Amplified Bible
Proverbs 14:1
1The 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].
Proverbs 14:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
- New International Version (NIV)The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
Context of Proverbs 14:1
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]. 2He who walks in uprightness [reverently] fears the Lord [and obeys and worships Him with profound respect], But he who is devious in his ways despises Him. 3In the mouth of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God] is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise [when they speak with godly wisdom] will protect them.
Read all of Proverbs 14Proverbs 14:1 word by word
חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 14:1
- Proverbs 9:13The foolish woman is restless and noisy; She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].
- Proverbs 19:13A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].
- Proverbs 21:9It is better to live in a corner of the housetop [on the flat roof, exposed to the weather] Than in a house shared with a quarrelsome (contentious) woman.
- 1 Kings 16:31It came about, as if it had been a trivial thing for Ahab to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
- 1 Kings 21:24The dogs will eat anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city, and the birds of the air will eat anyone who dies in the field.”
- 2 Kings 11:1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah [king of Judah] saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring.
Commentaries on Proverbs 14:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Every 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Every 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.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Verse 1 A woman who has no fear of God, who is wilful and wasteful, and indulges her ease, will as certainly ruin her family, as if she plucked her house down.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Building or tearing down a home is a metaphor for making a family stronger or weaker.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-35Pr 14:1-35. 1. Every wise, &c.--literally, "The wisdoms" (compare Pr 9:1) "of women," plural, a distributive form of speech. buildeth ... house--increases wealth, which the foolish, by mismanagement, lessen.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 14:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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