Proverbs 1:19
in Proverbs 1Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
KJV
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
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This verse in Proverbs 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A solemn warning against temptation. entice--literally, "open the way." consent . . . not--Sin is in consenting or yielding to temptation, not in being tempted.
This site's exposition
do not walk the road with them
on Proverbs 1:15-19
The command “do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path” uses the road and path language of the whole book. Verse 17 turns the warning on the plotters. Verse 19 closes with the book's verdict that “unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors”.
This site's exposition
Such is the fate of all who are greedy
The fate of the gang is the fate of all the greedy. The word for unjust gain comes from a root meaning to cut off, profit taken from another by force. Paul gives the same warning at 1 Timothy 6:10.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
If the paths of the greedy seize the souls of those who possess them. He calls the paths of the greedy his subtle thoughts, whereby he diligently inquires how to increase his wealth. Such paths seize the souls of those who possess them, that is, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Christ himself is Wisdom, is Wisdoms, for in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and he is the centre of all divine revelation, not only the essential Wisdom, but the eternal Word, by whom God speaks to us and to whom he has committed all judgment; he it is therefore who here both pleads with sinners and passes sentence on them.
So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain,....
A faithful and lively representation of wisdom's reasonings with the children of men, and the certain ruin of those who turn a deaf ear to those reasonings,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Men warned ought to escape danger as birds instinctively avoid visibly spread nets. But stupid sinners rush to their own ruin (Ps 9:16), and, greedy of gain, succeed in the very schemes which destroy them (1Ti 6:10), not only failing to catch others, but procuring their own destruction.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Which taketh away the life - A covetous man is in effect, and in the sight of God, a murderer; he wishes to get all the gain that can accrue to any or all who are in the same business that he follows - no matter to him how many families starve in consequence.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Not robbery only, but all forms of covetousness are destructive of true life.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֵּ֗ן | ken | [are] thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אָ֭רְחוֹת | ʾarechot | [the] paths of | H734 → | 58 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ | botzea' | [one who] gains unjustly | H1214 → | |
| בָּ֑צַע | batza' | unjust gain | H1215 → | 23 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נֶ֖פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| בְּעָלָ֣יו | bealav | owners its | H1167 → | 84 times |
| יִקָּֽח׃ פ | yikach | it will take | H3947 → | 966 times |
כֵּ֗ן[are] thus
kenH3651 →771 times
אָ֭רְחוֹת[the] paths of
ʾarechotH734 →58 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ[one who] gains unjustly
botzea'H1214 →
בָּ֑צַעunjust gain
batza'H1215 →23 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נֶ֖פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
בְּעָלָ֣יוowners its
bealavH1167 →84 times
יִקָּֽח׃ פit will take
yikachH3947 →966 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 15:27He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:8
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
- Jeremiah 17:11
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will…
- Proverbs 11:29
He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
- Exodus 23:8
Through
2 Peter 2:3In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
- Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Deuteronomy 32:35
Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5
As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
- Jude 1:15
to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.