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Selected Verse: Proverbs 21:20 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Pr 21:20 |
Strong Concordance |
There is treasure [0214] to be desired [02530] and oil [08081] in the dwelling [05116] of the wise [02450]; but a foolish [03684] man [0120] spendeth it up [01104]. |
|
King James |
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. |
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] |
The wise, by diligence and care, lay up and increase wealth, while fools
spend--literally, "swallow it up," greedily. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Spendeth it up - literally, swalloweth it. The wise man keeps a store in reserve. He gains uprightly, spends moderately, never exhausts himself. But the proverb may have also a higher application. The wise man stores up all "treasure to be desired" of wisdom, all "oil" of divine influence, which strengthens and refreshes, and so is ready at all times for the work to which the Master calls him. Compare Mat 25:1-13. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of the wise;
And a fool of a man squanders it.
The wise spares, the fool squanders; and if the latter enters on the inheritance which the former with trouble and care collected, it is soon devoured. The combination אוצר נחמד ושׁמן [desirable treasure and oil] has something inconcinnate, wherefore the accentuation places אוצר by itself by Mehuppach Legarmeh; but it is not to be translated "a treasure of that which is precious, and oil," since it is punctuated אוצר, and not אוצר; and besides, in that case מחמדּים would have been used instead of נחמד. Thus by אוצר נחמד, a desirable and splendid capital in gold and things of value (Isa 23:18; Psa 19:11); and by שׁמן, mentioned by way of example, stores in kitchen and cellar are to be thought of, which serve him who lives luxuriously, and afford noble hospitality, - a fool of a man (כּסיל אדם, as at Pro 15:20), who finds this, devours it, i.e., quickly goes through it, makes, in short, a tabula rasa of it; cf. בּלע, Isa 28:4, with בּלּע, Sa2 20:26, and Pro 19:28. The suffix of יבלּענּוּ refers back to אוצר as the main idea, or distributively also both to the treasure and the oil. The lxx (θησαυρὸς ἐπιθυμητὸς) ἀναπαύσεται ἐπὶ στόματος σοφοῦ, i.e., ישׁכן בפה חכם, according to which Hitzig corrects; but the fool, he who swallows down "the precious treasure with a wise mouth," is a being we can scarcely conceive of. His taste is not at all bad; why then a fool? Is it perhaps because he takes more in than he can at one time digest? The reading of the lxx is corrected by 20b. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
The wise - Wise men lay up desirable treasures for their own use, and for their families. Oil is particularly mentioned, because that was a considerable part of their wealth and treasures in those countries. |
1 Then [5119] shall the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] be likened [3666] unto ten [1176] virgins [3933], which [3748] took [2983] their [846] lamps [2985], and went forth [1831] to meet [529] [1519] the bridegroom [3566].
2 And [1161] five [4002] of [1537] them [846] were [2258] wise [5429], and [2532] five [4002] were foolish [3474].
3 They [3748] that were foolish [3474] took [2983] their [846] [1438] lamps [2985], and took [2983] no [3756] oil [1637] with [3326] them [1438]:
4 But [1161] the wise [5429] took [2983] oil [1637] in [1722] their [846] vessels [30] with [3326] their [846] lamps [2985].
5 While [1161] the bridegroom [3566] tarried [5549], they all [3956] slumbered [3573] and [2532] slept [2518].
6 And [1161] at midnight [3319] [3571] there was a cry [2906] made [1096], Behold [2400], the bridegroom [3566] cometh [2064]; go ye out [1831] to [1519] meet [529] him [846].
7 Then [5119] all [3956] those [1565] virgins [3933] arose [1453], and [2532] trimmed [2885] their [846] lamps [2985].
8 And [1161] the foolish [3474] said [2036] unto the wise [5429], Give [1325] us [2254] of [1537] your [5216] oil [1637]; for [3754] our [2257] lamps [2985] are gone out [4570].
9 But [1161] the wise [5429] answered [611], saying [3004], Not so; lest [3379] there be [714] not [3756] enough [714] for us [2254] and [2532] you [5213]: but [1161] go ye [4198] rather [3123] to them [4314] that sell [4453], and [2532] buy [59] for yourselves [1438].
10 And [1161] while they [846] went [565] to buy [59], the bridegroom [3566] came [2064]; and [2532] they that were ready [2092] went in [1525] with [3326] him [846] to [1519] the marriage [1062]: and [2532] the door [2374] was shut [2808].
11 Afterward [1161] [5305] came [2064] also [2532] the other [3062] virgins [3933], saying [3004], Lord [2962], Lord [2962], open [455] to us [2254].
12 But [1161] he answered [611] and said [2036], Verily [281] I say [3004] unto you [5213], I know [1492] you [5209] not [3756].
13 Watch [1127] therefore [3767], for [3754] ye know [1492] neither [3756] the day [2250] nor [3761] the hour [5610] wherein [1722] [3739] the Son [5207] of man [444] cometh [2064].
28 An ungodly [01100] witness [05707] scorneth [03887] judgment [04941]: and the mouth [06310] of the wicked [07563] devoureth [01104] iniquity [0205].
26 And Ira [05896] also the Jairite [02972] was a chief ruler [03548] about David [01732].
4 And the glorious [06643] beauty [08597], which is on the head [07218] of the fat [08081] valley [01516], shall be a fading [05034] flower [06733], and as the hasty fruit [01061] before the summer [07019]; which when he that looketh [07200] upon it seeth [07200], while it is yet in his hand [03709] he eateth it up [01104].
20 A wise [02450] son [01121] maketh a glad [08055] father [01]: but a foolish [03684] man [0120] despiseth [0959] his mother [0517].
11 Moreover by them is thy servant [05650] warned [02094]: and in keeping [08104] of them there is great [07227] reward [06118].
18 And her merchandise [05504] and her hire [0868] shall be holiness [06944] to the LORD [03068]: it shall not be treasured [0686] nor laid up [02630]; for her merchandise [05504] shall be for them that dwell [03427] before [06440] the LORD [03068], to eat [0398] sufficiently [07654], and for durable [06266] clothing [04374].