Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied. Dishonest wealthThe Hebrew word for "dishonest" here is "hebel," which can also mean "vain" or "empty." This suggests that wealth gained through deceitful or unethical means lacks substance and integrity. Historically, the Bible consistently warns against dishonest gain, as seen in the accounts of figures like Achan (Joshua 7) and Gehazi (2 Kings 5), whose ill-gotten gains led to their downfall. The emphasis is on the fleeting nature of wealth acquired through sin, which ultimately leads to spiritual and often material loss. will dwindle
The Hebrew root "ma'at" conveys the idea of diminishing or decreasing. This reflects a divine principle that wealth obtained without righteousness is not sustainable. Archaeological findings from ancient Israelite settlements show that communities that thrived were often those that adhered to ethical practices, suggesting a correlation between moral integrity and lasting prosperity. The Bible teaches that God’s justice ensures that dishonest gains will not endure, as seen in the eventual downfall of corrupt empires and individuals throughout scripture. but what is earned through hard work
The phrase "earned through hard work" is rooted in the Hebrew word "yad," meaning "hand," symbolizing labor and effort. This highlights the biblical value placed on diligence and industriousness. The Proverbs frequently extol the virtues of hard work (Proverbs 6:6-11), contrasting it with laziness and sloth. Historically, the agrarian society of ancient Israel depended heavily on the labor of its people, and the Bible reflects this cultural context by emphasizing the blessings that come from honest toil. will be multiplied
The Hebrew word "rabah" means to increase or grow. This suggests that God blesses and expands the fruits of honest labor. The principle of multiplication here is not merely material but also spiritual, as hard work cultivates virtues such as patience, perseverance, and faithfulness. Scripturally, this is seen in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), where faithful stewardship leads to greater responsibility and reward. The Bible assures believers that God honors and rewards those who work diligently and righteously, promising not just material abundance but also spiritual enrichment. Persons / Places / Events 1. SolomonTraditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. His teachings often focus on practical living and moral integrity. 2. Ancient IsraelThe cultural and historical context of Proverbs is rooted in ancient Israel, where wisdom literature was a key component of teaching and moral instruction. 3. The Wise and the FoolishThroughout Proverbs, these archetypes represent those who follow God's ways (the wise) and those who reject them (the foolish). Teaching Points The Value of Honest LaborHonest work is not only morally right but also leads to sustainable and multiplied wealth. This principle encourages believers to engage in work that honors God and benefits others. The Dangers of DishonestyDishonest gain may seem profitable in the short term, but it ultimately leads to loss. This serves as a warning against unethical practices in business and personal finances. God's Blessing on DiligenceGod honors and blesses those who work diligently and with integrity. This encourages believers to trust in God's provision through honest efforts. Contentment and Trust in GodBelievers are called to be content with what they earn through honest means, trusting that God will provide for their needs. Long-term Perspective on WealthThe verse encourages a long-term view of wealth, focusing on sustainable growth through hard work rather than quick, dishonest gains. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the principle of honest labor in Proverbs 13:11 apply to your current work or financial situation? 2. In what ways can you guard against the temptation of dishonest gain in your daily life? 3. How does the teaching in Proverbs 13:11 align with Jesus' teachings on wealth and possessions in the New Testament? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced the blessings of diligent work. How did it impact your faith and trust in God? 5. How can you encourage others in your community or church to pursue honest and diligent work according to biblical principles? Connections to Other Scriptures Proverbs 10:4This verse also contrasts laziness with diligent work, emphasizing that hard work leads to wealth. Ecclesiastes 5:10Solomon discusses the futility of loving money, which connects to the idea that dishonest gain is ultimately unsatisfying. 1 Timothy 6:10Paul warns that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, aligning with the idea that dishonest wealth is fleeting. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Becometh, Diminished, Diminisheth, Dishonestly, Dwindle, Dwindles, Fraud, Gained, Gathereth, Gathering, Gathers, Gets, Got, Gotten, Grow, Hands, Hastily, Increase, Increased, Increases, Labor, Labour, Less, Makes, Manual-labour, Money, Obtained, Quickly, Store, Vanity, WealthDictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 13:11 5398 loss
5414 money, stewardship
8354 trustworthiness
8809 riches
8812 riches, ungodly use Library The Tillage of the Poor
