised Version
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The geting therof is betere than the marchaundie of gold and of siluer; the fruytis therof ben the firste and clenneste.
Update Bible Version
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold.
Webster's Bible Translation
For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain of it than fine gold.
New King James Version
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
New Living Translation
For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.
New Life Bible
For it is better than getting silver and fine gold.
New Revised Standard
for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
Douay-Rheims Bible
The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chief and purest gold:
Revised Standard Version
for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and its profit better than gold.
Young's Literal Translation
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold.

Contextual Overview

13O the blessedness of a man [who] has found wisdom, || And of a man [who] brings forth understanding. 14For better [is] her merchandise || Than the merchandise of silver, || And than gold—her increase.15She [is] precious above rubies, || And all your pleasures are not comparable to her. 16Length of days [is] in her right hand, || In her left [are] wealth and honor. 17Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, || And all her paths [are] peace. 18She [is] a tree of life to those laying hold on her, || And whoever is retaining her [is] blessed. 19YHWH founded the earth by wisdom, || He prepared the heavens by understanding. 20By His knowledge depths have been broken, || And clouds drop dew.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Proverbs 2:4, Proverbs 8:10, Proverbs 8:11, Proverbs 8:19, Proverbs 16:16, 2 Chronicles 1:11, 2 Chronicles 1:12, Job 28:13-19, Psalms 119:72, Psalms 119:111, Psalms 119:162, Matthew 16:26, Philippians 3:8, Philippians 3:9, Revelation 3:18

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 10:8 - happy are these 2 Chronicles 9:7 - General Revelation 18:11 - buyeth

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
And the serpent has been cunning above every beast of the field which YHWH God has made, and he says to the woman, "Is it true that God has said, You do not eat from every tree of the garden?"
Genesis 3:15
and I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He bruises your head, and you bruise His heel."
Genesis 3:20
And the man calls his wife's name Eve, for she has been mother of all living.
Genesis 9:6
whoever sheds man's blood, by man is his blood shed: for in the image of God has He made man.
Leviticus 20:25
And you have made separation between the pure beasts and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the pure, and you do not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by anything which creeps [on] the ground which I have separated to you for unclean.
Psalms 72:9
Desert-dwellers bow before Him, || And His enemies lick the dust.
Isaiah 29:4
And you have been low, || You speak from the earth, || And make your saying low from the dust, || And your voice has been from the earth, || As one having a familiar spirit, || And your saying whispers from the dust,
Isaiah 65:25
Wolf and lamb feed as one, || And a lion eats straw as an ox, || As for the serpent—its food [is] dust, || They do no evil, nor destroy, || In all My holy mountain," said YHWH!
Micah 7:17
They lick dust as a serpent, as fearful things of earth, || They tremble from their enclosures, || They are afraid of our God YHWH, || Indeed, they are afraid of You.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver,.... The believer is a spiritual merchant; faith is a trading with and for Christ, and for spiritual and heavenly things by him; and because there is a parting with something for Christ, as a man's sinful lusts and pleasures, his own righteousness, his friends and relations, when set in opposition to or competition with him, and even life itself, when called for; and because he runs a risk of suffering reproach, afflictions, and death itself; therefore this concern with him, and enjoyment of him, is called a "merchandise", which is "better than [that] of silver", or than silver which is got by merchandise: for Christ, and the things of Christ, are more valuable than silver, and to be preferred unto it; more useful and profitable than silver is, which a man may have a large abundance of, and lose his soul, whereas by Christ is the salvation of it; more satisfying than silver is, with which a man is never satisfied, whereas he that has Christ has enough, having all things; more pleasant in obtaining, and more safe in enjoying; a great deal of anxiety and vexation attend the one, and inexpressible pleasure the other; and more durable and lasting than that, the enjoyment of Christ is for ever;

and the gain thereof than fine gold; the doctrines and ordinances of Christ are more to be desired than gold, yea, than fine gold; the blessings of grace by Christ, such as redemption, pardon of sin, c. are not obtained by corruptible things, as silver and gold, but are more precious than they and even the graces of Christ in the hearts of his people, as faith, hope, and love, are more precious than gold that perisheth; and much more preferable must he himself be, and the gain that accrues to a believer by him, which is cent per cent an hundred fold, even in this world, and in the world to come everlasting life: it is all clear gain a believer gets by Christ and trading with him; he has him, and all with him, without money and without price; he has that which is more worth than the gain of the whole world, even the salvation of his immortal soul; the riches he has by Christ are immense and unsearchable, the riches of grace and glory; it cannot be said how great this gain is.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Proverbs 2:4. “Fine gold” is apparently a technical word of that commerce, the native gold in the nugget or the dust.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 3:14. For the merchandise — סחר sachar, the traffic, the trade that is carried on by going through countries and provinces with such articles as they could carry on the backs of camels, c. from סחר sachar, to go about, traverse. Chaffarynge; Old MS. Bible.

And the gain thereof — תבואתה tebuathah, its produce; what is gained by the articles after all expenses are paid. The slaves, as we have already seen, got their liberty if they were so lucky as to find a diamond of so many carats' weight; he who finds wisdom-the knowledge and salvation of God - gets a greater prize; for he obtains the liberty of the Gospel, is adopted into the family of God, and made an heir according to the hope of an eternal life.


 
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