A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
Parallel translations
- WEB A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
- BSB A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
- NKJV A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.
- NASB A person’s gift makes room for him And brings him before great people.
- NLT Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A gift can open doors and gain access to influential people. The proverb observes this social reality without endorsing bribery.
Overview
This proverb notes, as an observation of how life works, that a man's gift makes room for him and grants access to the great. It describes a social reality rather than commending bribery, which Scripture elsewhere condemns (Prov. 17:23). Read wisely, it commends generosity and timely kindness while leaving the moral evaluation to context, reminding believers to give in ways that honor God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Prov 19:6Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
- Gen 43:11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
- Gen 33:10And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
- Prov 17:8A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
- 1 Sam 25:27And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
- Gen 32:20And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
- Prov 21:14A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 18:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.