Proverbs 10:2
Proverbs 10:2 in Multiple Translations
Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; But righteousness delivereth from death.
Wealth which comes from sin is of no profit, but righteousness gives salvation from death.
Wealth gained through evil does you no good; but living right saves you from death.
The treasures of wickednesse profite nothing: but righteousnesse deliuereth from death.
Treasures of wickedness profit not, And righteousness delivereth from death.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Treasures of wickedness shall profit nothing: but justice shall deliver from death.
Money that you get by doing dishonest/wicked things will really not benefit you; but by living righteously you will live for ◄a long time/many years►.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 10:2
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 10:2 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לֹא
י֭וֹעִילוּ
אוֹצְר֣וֹת
רֶ֑שַׁע
וּ֝/צְדָקָ֗ה
תַּצִּ֥יל
מִ/מָּֽוֶת
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
י֭וֹעִילוּ
yaʻal
H3276
to gain
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp
אוֹצְר֣וֹת
ʼôwtsâr
H214
treasure
N-mp
רֶ֑שַׁע
reshaʻ
H7562
wickedness
N-ms
וּ֝/צְדָקָ֗ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
righteousness
Conj | N-fs
תַּצִּ֥יל
nâtsal
H5337
to rescue
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs
מִ/מָּֽוֶת
mâveth
H4194
death
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 10:2
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
י֭וֹעִילוּ
yaʻal
H3276
"to gain"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to gain or ascend, and can also mean to be valuable or beneficial. It is used in various forms in the Bible to convey the idea of profit or advantage.
Definition: (Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail
Usage: Occurs in 21 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, set forward, can do good, (be, have) profit, (able). See also: 1 Samuel 12:21; Isaiah 44:10; Proverbs 10:2.
אוֹצְר֣וֹת
ʼôwtsâr
H214
"treasure"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for treasure refers to a storehouse or depository, like a treasure house or armory, as seen in 1 Kings 7:51.
Definition: 1) treasure, storehouse 1a) treasure (gold, silver, etc) 1b) store, supplies of food or drink 1c) treasure-house, treasury 1c1) treasure-house 1c2) storehouse, magazine 1c3) treasury 1c4) magazine of weapons (fig. of God's armoury) 1c5) storehouses (of God for rain, snow, hail, wind, sea)
Usage: Occurs in 70 OT verses. KJV: armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y). See also: Deuteronomy 28:12; Nehemiah 10:39; Psalms 33:7.
רֶ֑שַׁע
reshaʻ
H7562
"wickedness"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for wickedness, describing wrong or immoral actions, as seen in the wickedness of enemies or those hostile to God. It appears in various forms, such as iniquity or wickedness. This concept is discussed in biblical books like Psalms and Proverbs.
Definition: 1) wrong, wickedness, guilt 1a) wickedness (as violence and crime against civil law) 1b) wickedness (of enemies) 1c) wickedness (in ethical relations)
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: iniquity, wicked(-ness). See also: Deuteronomy 9:27; Proverbs 12:3; Psalms 5:5.
וּ֝/צְדָקָ֗ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
"righteousness"
Conj | N-fs
Encompasses the idea of righteousness, including justice, virtue, and morality, often describing God's attribute or the standard for human behavior. It is used to describe the ideal for personal conduct and societal norms, emphasizing the importance of living a righteous life.
Definition: 1) justice, righteousness 1a) righteousness (in government) 1a1) of judge, ruler, king 1a2) of law 1a3) of Davidic king Messiah 1b) righteousness (of God's attribute) 1c) righteousness (in a case or cause) 1d) righteousness, truthfulness 1e) righteousness (as ethically right) 1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification, salvation 1f1) of God 1f2) prosperity (of people) 1g) righteous acts Aramaic equivalent: tsid.qah (צִדְקָה "righteousness" H6665)
Usage: Occurs in 150 OT verses. KJV: justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness). See also: Genesis 15:6; Proverbs 16:31; Psalms 5:9.
תַּצִּ֥יל
nâtsal
H5337
"to rescue"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs
To rescue means to snatch away or deliver from danger. It can also mean to strip or plunder, depending on the context, and appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Definition: 1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder 1a)(Niphal) 1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself 1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to strip off, spoil 1b2) to deliver 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to take away, snatch away 1c2) to rescue, recover 1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death) 1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt 1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out 1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)
Usage: Occurs in 194 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idiom] without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, [idiom] surely, take (out). See also: Genesis 31:9; Psalms 40:14; Psalms 7:2.
מִ/מָּֽוֶת
mâveth
H4194
"death"
Prep | N-ms
In the Bible, this word refers to death, whether natural or violent, and is used in books like Genesis and Isaiah. It can also mean the place of the dead, or a state of ruin. This concept is seen in the story of Moses, where death is a punishment for disobedience.
