Proverbs 8:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

NIV: bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

NASB: To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

CSB: giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

NLT: Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.

KJV: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

NKJV: That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

Wisdom, speaking metaphorically (Proverbs 8:1–4), promises to grant an inheritance full of treasures to those who love her. A wise person knows how to save and keep what he earns or reaps. He is not wasteful. This is one of the reasons why wisdom is associated with success and prosperity (Proverbs 8:17–19); though earthly success is never guaranteed, making wise choices more often leads to positive results.

There is also a sense in which believers have received a rich inheritance from Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter describes this inheritance as "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Peter 1:4). He adds that it is guarded in heaven for us. Whatever wealth we accumulate or inherit on earth is subject to theft, loss, or deterioration. Further, security measures may fail to keep it, but in heaven our inheritance is stable and secure.

Jesus cautioned: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19–20). Wisdom teaches a person to heed Jesus' counsel.

Proverbs 8:12–21 records more words from the personification of wisdom. She speaks about the value she imparts to those who find her. Contrary to what the adulterous woman of Proverbs 7 offers—poverty and disgrace—wisdom offers true riches, honor, and an inheritance.

In this passage, wisdom is once again imagined as a woman who cries out to be heard (Proverbs 1:20–21). Wisdom extols her own truth and value. Wisdom was part of God's creative power long before even the creation of the universe. The chapter again returns to the many benefits of godly wisdom, before completing those declarations at the start of the next chapter.

Thus far in Proverbs, Solomon has spoken about the virtues of wisdom and the need to acquire it and live by it. He has also warned about the dangers of rejecting wisdom. Chapter 7 ended with a description of a promiscuous woman seducing a foolish young man. Now, in chapter 8, he lets wisdom speak, once again personified as a woman. She speaks about her existence before creation and her gift of life to all who find her. This analogy continues into chapter 9.

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.