Proverbs 11:4 kjv
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Proverbs 11:4 nkjv
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4 niv
Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4 esv
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4 nlt
Riches won't help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
Proverbs 11 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 10:2 | "Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death." | Direct echo of the core truth. |
| Psa 49:6-7 | "Those who trust in their wealth... None of them can redeem another." | Riches fail to provide redemption. |
| Jer 9:23 | "Let not the wise boast... nor the rich boast... but boast in this: understanding..." | True boasting is not in wealth or wisdom. |
| Ezek 7:19 | "They will throw their silver into the streets... their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath." | Explicitly links wealth's uselessness to "wrath". |
| Zeph 1:18 | "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath..." | Reiterates the futility of wealth in judgment. |
| Job 36:18 | "Beware lest wrath entices you into mockery..." | Warnings about the 'wrath' context. |
| Isa 1:27 | "Zion will be delivered with justice, her redeemed with righteousness." | Deliverance directly tied to righteousness. |
| Isa 32:17 | "The work of righteousness will be peace..." | Righteousness brings lasting peace and security. |
| Rom 2:5 | "...store up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed." | The concept of "day of wrath" in NT. |
| Rom 3:21-22 | "But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed... through faith in Jesus Christ..." | Righteousness as God's provision for salvation. |
| Rom 5:17 | "...how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life..." | Righteousness as a gift leading to life. |
| Lk 12:16-21 | Parable of the rich fool, whose abundance could not save him from death. | Emphasizes the transient nature of wealth at death. |
| Lk 16:19-31 | Parable of Lazarus and the rich man, where wealth provided no relief after death. | Earthly wealth has no currency in the afterlife. |
| Mk 8:36 | "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" | Loss of soul despite worldly gain. |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." | The ultimate insignificance of material wealth. |
| Jas 1:10-11 | "...the rich person will fade away... like a flower of the field." | The transient nature of human wealth and glory. |
| Jas 5:1-3 | "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you... Your wealth has rotted..." | Warning to the rich concerning impending judgment. |
| 2 Pet 3:10 | "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear... the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare." | Universal destruction where material things fail. |
| Psa 34:19 | "The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." | God's deliverance for the righteous. |
| Prov 13:6 | "Righteousness guards the path of the blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner." | Righteousness as protection. |
| 1 Cor 15:26 | "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." | Righteousness delivers from the ultimate enemy. |
Proverbs 11 verses
Proverbs 11 4 Meaning
Proverbs 11:4 succinctly conveys that worldly possessions are worthless during times of divine judgment or ultimate calamity, whereas a life of uprightness and moral integrity provides true and lasting rescue from peril and spiritual death. It sets up a fundamental contrast between the fleeting value of material wealth and the eternal worth of righteousness.
Proverbs 11 4 Context
Proverbs 11 is part of the "proverbs of Solomon" (Prov 10:1-22:16), which primarily contrasts the behavior and outcomes of the righteous and the wicked. This chapter frequently uses antithetical parallelism, directly opposing two concepts or actions to highlight their differing consequences. Verse 4 stands as a clear example, placing "riches" and "righteousness" in direct opposition regarding their power to deliver in a time of crisis. The chapter consistently emphasizes moral integrity, honest dealings, and dependence on the Divine over worldly pursuits. Historically, societies often equated wealth with divine blessing, a notion the Proverbs wisdom literature carefully refines, insisting that genuine blessing stems from covenant faithfulness and righteousness, especially in the face of ultimate judgment or calamity ("day of wrath"). This proverb implicitly challenges the common belief that abundant possessions confer ultimate security or salvation.
Proverbs 11 4 Word Analysis
- Riches (Hebrew: hon, הון): Refers to accumulated wealth, substance, or possessions. While not inherently negative, the word here points to the transient nature of material things, particularly when contrasted with eternal realities.