Definition: 1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead 1a) death 1b) death by violence (as a penalty) 1c) state of death, place of death Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
Usage: Occurs in 153 OT verses. KJV: (be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d). See also: Genesis 21:16; Job 38:17; Psalms 6:6.
Study Notes — Proverbs 10:2
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 10:2 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 10:2
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 10:2
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 10:2
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 10:2
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
- Sermons on Proverbs 10:2
Context — Solomon’s Proverbs: The Wise Son
1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
2Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
3The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked. 4Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 11:4 | Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. |
| 2 | Proverbs 12:28 | There is life in the path of righteousness, but another path leads to death. |
| 3 | Psalms 49:6–10 | They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God. For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice, that he should live on forever and not see decay. For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others. |
| 4 | Proverbs 21:6 | Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. |
| 5 | Romans 5:21 | so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 7:19 | They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity. |
| 7 | Zephaniah 1:18 | Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth. |
| 8 | Daniel 4:27 | Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.” |
| 9 | Luke 16:22–23 | One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. |
| 10 | Isaiah 10:2–3 | to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. What will you do on the day of reckoning when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth? |
Proverbs 10:2 Summary
Proverbs 10:2 teaches us that getting rich by cheating or doing wrong things will not bring us any real benefit, but living a good and right life will help us avoid harm and danger. This means that instead of trying to get rich quickly or by doing wrong things, we should focus on being honest, kind, and fair in all we do, as seen in Micah 6:8 and Ephesians 4:32. By doing so, we can trust that God will take care of us and provide for our needs, as promised in Psalm 37:3-7 and Matthew 6:25-34. Remember, true wealth and treasure come from living a life that pleases God, not from getting rich by any means.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'ill-gotten treasures' mean in Proverbs 10:2?
Ill-gotten treasures refer to wealth or riches obtained through dishonest or unjust means, such as stealing, cheating, or exploiting others, as seen in Proverbs 28:20 and Jeremiah 17:11.
How does righteousness bring deliverance from death?
Righteousness, which is living according to God's will and commands, brings deliverance from death because it leads to a right relationship with God, as seen in Proverbs 11:4 and Psalm 37:37, and ultimately results in eternal life, as promised in John 3:16 and Romans 6:23.
Is it wrong to have wealth or treasures?
No, having wealth or treasures is not inherently wrong, as seen in Proverbs 22:29 and Matthew 25:14-30, but it is the means by which we obtain them that matters, and Proverbs 10:2 emphasizes the importance of obtaining wealth through righteous means.
What is the main message of Proverbs 10:2?
The main message of Proverbs 10:2 is that true profit and deliverance come not from wealth gained through dishonest means, but from living a righteous life, as emphasized in Psalm 119:1-3 and 1 Timothy 6:10.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I may be seeking 'ill-gotten treasures' in my own life, and how can I repent and turn to righteous living?
- How does my pursuit of wealth and material possessions align with or contradict the values of Proverbs 10:2?
- In what ways can I prioritize righteousness and living according to God's will in my daily life, and what benefits can I expect to receive as a result?
- How can I trust God to provide for my needs, as promised in Matthew 6:33 and Philippians 4:19, and focus on living a righteous life rather than seeking wealth and treasures?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 10:2
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,.... By which are meant either a large abundance of riches in general, which for the most part are enjoyed by wicked men, and abused to wicked purposes,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 10:2
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
Treasures of wickedness: either, 1. All worldly treasures and riches, which are called the mammon of unrighteousness, , of which see the reasons there; to which righteousness or holiness, which are spiritual and heavenly riches, may be fitly opposed. Or, 2. Such treasures as are got by any sort of unjust or wicked practices. Profit nothing; they do the possessor no good, but, which is implied from the opposite member, much hurt; they do not only not deliver him from death, but oft expose him to it; either from men, who take away his life that they may enjoy his wealth; or from God, who shortens his days, and makes his death more terrible, as being attended with guilt, and with the second death. Righteousness: either, 1. True holiness of heart and life. Or, 2. Justice and equity in the getting of riches, or an estate honestly obtained, which may be fitly opposed to treasures of wickedness. Or, 3.
