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Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Myles Coverdale Bible

Proverbs 14:1

A wyse woma vpholdeth hir house, but a foolish wife plucketh it downe.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Family;   Fool;   Wife;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Virtues;   Wise;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Wisdom;   Women;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Crib;   Proverbs, Book of;   Rhetoric;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Women;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Buildeth;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Every wise woman builds her house,
Hebrew Names Version
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
King James Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
English Standard Version
The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
New American Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
New Century Version
A wise woman strengthens her family, but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.
New English Translation
Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Amplified Bible
The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives], But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].
World English Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne handes.
Legacy Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house,But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands.
Berean Standard Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Contemporary English Version
A woman's family is held together by her wisdom, but it can be destroyed by her foolishness.
Complete Jewish Bible
Every wise woman builds up her home, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Darby Translation
The wisdom of women buildeth their house; but folly plucketh it down with her hands.
Easy-to-Read Version
A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.
George Lamsa Translation
A WISE woman builds her house; but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Good News Translation
Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
Lexham English Bible
The wisest of women builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
Literal Translation
A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her own hands.
American Standard Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Bible in Basic English
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
King James Version (1611)
Euery wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it downe with her hands.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wyse women vpholde their house: but a foolishe wyfe plucketh it downe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs hers down with her hands.
English Revised Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A wijs womman bildith hir hous; and an unwijs womman schal distrie with hondis an hous bildid.
Update Bible Version
Every wise woman builds her house; But the foolish plucks it down with her own hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
New King James Version
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
New Living Translation
A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
New Life Bible
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
New Revised Standard
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Every, wise woman, buildeth up her house, but, a foolish one, with her own hands, would break it down.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
Revised Standard Version
Wisdom builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Young's Literal Translation
Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
THE MESSAGE
Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

Contextual Overview

1 A wyse woma vpholdeth hir house, but a foolish wife plucketh it downe.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wise: Proverbs 24:3, Proverbs 24:4, Proverbs 31:10-31, Ruth 4:11

the foolish: Proverbs 9:13-15, Proverbs 19:13, Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 21:19, 1 Kings 16:31, 1 Kings 21:24, 1 Kings 21:25, 2 Kings 11:1

Reciprocal: Exodus 35:25 - General 1 Samuel 25:3 - good 2 Samuel 7:11 - he will make Proverbs 12:4 - virtuous Proverbs 12:7 - the house Proverbs 31:27 - General Ecclesiastes 10:18 - General Matthew 7:26 - doeth 1 Timothy 5:14 - guide

Cross-References

Genesis 10:22
And these are his children: Ela, Assur, Arphachad, Lud & Aram.
Genesis 11:2
Now as they wente towarde the East, they founde a playne in ye londe of Synear, & there they dwelt,
Isaiah 11:11
At the same tyme shal the LORDE take in honde agayne, to conquere ye remnaunt of his people (which are lefft alyue) From the Assirias, Egiptians, Arabians, Morians, Elamites, Caldeyes, Antiochias and Ilodes of the see.
Isaiah 21:2
Who so maye disceaue (sayde the voyce) let him disceaue: Who so maye distroye, let him distroye. Vp Elam, besege it o Madai, for I will still all their gronynges.
Isaiah 22:6
I sawe the Elamites take the quyuers to carte and to horse, and that the walles were bare from harnesse.
Isaiah 37:12
Were the people of the Getiles (whom my progenitours coquered) deliuered at eny tyme thorow their goddes? As namely, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, & the childre of Eden, which dwell at Thalassar.
Jeremiah 25:25
all the kinges of Simri, all the kinges of Elam, all ye kinges of the Meedes,
Ezekiel 32:24
There is Elam also with all his people, and their graues rounde aboute: which all beynge wounded and slayne with the swearde, are gone downe vncircumcised vnder the earth, which neuertheles somtyme brought feare in to the londe off the lyuynge: for the which they beare their shame, with the other that be gone downe to ye graue.
Daniel 1:2
and the LORDE delyuered Ioachim the kynge off Iuda in to his honde, with certayne ornamentes of the house off God, which he caried awaye vnto the londe of Sennar, to the house of his god and there brought them in to his gods treasury.
Zechariah 5:11
And he sayde vnto me: in to the londe of Synear, to buylde them an house: which when it is prepared, the measure shall be set there in his place.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every wise woman buildeth her house,.... Not only by her fruitfulness, as Leah and Rachel built up the house of Israel; but by her good housewifery, prudent economy; looking well to the ways of her household; guiding the affairs of her house with discretion; keeping all things in a good decorum; and bringing up her children in virtue, and in the fear and admonition of the Lord. So Christ, who in this book goes by the name of "Wisdom", or the wise woman, builds his house upon himself, the Rock; and all his people on their most holy faith, by means of the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances: he guides and governs his house, where he is, as a Son in it and over it; and of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, taken care of, and wisely and plentifully provided for: and so Gospel ministers, who are wise to win souls, being well instructed in the kingdom of God; these "wise women" y, so it is in the original text, or wise virgins; these wise master builders lay the foundation Christ ministerially, and build souls on it; and speak things to the edification of the church and people of God, and the building of them up in faith and holiness;

but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "being built"; this she does by her idleness and laziness; by her lavish and profuse way of living; by her negligence and want of economy; by her frequenting playhouses, and attention to other diversions; and so her family and the affairs of it go to wreck and ruin. Thus the apostate church of Rome, who is called a "woman", and may be said to be a "foolish" one, being a wicked one and a harlot; see Revelation 17:2; pulls down the true church and house of God with both hands, as much as in her lies, by her false doctrines, and superstitious worship and idolatry; and by her murders and massacres of the saints, with the blood of whom she is said to be drunk; nay, not only pulls it down with her hands, but treads upon it with her feet,

Revelation 11:2. So likewise all false teachers do as this foolish woman does, by their impure lives and impious doctrines, defile the temple of God, subvert the faith of many; by means of whom the tabernacle of David, or house of God, is fallen down; the ruins and breaches of which Christ will repair in the latter day.

y חכמות נשים "sapientes mulieres", Munster, Baynus; so the Septuagint and Arabic versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every wise woman - literally, Wise women. The fullest recognition that has as yet met us of the importance of woman, for good or evil, in all human society.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIV

Various moral sentiments. The antithesis between wisdom and

folly, and the different effects of each.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV

Verse Proverbs 14:1. Every wise woman buildeth her house — By her prudent and industrious management she increases property in the family, furniture in the house, and food and raiment for her household. This is the true building of a house. The thriftless wife acts differently, and the opposite is the result. Household furniture, far from being increased, is dilapidated; and her household are ill-fed, ill-clothed, and worse educated.


 
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