Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Parallel translations
- WEB Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;
- BSB Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
- NKJV Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
- NASB Take away the impurities from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith;
- NLT Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.
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
Removing dross from silver yields pure metal fit for the craftsman. Purity comes by removing what corrupts.
Overview
This image of refining silver sets up the application in verse 5 about purging wickedness from a kingdom. Just as impurities must be separated before silver is useful, so corruption must be removed for righteousness to flourish. Scripture often uses refining to picture God's purifying work in his people (Mal 3:3; 1 Pet 1:7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Tim 2:20–21But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
- Prov 17:3The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
- Ezek 22:18Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
- Mal 3:2–3But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
- Isa 1:25–27And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
- 1 Pet 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
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.
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Original language
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