A liberal and charitable use of riches, which is oft called righteousness, as , &c., and is indeed but an act of justice, of which see on , which also is conveniently opposed to an unjust getting of riches; and so this contains a great paradox, yet a certain truth, that the charitable laying out of money is more profitable to men than an unjust and covetous laying it up. From death; ofttimes from temporal death, because men generally love, and honour, and will assist such persons in cases of danger, and God gives them the blessing of a long life; and always from eternal death, when such charity proceeds from a sincere and honest mind, and a good conscience.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.Ver. 2. Treasures of wickedness.] Our Saviour calls it "Mammon of iniquity," that next odious name to the devil. Most men’ s care is how to grasp and get wealth for their children - rem rem, quocunque modo rem. Virtus post nummos, &c. But what saith a grave author? "Better leave thy child a wallet to beg from door to door, than a cursed hoard of evil gotten goods." There is for the most part lucrura in arca, damnum in conscientia, - gain in the purse, but loss in the conscience. But righteousness delivereth from death.] Piety, though poor, delivereth from the second death, and from the first too, as to the evil of it. For as Christ took away the guilt of sin, not sin itself, so he hath taken away, not death, but the sting of death from all believers, making it to such of a curse a blessing; of a punishment, a benefit; of a trap door to hell, a portal to heaven; a postern to let out temporal life, but a street door to let in eternal life. Mr Bolton. Augustine.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
(2) Treasures of wickedness—i.e., gained by wrong-doing. Righteousness delivereth from death.—The Hebrew word translated “righteousness” has a much wider meaning than its English equivalent, which generally bears the sense only of deciding fairly, being especially applied to judges. But a “righteous” man in Hebrew is one who “renders to all their due,” whether to God, as Noah, who was “just and perfect” before Him (Genesis 6:9; Genesis 7:1; comp. Ecclesiastes 7:20), or to man. To his fellow-men his “justice” will show itself in liberality (Psalms 37:21), mercy (Proverbs 12:10), carefulness of speech (Proverbs 15:28), truthfulness (Proverbs 13:5), and wisdom (Proverbs 9:9). He is considerate to animals also (Proverbs 12:10). So in the sermon on the Mount our Lord (Matthew 6:1) says, “Take heed that ye do not your ‘righteousness’ [so the best MSS. read] before men;” and then specifies it under the heads of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. In this passage it forms a contrast to riches gained by wrong, and therefore would seem particularly to signify “almsgiving,” as its Greek equivalent does in 2 Corinthians 9:10. It is often: rendered so by the LXX., and it is the most usual sense of the word in late Hebrew. It is so interpreted also in Tob 4:10; Tob 12:9, where this passage is quoted.
(Comp. Sir 3:30; Sir 29:12, and our Lord’s advice, Luke 16:9.) It “delivers from death,” as being a sign of the divine life within, which is “hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
Verse 2. Treasures of wickedness] Property gained by wicked means. Delivered from death] Treasures gained by robbery often bring their possessors to an untimely death; but those gained by righteous dealing bring with them no such consequences.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 10:2
2. Treasures of wickedness … righteousness] The contrast would seem to be between “wickedness” in its highest prosperity and success, when it has amassed “treasures,” when it has “found all precious substance and filled the house with spoil” (Proverbs 1:13), and “righteousness,” in itself considered, independently of the consequences which may attach to it. Comp. Proverbs 11:4.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 10:2
Righteousness - Including, perhaps, the idea of benevolence. Compare the use of δικαιοσύνη dikaiosunē, in Matthew 6:1 (the older reading), and 2 Corinthians 9:9-10.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 10:2
2. Treasures of wickedness — Gotten by unjust and fraudulent means; “ill got, ill gone.” The Septuagint renders this clause, “Treasures shall not profit the lawless.” Righteousness delivereth from
Sermons on Proverbs 10:2
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
When God Is Silent and Evil Prevails by Shane Idleman | Shane Idleman addresses the feelings of abandonment and confusion when God seems silent amidst the prevalence of evil in the world. He emphasizes the importance of venting to God, |
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Stealing the Shower by Ed Wrather | Ed Wrather preaches about the importance of ceasing from stealing and instead working with one's hands to provide for oneself and others in need. He emphasizes that stealing goes a |
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Preaching on Alcohol by Billy Sunday | This sermon emphasizes the need for righteousness and the importance of turning to Jesus for true fulfillment and purpose. It highlights the consequences of seeking satisfaction in |
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What Can We Take Into Eternity? by Peter Masters | This sermon emphasizes the reality that we enter and leave this world with nothing material, highlighting the importance of spiritual preparation for eternity. It contrasts the fat |
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The Three Great Woes of Hell by Steve Gallagher | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of sin, the deceitfulness of riches, and the perversity of the human heart. He warns that unsaved individuals should tremble at th |
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Of Remedies Against Covetousness by William Gouge | William Gouge emphasizes the importance of preventing and addressing covetousness by following specific rules: understanding true happiness and the deceitfulness of riches, setting |
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Proverbs 10-11 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the contrast between the diligent and the lazy. He emphasizes that the lazy person will end up poor, while the diligent person will become ri |