By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Parallel translations
- WEB The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life.
- BSB The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
- NKJV By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.
- NASB The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor, and life.
- NLT True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.
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
Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth, honor, and life. It matters because reverent humility is the path to true blessing.
Overview
Genuine humility joined to the fear of the Lord yields lasting reward — riches rightly understood, honor, and life (Proverbs 15:33; 1 Peter 5:5-6). The verse roots all real blessing in a right relationship with God. Such life is fulfilled in Christ, who exemplified humility and grants abundant life to those who fear God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Jas 4:10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
- Ps 34:9–10O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
- Prov 21:21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
- Ps 112:1–3Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
- Isa 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Jas 4:6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- Isa 33:6And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
- Prov 3:16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
- 1 Tim 4:8For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
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 22:4 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
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