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The Book Of Proverbs: Wealth and Poverty

January 11, 2009

Solomon was the author

Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

God gave him exceeding wisdom

1 Kings 4:29-31 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men…and his fame was in all nations round about.

The richest king on the earth

1 Kings 10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

The rich and poor share this - The Lord is their maker

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together [“have this in common” NKJ],: the LORD is the maker of them all.

Some things in life are worse than poverty

Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

Proverbs 19:22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

Proverbs 15:16Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Wealth gives a measure of security

Proverbs 10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city [“his fortress,” NAS]: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

Poverty is the destruction of the poor

Proverbs 10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city [“his fortress,” NAS]: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

Wealth gives power and influence

Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

The rich have many friends

Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

Proverbs 19:6 Many will entreat the favor of a generous man [or a prince KJV], And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

Proverbs 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

Wealth must be gained honestly

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.

There is trouble with wicked profit

Proverbs 15:6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

Greed of gain troubles your own house

Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

When the Lord makes rich there is no sorrow that follows it

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Hasty gain is not good

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but every one who is hasty comes only to want.

Proverbs 20:21 An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.

Wealth gain gradually is better than gaining it in a hurry

Proverbs 28:20,22 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

Don’t overly labour for riches

Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Wealth is temporal – it can disappear fast

Proverbs 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 27:24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Wealth cannot be trusted

Proverbs 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch

It is only a high wall in ones own imagination

Proverbs 18:10-11 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. 11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

No deliverance from death

Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.3The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

No deliverance in the day of wrath

Proverbs 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

A good reputation is better than much money

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Riches can bring trouble to ones life

Proverbs 13:8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

Poverty tends to humble and riches to pride

Proverbs 18:23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

Laziness tends to poverty

Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Excessive sleep tends to poverty

Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Refusing correction leads to poverty

Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

Pleasure as a priority tends to poverty

Proverbs 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Drunkenness and gluttony tends to poverty

Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Wasting time on vain things leads to poverty

Proverbs 28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

Talk without labour leads to poverty

Proverbs 14:23 In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty.

People become poor by the dishonest gain of the rich

Proverbs 28:8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

The greed of some makes others poor

Proverbs 30:14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

The poor are exploited because they are poor

Proverbs 22:22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

The poor are treated with injustice

Proverbs 13:23 The fallow ground of the poor yields much food, but it is swept away through injustice.

Poverty is misery

Proverbs 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

How we treat the poor is important

Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Proverbs 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Proverbs 22:16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Prioritize your giving

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Generosity toward the needy

Proverbs 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Proverbs 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Proverbs 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Proverbs 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

True wealth

Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13-14 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Proverbs 8:18-19,21 Riches and honour are with me [“wisdom,” v.12]; yea, durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

Receiving Correction

Proverbs 8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

Humility and fear

Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

We can be poor but yet have great riches

Proverbs 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

Pray a balance not an extreme

Proverbs 30:8-9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.