'Much food is in the tillage of the poor.'--PROVERBS xiii. 23. Palestine was a land of small peasant proprietors, and the institution of the Jubilee was intended to prevent the acquisition of large estates by any Israelite. The consequence, as intended, was a level of modest prosperity. It was 'the tillage of the poor,' the careful, diligent husbandry of the man who had only a little patch of land to look after, that filled the storehouses of the Holy Land. Hence the proverb of our text arose. It …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Poor Rich and the Rich Poor
'There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.'--PROVERBS xiii. 7. Two singularly-contrasted characters are set in opposition here. One, that of a man who lives like a millionaire and is a pauper; another, that of a man who lives like a pauper and is rich. The latter character, that of a man who hides and hoards his wealth, was, perhaps, more common in the days when this collection of Proverbs was put together, because in all ill-governed …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Practical Methods of Studying the Old Testament
[Sidenote: The various methods of approach] The Old Testament may be studied as literature, as history, as the record of an important stage in the evolution of religion, as the revelation of God to the race, or as a practical aid to the individual in living the true life. Each angle of approach calls for different methods and yields its correspondingly rich results. Studied in accordance with the canons of modern literary investigation, a literature is disclosed of surpassing variety, beauty, and …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Song of the Redeemed
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou ... hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ... T he extent, variety, and order of the creation, proclaim the glory of God. He is likewise, ^* Maximus in Minimis . The smallest of the works, that we are capable of examining, such for instance as the eye or the wing of a little insect, the creature of a day, are stamped with an inimitable impression of His wisdom and power. Thus in His written Word, there …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 The Heavenly Footman; Or, a Description of the Man that Gets to Heaven:
TOGETHER WITH THE WAY HE RUNS IN, THE MARKS HE GOES BY; ALSO, SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN SO AS TO OBTAIN. 'And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.'--Genesis 19:17. London: Printed for John Marshall, at the Bible in Gracechurch Street, 1698. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. About forty years ago a gentleman, in whose company I had commenced my …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 "And this is his Commandment," &C.
1 John iii. 23.--"And this is his commandment," &c. There are different tempers of mind among men, some more smooth and pliable, others more refractory and froward. Some may be persuaded by love, who cannot be constrained by fear. With some a request will more prevail than a command. Others again are of a harsher disposition. Love and condescension doth rather embolden them, and therefore they must be restrained with the bridle of authority. It would seem that the Lord hath some regard to this in …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Second Sunday after Easter
Text: First Peter 2, 20-25. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II How is Christ, as the Life, to be Applied by a Soul that Misseth God's Favour and Countenance.
The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. xxxvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. xxx. 5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall, 1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 "But if Ye have Bitter Envying and Strife in Your Hearts, Glory Not," &C.
James iii. 14.--"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not," &c. It is a common evil of those who hear the gospel, that they are not delivered up to the mould and frame of religion that is holden out in it, but rather bring religion into a mould of their own invention. It was the special commendation of the Romans, that they obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine into which they were delivered, (Rom. vi. 17) that they who were once servants, or slaves of sin, had now …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning "But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all These Things Shall be Added unto You. "
Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The perfection even of the most upright creature, speaks always some imperfection in comparison of God, who is most perfect. The heavens, the sun and moon, in respect of lower things here, how glorious do they appear, and without spot! But behold, they are not clean in God's sight! How far are the angels above us who dwell in clay! They appear to be a pure mass of light and …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Having spoken of the general notion of blessedness, I come next to consider the subjects of this blessedness, and these our Saviour has deciphered to be the poor in spirit, the mourners, etc. But before I touch upon these, I shall attempt a little preface or paraphrase upon this sermon of the beatitudes. 1 Observe the divinity in this sermon, which goes beyond all philosophy. The philosophers use to say that one contrary expels another; but here one contrary begets another. Poverty is wont to expel …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Proverbs 13:11 NIVProverbs 13:11 NLTProverbs 13:11 ESVProverbs 13:11 NASBProverbs 13:11 KJV
Proverbs 13:11 Commentaries
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