The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
Parallel translations
- KJV As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
- BSB A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
- NKJV The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.
- NASB The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, And each is tested by the praise accorded him.
- NLT Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.
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
As fire refines precious metals, praise tests and reveals a person's character. It warns that how we handle praise exposes what we truly are.
Overview
Comparing the crucible and furnace to the test of praise, the proverb teaches that commendation reveals whether a person is humble or proud. Praise can refine the godly or expose the vain. The believer is called to receive any honor with humility, ultimately seeking the praise that comes from God rather than men (John 12:43).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 17:3The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
- Zech 13:9I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, ‘It is my people;’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’”
- Ps 66:10For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.
- 1 Pet 1:7that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ —
- Mal 3:3and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
- Ps 12:6Yahweh’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.
- 1 Sam 18:30Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
- 1 Pet 4:12Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
- 1 Sam 18:7–8The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
- 1 Sam 18:15–16When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
- 2 Sam 14:25Now in all Israel there was no one to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.
- 2 Sam 15:6–12Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 27:21 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.