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Selected Verse: Proverbs 16:16 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Pr 16:16 |
King James |
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| (Compare Pro 3:16; Pro 4:5). |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
Five proverbs regarding wisdom, righteousness, humility, and trust in God, forming, as it were, a succession of steps, for humility is the virtue of virtues, and trust in God the condition of all salvation. Three of these proverbs have the word טוב in common.
16 To gain wisdom, how much better is it than gold;
And to attain understanding to be preferred to silver.
Commendation of the striving after wisdom (understanding) with which all wisdom begins, for one gains an intellectual possession not by inheritance, but by acquisition, Pro 4:7. A similar "parallel-comparative clause" (Fl.), with the interchange of טוב and נבחר, is Pro 22:1, but yet more so is Pro 21:3, where נבחר, as here, is neut. pred. (not, as at Pro 8:10 and elsewhere, adj.), and עשׂה, such an anomalous form of the inf. constr. as here קנה, Gesen. 75, Anm. 2; in both instances it could also be regarded as the inf. absol. (cf. Pro 25:27) (Lehrgebude, 109, Anm. 2); yet the language uses, as in the case before us, the form גּלה only with the force of an abl. of the gerund, as עשׂו occurs Gen 31:38; the inf. of verbs 'ה'ל as nom. (as here), genit. (Gen 50:20), and accus. (Psa 101:3), is always either גּלות or גּלה. The meaning is not that to gain wisdom is more valuable than gold, but that the gaining of wisdom exceeds the gaining of gold and silver, the common comparatio decurtata (cf. Job 28:18). Regarding חרוּץ, vid., at Pro 3:14. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| How much better - to get wisdom than gold? - Who believes this, though spoken by the wisest of men, under Divine inspiration? |
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.