By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.
Parallel translations
- WEB The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life.
- KJV By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
- BSB The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth 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 first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
- Jas 4:10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
- Ps 34:9–10Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him.
- Prov 21:21He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.
- Ps 112:1–3Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
- Isa 57:15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Jas 4:6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Isa 33:6There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.
- Prov 3:16Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
- 1 Tim 4:8For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, 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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