Amplified Bible
Proverbs 21:20
20There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future], But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
Proverbs 21:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
- New International Version (NIV)The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.
Context of Proverbs 21:20
18The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous in the place of the upright [for they fall into their own traps]. 19It is better to dwell in a desert land Than with a contentious and troublesome woman. There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future], But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it. 21He who earnestly seeks righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness, and honor. 22A wise man scales the city [walls] of the mighty And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
Read all of Proverbs 21Proverbs 21:20 word by word
אוֹצָ֤ר׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 21:20
- Proverbs 10:22The blessing of the Lord brings [true] riches, And He adds no sorrow to it [for it comes as a blessing from God].
- Proverbs 15:6Great and priceless treasure is in the house of the [consistently] righteous one [who seeks godly instruction and grows in wisdom], But trouble is in the income of the wicked one [who rejects the laws of God].
- Psalms 112:3Wealth and riches are in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.
- Ecclesiastes 5:19Also, every man to whom God has given riches and possessions, He has also given the power and ability to enjoy them and to receive [this as] his [allotted] portion and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God [to him].
- Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an [excellent] advantage for those who see the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 10:19The officials make a feast for enjoyment [instead of repairing what is broken], and serve wine to make life merry, and money is the answer to everything.
- Matthew 6:19“Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Luke 6:45The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.
- Psalms 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
- Jeremiah 41:8But ten men who were among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us! We have stores of wheat and barley and oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he stopped and did not kill them along with their companions.
- Matthew 25:3For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them,
- Luke 15:14Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need.
- Luke 16:1Now Jesus was also saying to the disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager [of his estate], and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that this man was squandering his [master’s] possessions.
Commentaries on Proverbs 21:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Spendeth 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 Matthew 25:1-13.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20Verse 20 The plenty obtained by prudence, industry, and frugality, is desirable. But the foolish misspend what they have upon their lusts.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20See also to Proverbs 3:9–10, 15–16; 10:15, 16, 22; 14:24.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. The wise, by diligence and care, lay up and increase wealth, while fools spend--literally, "swallow it up," greedily.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 21:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 21
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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