Proverbs 10:15 — Word Study
WLCה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם׃
BSAThe wealthhôwn [substance, riches] of the rich manʻâshîyr [noble, wealthy] is his fortifiedʻôz [strong, protected] cityqiryâh [town, stronghold] but povertyrêysh [need, lack] is the ruinmᵉchittâh [destruction, terror] of the poordal [needy, weak]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ה֣וֹן | [the] wealth of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| עָ֭שִׁיר | a rich [person] | Adj |
| קִרְיַ֣ת | [is] a town of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| עֻזּ֑וֹ | strength his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| מְחִתַּ֖ת | [is the] ruin of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| דַּלִּ֣ים | poor [people] | Adj |
| רֵישָֽׁם׃ | poverty their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. |
| KJV | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. |
| ASV | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty. |
| YLT | The wealth of the rich [is] his strong city, The ruin of the poor [is] their poverty. |
| WEB | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty. |
| BBE | The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction. |
Translations agree on the meanings of the key terms in this verse.
The sentence presents a main clause followed by a contrasting clause, highlighting the differences between wealth and poverty.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 10:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Wisdom on Wealth and Povertygenerated
Proverbs 10:15 illustrates the contrasting fates of the rich and the poor, emphasizing how wealth can act as a protective barrier while poverty brings destruction. This verse is part of a broader discourse on the consequences of wisdom and folly, as seen in the surrounding verses, which reflect on the nature of knowledge and the outcomes of one's actions.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 18:11 | A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination. |
| 2 | Job 31:24–25 | If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, |
| 3 | Psalm 49:6 | They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. |
| 4 | Psalm 52:7 | “Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.” |
| 5 | Ecclesiastes 7:12 | For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הוֹן, Hongenerated
The word הוֹן (Hon) is a noun that signifies wealth or substance, suggesting not just material riches but also sufficiency. Its usage in poetic contexts, especially in Wisdom Literature like Proverbs, highlights its importance in discussions of value and security.
In this verse, הוֹן describes the wealth of a rich person, indicating that this wealth serves as a fortified city, a metaphor for protection and security. The parsing as a masculine singular construct shows its role in defining the rich man's possession.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we refer to the Berean Standard Bible (BSB) as the baseline for comparison.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is centered around the noun phrase הוֹן עָשִׁיר, the wealth of the rich, which serves as the subject. The predicate describes this wealth as a fortified city, indicating its protective nature. The structure emphasizes the contrast with the second clause, which introduces poverty as the ruin of the poor.
The sentence is structured to highlight the dichotomy between the rich and the poor, with the wealth being a stronghold for the rich, while poverty leads to destruction for the poor.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word הוֹן is rendered as κτῆσις, meaning 'possession.' This translation emphasizes the idea of wealth as something owned or held, aligning with the protective metaphor of a fortified city.
The LXX's choice of πενία for רֵישׁ highlights the concept of poverty as lack, maintaining the original meaning while adapting it to the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 10:15 compares the wealth of a rich man to a fortified city, suggesting that his riches provide security. In contrast, it states that poverty leads to ruin for the poor, emphasizing the vulnerability that comes with lack.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This metaphor indicates that wealth provides protection and security, similar to how a fortified city defends against attackers.
Poverty can result in vulnerability and lack of resources, making individuals more susceptible to hardship and destruction.
While wealth can provide security, the Bible also warns against the dangers of trusting in riches rather than in God, as seen in various Proverbs.
This verse teaches that while wealth can offer protection, it is important to recognize the struggles of the poor and the potential pitfalls of relying solely on material possessions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see wealth providing security in my life or the lives of others?
- How can I be more aware of the needs of the poor around me?
- What steps can I take to ensure that I do not place my trust solely in material wealth?
- How can I support those who are vulnerable and in need?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers comment on the implications of wealth and poverty in this verse, discussing the moral responsibilities associated with riches.
