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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Proverbs 16:16-19

PROVERBS—NOTE ON Proverbs 16:16 The “better” sayings of vv. Proverbs 16:16 and Proverbs 16:19 value wisdom over gold and humility with the poor over spoil with the proud. The middle verses offer guidance on how to continue in the way of the wise (v. Proverbs 16:17) and humble (v. Proverbs 16:18). For similar statements of what the wise person should value, see Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 16:8; Proverbs 19:1, Proverbs 19:22; Proverbs 28:6.

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See also Proverbs 16:16-19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Proverbs 16:16. _HOW MUCH BETTER - TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD?_] Who believes this, though spoken by the wisest of men, under Divine inspiration?...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 16 IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD The name Jehovah (LORD) appears eleven times in this chapter of Proverbs. The Lord has the final word, for to man belong the preparations (or plans) of the heart; b...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS 16. The special feature is a group of aphorisms (Proverbs 16:10) relating to kings. The sentiments seem rather to reflect the picture of the ideal king than to indicate any particular period....

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WISDOM. Hebrew. _chakmah._ See note on Proverbs 1:2. UNDERSTANDING. Hebrew. _binah._ See note on Proverbs 1:2....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _rather to be chosen_ Better, IS RATHER &c. It is the _acquisition_of wisdom or understanding that is commended in both clauses of the verse, which are exactly parallel....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT Proverbs 16:12-22 12. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; For the throne is established by righteousness. 13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HOW MUCH BETTER IS IT TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD! AND TO GET UNDERSTANDING RATHER TO BE CHOSEN THAN SILVER!_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1-9. God's control of human life....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 16 The subject of the book now begins to change. In earlier Chapter s, the main subject is the difference between wise actions and evil action...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Gold, silver and money are not really valuable. If we only want to earn money, then we are wasting our lives. Wisdom and knowledge are really valuable. Especially, we should learn how to respect God....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    קְֽנֹה ־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה ־טֹּ֥וב מֵ חָר֑וּץ וּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 29 AN ASPECT OF ATONEMENT "He that hideth his transgressions shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy."- Proverbs 28:13 "Happy is the man that feareth...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 17 A JUST BALANCE "A just balance and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are His work."- Proverbs 16:11 "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is H...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Verse Proverbs 16:1. A somewhat obscure proverb which recognizes that man has to exercise his own reason in making his plans, but that he is dependent on the Lord for the answer of the tongue. Dr. Per...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Get. Septuagint, "the nests of wisdom....and the nests of prudence;" or Churches of Christ, or places of education, may be intended. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth trans...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 10 THROUGH 31. In chapter 10 begin the details which teach those who give ear how to avoid the snares into which the simple might fall, the path to be followe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HOW MUCH BETTER [IS IT] TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD?.... To obtain and possess Christ, the fountain of wisdom, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which treasures are infinitely pre...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    How much better [is it] to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! Ver. 16. _How much better is it to get wisdom than gold,_] _q.d., _ It is unspeakably better...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _How much better is it_ It is inexpressibly and inconceivably better _to get wisdom than gold_ Because it brings a man more certain, and complete, and lasting comfort and advantage. _The way of the up...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    V. 16. HOW MUCH BETTER IS IT TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD! its value being so immeasurably greater, AND TO GET UNDERSTANDING RATHER TO BE CHOSEN THAN SILVER! If a person should gain the wealth of the whole...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HOW MUCH BETTER! it is inexpressibly and unconceivably better, as this phrase implies, PSALMS 31:19, PSALMS 36:7 92:5, &c. IS IT TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD, because it brings a man more certain, and comp...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 16:16 better H2896 get H7069 (H8800) wisdom H2451 gold H2742 get H7069 (H8800) understanding H998 chose

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WISDOM IS TO BE SOUGHT AND PRIDE MUST BE AVOIDED BY THE ONE WHO WOULD WALK IN THE RIGHT WAY WITH TRUST IN YHWH (PROVERBS 16:16). In this subsection the envelopes of wisdom (Proverbs 16:16) - pride (Pr...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Proverbs 16:16 I. Better than gold! But gold is good, very good, and he who would put forward with success the far higher worth of wisdom had better not begin his argument by putting too low an estima...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Proverbs contrasting good and evil. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: The safest way in which to travel is the way of the upright, a way which God makes plain to those who desire to walk in it....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 16:1. _The preparations of the heart in man._ As the field must be plowed, and the soil prepared for the seeds, so the heart of man must be prepared for grace. Afflictions in Egypt disposed t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! _ WISDOM BETTER THAN WEALTH I. The difference between wisdom and understanding. It is like that which exists between the moving and the acting power, b...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 16:10. A DIVINE SENTENCE, literally _“divination,” i.e., “an oracle_” or “_a decision_.” “HIS MOUTH TRANSGRESSETH NOT.” Stuart and Delitzsch read, “_In judgment his mouth sh...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 16:1 These are specially religions maxims, and they all contain the name Jehovah. PROVERBS 16:1 The Authorized Version makes one sentence of this verse without any contrast or a...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now to Proverbs 16:1-33, the sixteenth chapter and begin our study this evening. The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD (Proverbs 16:1). Go...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Ecclesiastes 7:12; Job 28:13; Luke 12:21; Matthew 16:26; Prover

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