- do not profit (Hebrew: lo' yo'il, לא יועיל): Expresses absolute inefficacy or uselessness. It signifies that wealth provides no advantage, aid, or salvation; it utterly fails to benefit or rescue.
- in the day of wrath (Hebrew: b'yom evrah, ביום עברה): A specific and fearsome time of divine indignation, overflowing anger, or judgment. This can refer to both temporal calamities (famines, invasions, plagues) as direct consequences of unrighteousness, and more broadly, the eschatological "Day of the Lord" where ultimate divine reckoning occurs. During such times, worldly advantages lose all their value.
- but righteousness (Hebrew: u'tzedaqah, וצדקה): Represents moral uprightness, integrity, and justice in actions and character. In a biblical context, it refers to right living in alignment with God's commands and character, which ultimately points to a right standing before God. It's active, involving behavior towards both God and humanity.
- delivers (Hebrew: tatzil, תציל): Signifies to rescue, to snatch away, to bring to safety, or save. It implies active intervention and protection from imminent danger or destruction, highlighting the powerful, salvific efficacy of righteousness.
- from death (Hebrew: mimavet, ממות): Refers to physical death, spiritual death (separation from God), or the ultimate destructive consequences that are the wages of sin. Righteousness is presented as the means of escaping this ultimate end, promising life and preservation.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath": This phrase highlights the inherent limitations of material wealth. While wealth might offer comfort or security in ordinary times, it utterly fails when faced with the absolute power and judgment of God. All worldly accomplishments and possessions become meaningless and incapable of providing escape or mitigation against divine anger or the ultimate penalty for unrighteousness. It is a severe warning against misplaced trust.
- "but righteousness delivers from death": This phrase presents the divine counterpoint and true hope. It affirms that true deliverance and eternal life come not from human effort or accumulation but from a state of being right with God. This "righteousness," lived out in obedience and trust, offers true and ultimate rescue from both temporal destruction and eternal demise. It redirects one's focus from fleeting temporal security to lasting spiritual salvation.
Proverbs 11 4 Bonus section
The "day of wrath" should be understood as a concept that encompasses various forms of divine reckoning. It can be a historical moment of national calamity, an individual's final judgment before God, or the cosmic eschatological day described by the prophets and in the New Testament. Proverbs implies that judgment is not a single, distant event, but a principle active in the consequences of life. Furthermore, this proverb implicitly critiques any pagan or humanistic worldview that elevates wealth or status as the ultimate measure of a person's worth or security, affirming God's standard as the ultimate arbiter. While physical prosperity might accompany righteousness at times, it is never the means of ultimate salvation. The ultimate righteousness that truly delivers from death, for New Testament believers, is found in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, imputed to those who believe.
Proverbs 11 4 Commentary
Proverbs 11:4 lays bare a fundamental principle of biblical wisdom: the ultimate impotence of material wealth versus the enduring power of moral integrity and alignment with God. In the stark light of divine judgment—the "day of wrath"—all earthly acquisitions lose their perceived value and ability to save. This truth challenges human tendency to place ultimate trust in financial security, power, or possessions.
Conversely, righteousness, defined by a life lived in accordance with God's truth and justice, serves as a powerful agent of deliverance. This deliverance extends beyond mere temporal escapes from disaster; it points towards salvation from the ultimate consequence of sin, which is death—both physical and spiritual separation from God. The verse powerfully contrasts the superficial and temporal with the substantial and eternal, calling individuals to prioritize eternal spiritual standing over temporal material gain.
For instance, consider one who hoards wealth for a crisis: when an unexpected and profound personal or societal crisis emerges—be it a devastating illness, a national upheaval, or the approaching end of life—the accumulated riches prove entirely insufficient to purchase health, peace, or extra time, let alone a right standing with the Creator. In contrast, one who has diligently pursued righteousness—living justly, humbly, and faithfully—will find that their upright character, often nurtured through faith, yields profound security and divine deliverance, culminating in eternal life beyond the grave.