But riches in themselves are not blameable. For the ransom of a man's life are his riches, for he who gives to the poor, redeems his soul. There is therefore scope for virtue even in these material riches.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 10 →
The wealth of the rich is his strong city, etc. The rich trust in their wealth as in a fortified city; the poor therefore tremble, fearing they may lack because they know they are needy.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 10 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 10:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe rich man's wealth [is] his strong city,.... What a fortified city is to persons in time of war, that is a rich man's wealth to him; by it he can defend himself from the injuries of others, and
Read John Gill on Proverbs 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIs his strong city; either, 1. Really, as money is called a defence, , because it ofttimes redeems a man from dangers and calamities. Or, 2. In his own conceit, as it is explained, and fully expressed, . It makes him secure and confident. The destruction; it is the cause of their ruin. Or, the contrition, or the terror, or consternation, as others, both ancient and modern, render it. Their poverty takes away their spirit and courage, and fills them with fear and despair.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 10:15 The rich man’ s wealth [is] his strong city: the destruction of the poor [is] their poverty. Ver. 15. The rich man’ s wealth, &c.] Wealthy worldlings think themselves simply the better and the safer for their hoards and heaps of riches. The best of us are more ready to "trust in uncertain riches than in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy." Surely this should humble us, that riches - that should be our rises to raise us up to God, or glasses to see the love of God in - our corrupt nature useth them as clouds, as clogs, &c., yea, sets them up in God’ s place, and "saith to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence." The destruction of the poor is their…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) The rich man’s wealth is his strong city—i.e., an actual protection to him against his enemies, for by it he can get aid; or (as Proverbs 18:11) it gives him the consciousness of power, courage: whereas poverty drags a man down, and prevents his advance in life, or makes him timid, and unable to defend himself.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 10 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city] Behold a mystery in providence; there is not a rich man on earth but becomes such by means of the poor! Property comes from the labour of the poor, and the king himself is served of the field. How unjust, diabolically so, is it to despise or oppress those by whose labour all property is acquired! The destruction of the poor is their poverty.] A man in abject poverty never arises out of this pit. They have no nucleus about which property may aggregate. The poet spoke well: - Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi. "They rarely emerge from poverty, whose exertions are cramped by want at home."
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. destruction] The Heb. word is the same as in Proverbs 10:14. If we take it here, too, to denote a tottering building, ready to fall upon its tenant and bury him beneath its ruins, the parallelism is complete. We have here an instance of the candour and sobriety of the moral teaching of this Book. Wealth has its advantages and poverty its drawbacks, and the fact is honestly stated. There is nothing of the unreality which represents poverty as in itself desirable, or wealth as in itself to be avoided. Comp. Proverbs 18:11.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDestruction - That which crushes, throws into ruins. Wealth secures its possessors against many dangers; poverty exposes men to worse evils than itself, meanness, servility, and cowardice.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.
Tyndale line
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The riche mans goodes are his strong citie: but the feare of the needie is their pouertie.
Strictly literal
The rich man's wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The wealth of the rich [is] his strong city, The ruin of the poor [is] their poverty.
The wealth of the rich [is] his strong city, || The ruin of the poor [is] their poverty.
The wealth of the rich man is his strong town: the terror of the poor is their poverty.
The wealth of a rich man is his fortified city; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
From the Latin
The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength: the fear of the poor is their poverty.
Simplified
The wealth of the rich provides them protection, while the poverty of the poor ruins them.
The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six out of seven words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the concepts of wealth and poverty across these texts.
ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 10:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
הוֹן (hown) refers to wealth, riches, or substance, and can also imply sufficiency or enough. It is primarily found in poetic contexts, particularly in Wisdom Literature like Proverbs. The term is derived from a related root that conveys the idea of wealth and value.
הוֹן n.m. wealth, sufficiency (poet., almost wholly WisdLt, especially Pr)
base
H1952 הוֹן wealth, sufficiency (poet., almost wholly WisdLt, especially Pr)
1952 hown hone
from the same as 1951 in the sense of 202; wealth; by
implication, enough:--enough, + for nought, riches, substance,
wealth.
see HEBREW for 01951
see HEBREW for 0202
הוֹן (hon) — substance.
