God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 14:1
1The wisest of women builds up her home, but a stupid one tears it down with her own hands.
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 wisest of women builds up her home, but a stupid one tears it down with her own hands. 2Whoever lives right fears the Lord, but a person who is devious in his ways despises him. 3Because of a stubborn fool’s words a whip is lifted against him, but wise people are protected by their speech.
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 woman Stupidity is loud, gullible, and ignorant.
- Proverbs 19:13A foolish son ruins his father, and a quarreling woman is like constantly dripping water.
- Proverbs 21:9Better to live on a corner of a roof than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
- 1 Kings 16:31It wasn’t enough that he committed the same sins as Jeroboam (Nebat’s son). He also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Ahab then served and worshiped Baal.
- 1 Kings 21:24If anyone from Ahab’s ⌞house⌟ dies in the city, dogs will eat him. If anyone dies in the country, birds will eat him.”
- 2 Kings 11:1When Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, saw that her son was dead, she began to destroy the entire royal family.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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