Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
Parallel translations
- KJV Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
- BSB Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.
- ESV Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
- NKJV Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
- NASB Many will seek the favor of a generous person, And every person is a friend to him who gives gifts.
- NLT Many seek favors from a ruler; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
People court the favor of the powerful and the generous. The proverb observes how gifts and rank draw a crowd of would-be friends.
Overview
This proverb notes that many seek the favor of a ruler, and everyone befriends the man who gives gifts. It describes the self-interested way people gravitate toward power and generosity, often without true loyalty. Read alongside the surrounding verses, it gently critiques such fair-weather friendship and reminds believers to value genuine, godly relationships over those built on advantage.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 29:26Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man’s justice comes from Yahweh.
- Prov 18:16A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
- Prov 17:8A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
- Gen 42:6Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
- Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Prov 19:12The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Prov 21:14A gift in secret pacifies anger; and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.
- 2 Sam 19:19–39He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
- Job 29:24–25I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
- Ps 45:12The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor.
- Gen 43:15The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
- Gen 32:20You shall say, ‘Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.’” For, he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”
- Prov 16:15In the light of the king’s face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
- Matt 2:11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 19:6 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.