1) wealth, riches, substance
1a) wealth
1b) price, high value
interj
2) enough!, sufficiency
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עָשִׁיר (ashiyr) means 'rich' and can refer to wealth in both a literal and figurative sense. It is primarily used as a noun to denote a rich person or the wealthy. The word is derived from another Hebrew root, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.
עָשִׁיר rich; usu. n. m. the rich
base
H6223 עָשִׁיר rich; usu. n. m. the rich
6223 `ashiyr aw-sheer'
from 6238; rich, whether literal or figurative
(noble):--rich (man).
see HEBREW for 06238
עָשִׁיר (a.shir) — rich.
adj
1) rich, wealthy
n
2) the rich, the wealthy, rich man
Adj — AdjHAamsa
קִרְיָה (qiryah) means 'town' or 'city' and is derived from the root associated with building. It covers general, specific, collective, and indefinite uses of the term. The Aramaic equivalent is also קִרְיָה (qir.yah).
קִרְיָה n.f. town, city
base
H7151 קִרְיָה town, city
7151 qiryah kir-yaw'
from 7136 in the sense of flooring, i.e. building; a
city:--city.
see HEBREW for 07136
קִרְיָה (qir.yah) — town.
1) city, town
1a) in general
1b) in specific
1c) collective
1d) indefinite
Aramaic equivalent: qir.yah (קִרְיָה "town" H7149)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עֹז (oz) refers to strength or might, encompassing material, physical, personal, social, and political dimensions. It can denote boldness or impudence and is associated with the might of God. The word is built from the root related to strength and power, with various applications noted in the entries.
עֹז, and (rarely) עוֹז n.m. strength, might
material and physical
personal, social, and political
might of י׳
= boldness, impudence
= stronghold
base
H5797 עֹז, and (rarely) עוֹז strength, might . material and physical
. personal, social, and political
. might of י׳
. = boldness, impudence
. = stronghold
5797 `oz oze
or (fully) rowz {oze}; from 5810; strength in various
applications (force, security, majesty, praise):--boldness,
loud, might, power, strength, strong.
see HEBREW for 05810
עֹז (oz) — strength.
1) might, strength
1a) material or physical
1b) personal or social or political
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
מְחִתָּה (mchittah) refers to concepts of terror, destruction, and ruin. It is derived from a root meaning dissolution, indicating both physical ruin and emotional dismay. The entries consistently highlight its association with fear and devastation.
מְחִתָּה n.f. terror, destruction, ruin
base
H4288 מְחִתָּה terror, destruction, ruin
4288 mchittah mekh-it-taw'
from 2846; properly, a dissolution; concretely, a ruin, or
(abstractly) consternation:--destruction, dismaying, ruin,
terror.
see HEBREW for 02846
מְחִתָּה (me.chit.tah) — terror.
1) destruction, ruin, terror, a breaking
1a) terror, dismay, object of terror
1b) ruin
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word דַּל (dal) is built from the root meaning 'dangling' or 'weak.' It covers a range of meanings including low, weak, poor, and thin, and is particularly noted in wisdom literature and poetry. The entries consistently emphasize its connotations of neediness and weakness.
דַּל adj. low, weak, poor, thin (especially common in Wisd. lit. and poet.)
base
H1800 דַּל low, weak, poor, thin (especially common in Wisd. lit. and poet.)
1800 dal dal
from 1809; properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or
thin:--lean, needy, poor (man), weaker.
see HEBREW for 01809
דַּל (dal) — poor.
low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low
Adj — AdjHAampa
pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…
רֵישׁ (reysh) and רִישׁ (rish) both mean 'poverty' and are considered variants of the same term. The entries indicate that this word is used in the context of poverty, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
רִישׁ, רֵישׁ, רֵאשׁ n.m. poverty, only Pr
base
H7389a רֵישׁ, רֵאשׁ poverty H7389b רִישׁ poverty
7389 reysh raysh
or resh {raysh}; or riysh {reesh}; from 7326;
poverty:--poverty.
see HEBREW for 07326
רֵישׁ (resh) — poverty.
poverty
Also means: rish (רִישׁ "poverty" H7389B)
רִישׁ (rish) — poverty.
poverty
Another spelling of resh (רֵישׁ "poverty" H7389A)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp