New English Translation
Proverbs 20:21
21An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
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 goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth. 20The one who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness. An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. 22Do not say, “I will pay back evil!” Wait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you. 23The Lord abhors differing weights, and dishonest scales are wicked.
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 23:4Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
- Proverbs 28:20A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.
- 1 Timothy 6:9Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
- Proverbs 13:22A benevolent person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
- Proverbs 28:8The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest gathers it for someone who is gracious to the needy.
- Job 27:16If he piles up silver like dust and stores up clothing like mounds of clay,
- Habakkuk 2:6“But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: ‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?) – he who gets rich by extortion!’
- Zechariah 5:4“I will send it out,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones.”
- Malachi 2:2If you do not listen and take seriously the need to honor my name,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will send judgment on you and turn your blessings into curses – indeed, I have already done so 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries