Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 20:21
21An inheritance gained prematurely will not be blessed ultimately.
Proverbs 20:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
- New International Version (NIV)An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.
- English Standard Version (ESV)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
- New King James Version (NKJV)An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.
Context of Proverbs 20:21
19The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth. 20Whoever curses his father or mother — his lamp will go out in deep darkness. An inheritance gained prematurely will not be blessed ultimately. 22Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the Lord, and he will rescue you. 23Differing weights are detestable to the Lord, and dishonest scales are unfair.
Read all of Proverbs 20Proverbs 20:21 word by word
נַ֭חֲלָה מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 20:21
- Proverbs 23:4Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!
- Proverbs 28:20A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
- 1 Timothy 6:9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
- Proverbs 13:22A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
- Proverbs 28:8Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor.
- Job 27:16Though he piles up silver like dust and heaps up fine clothing like clay —
- Habakkuk 2:6Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say, “Woe to him who amasses what is not his — how much longer? — and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”
- Zechariah 5:4I will send it out,” — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies — “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by my name. It will stay inside his house and destroy it along with its timbers and stones.”
- Malachi 2:2If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart to honor my name,” says the Lord of Armies, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.
Commentaries on Proverbs 20:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21An inheritance - gotten hastily - Gotten by speculation; by lucky hits; not in the fair progressive way of traffic, in which money has its natural increase. All such inheritances are short-lived; God's blessing is not in them, because they are not the produce of industry; and they lead to idleness, pride, fraud and knavery. A speculation in trade is a pubiic nuisance and curse. How many honest men have been ruined by such!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Or, An inheritance gotten hastily (greedily sought after by unjust means) at the beginning, the end thereof shall not be blessed. Another reading gives, “an inheritance loathed, (compare Zechariah 11:8), or with a curse upon it.” The King James Version agrees with the versions.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21Verse 21 An estate suddenly raised, is often as suddenly ruined.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21If you receive an inheritance early in life, you might spend it all before you die, leaving nothing for later.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. gotten hastily--contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 20:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 20
- 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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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