Proverbs 27:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.

NIV: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

NASB: The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, And each is tested by the praise accorded him.

CSB: A crucible refines silver, a smelter refines gold, and a person refines his praise.

NLT: Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.

KJV: As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

NKJV: The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.

Intense heat tests the quality of gold and silver. Refiners melt these metals to reveal impurities which can then be removed. Solomon (Proverbs 25:1) applies this idea of testing to praise, using it to measure a man. Commentators take this in one of two ways.

The first interpretation is that subjecting a man to praise is like placing precious metals in a crucible. How that person reacts reveals their purity and true nature. The one who responds to compliments with arrogance or egotism reveals character flaws. The person who accepts praise with humility shows no such errors. The apostle Paul demonstrated this correct response to excessive adoration from other men. When he and Barnabas healed a man at Lystra, the crowds suggested they were gods. Paul and Barnabas rejected that claim. They were simply men with good news. Paul followed the rejection of inappropriate praise with a clear message about God and His goodness (Acts 14:8–17). Paul quotes Jeremiah 9:24 in 1 Corinthians 1:31: "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." In Galatians 6:14 he writes, "But far be it for me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

The second interpretation is that man can be judged by what he praises. Character is revealed by what a person applauds or enjoys (Isaiah 5:20; Romans 1:32; 14:22). Silver and gold reveal their hidden flaws when placed in a furnace. So too does a man uncover his tastes and priorities by the things he compliments.

Wise sayings from this chapter warn about overconfidence and bragging. Solomon also encourages positive friendships and the wisdom they provide. He offers several notes about self-examination and the need for personal accountability. Many of the proverbs in this passage touch on the concept of speaking truth in love, even if it's not what the other person would like to hear. The end of the chapter uses the example of livestock to make a point about good stewardship.

This continues a collection of approximately one hundred proverbs associated with Solomon. King Hezekiah's men, probably his scribes, copied these from other scrolls (Proverbs 25:1). This chapter includes references to overconfidence, the value of friendships, and the importance of good stewardship. The assembly of Solomon's wise teachings continues through the end of chapter 29.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.