Proverbs 17:1 kjv
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Proverbs 17:1 nkjv
Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
Proverbs 17:1 niv
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
Proverbs 17:1 esv
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
Proverbs 17:1 nlt
Better a dry crust eaten in peace
than a house filled with feasting ? and conflict.
Proverbs 17 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 15:17 | Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it. | Love and simplicity are better than luxurious meals with animosity. |
| Prov 16:8 | Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. | Integrity and modest means are preferable to vast ill-gotten gains. |
| Prov 17:14 | The beginning of strife is like letting out water; therefore stop contention before it breaks out. | Warning against the escalating nature of contention. |
| Prov 21:9 | It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than with a quarrelsome woman in a spacious house. | Peace is worth more than a comfortable but quarrelsome home. |
| Prov 21:19 | It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman. | Highlighting the desperate desire for peace away from discord. |
| Prov 25:24 | It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than with a quarrelsome woman and in a spacious house. | Reinforces the preference for quiet solitude over spacious strife. |
| Ps 37:16 | Better is a little with righteousness than the riches of many wicked. | Righteous humility is of greater value than wicked opulence. |
| Ecc 4:6 | Better is a handful with quietness than both hands full with toil and grasping. | Contentment and tranquility are superior to greedy, weary accumulation. |
| 1 Tim 6:6 | But godliness with contentment is great gain. | True gain lies in godliness coupled with inner satisfaction. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | The essence of God's kingdom is spiritual, not material pleasure. |
| Jas 3:18 | And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. | Righteousness flourishes where peace is actively pursued. |
| Heb 12:14 | Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. | A divine command to seek peace with all. |
| Phil 4:7 | And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. | God's transcendent peace guards believers' inner selves. |
| Isa 32:17 | The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. | Righteous living naturally produces peace and security. |
| Zec 8:16 | These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace. | Actions required to foster true peace in the community. |
| Matt 5:9 | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. | Blessings for those who actively promote harmony. |
| Luke 10:5 | But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' | An instruction to offer peace upon entering a dwelling. |
| Col 3:15 | Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body. | The divine call for God's peace to govern the heart. |
| 2 Cor 13:11 | Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. | An exhortation to pursue unity and live peacefully. |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace... | Peace as an essential characteristic of the Spirit-filled life. |
| Prov 20:3 | It is honorable for a man to stop striving, but every fool will be meddling. | Wisdom entails avoiding quarrels. |
| Prov 28:6 | Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich. | Integrity, even in poverty, surpasses rich perversity. |
Proverbs 17 verses
Proverbs 17 1 Meaning
The verse conveys a profound truth that contentment and tranquility, even in the midst of scarcity, are far superior and more desirable than abundant material wealth or lavish living when accompanied by strife and discord. It champions peace within one's environment and relationships as the ultimate blessing, eclipsing the value of any external comforts or prosperity marred by conflict.
Proverbs 17 1 Context
Proverbs 17 is part of the "Proverbs of Solomon," a collection emphasizing wisdom and practical living principles. The chapter continues to explore themes such as righteous living, the nature of folly, the consequences of speech, the importance of integrity, and especially the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Verse 1 serves as a foundational declaration, setting a tone by asserting the supreme value of peace and harmony within a household over material abundance. This stark contrast immediately challenges common assumptions of success and well-being. Historically and culturally, grand feasts were not merely meals but significant social events, symbols of wealth, status, and often associated with religious offerings (zevach), indicating blessing and fellowship. For the proverb to declare a humble, dry meal with peace as "better" than such a revered occasion corrupted by strife is a radical subversion of external appearance and materialistic values prevalent in many societies, ancient or modern. It implicitly critiques any pursuit of wealth or social standing that sacrifices internal peace and relational harmony.
Proverbs 17 1 Word analysis
- Better (Tov - טוֹב): This word signifies a positive, often preferred, evaluation. In Proverbs, "better is..." clauses establish a hierarchy of values, presenting one scenario as demonstrably superior or more advantageous than another. Here, it denotes an absolute, unwavering declaration of what is genuinely good and valuable.
- a dry morsel (pat-charevah - פַּת־חֲרֵבָה): Pat means a piece or a crust, usually of bread, symbolizing the most basic, often meager, sustenance. Charevah means dry, stale, or even desolate. Together, "a dry morsel" paints a picture of extreme simplicity, scarcity, or even poverty; a humble, unappealing meal devoid of luxury.
- with quietness (v'shalvah bah - וְשַׁלְוָה בָּהּ): Shalvah encompasses deep peace, tranquility, security, quietness, and a state of being undisturbed. The suffix bah means "in it" or "with it," emphasizing that this quietness resides within and accompanies the "dry morsel" scenario. It speaks to both an internal state of mind and an external environment free from disturbance.
- than a house full of feasting (mibbáyit male' zivchei- - מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־): Mibbayit means "from a house" or "than a house." Male' means full, indicating abundance, overflowing. Zivchei (plural of zevach) refers to sacrifices or feasts. In ancient Israel, a zevach could be a peace offering, often culminating in a shared meal, signifying communion with God and community celebration. Here, it implies lavish, abundant provisions, grand celebrations, or rich banquets.
- with strife (riv - רִיב): This is a powerful term for contention, dispute, quarrel, or legal conflict. It implies severe, possibly loud and continuous, disagreement and antagonism. It signifies the complete absence of peace and harmony, introducing toxicity into even the most abundant setting.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "A dry morsel with quietness": This phrase encapsulates a humble, materially sparse existence. However, the accompanying "quietness" or tranquility elevates this state to one of true blessedness. It is a powerful affirmation that peace, not provision, is the core of well-being, suggesting a life lived simply but harmoniously is of supreme worth.
- "than a house full of feasting with strife": This vividly contrasts the prior image by depicting outward prosperity and abundance—a "full house" brimming with lavish "feasting"—yet entirely poisoned by "strife." The conjunction of abundance and bitter conflict reveals the vanity of material possessions and outward display when peace is absent. It points out that great wealth and comfort become meaningless or even harmful when shared amidst hostility and contention, especially when zevach (sacrifices/feasting) are defiled by unholy riv (strife), perhaps hinting at worship or communal gatherings corrupted by the participants' disharmony.
Proverbs 17 1 Bonus section
- Ethical Priority: The verse establishes an ethical and spiritual priority, suggesting that believers should actively cultivate peace in their homes and communities even if it means foregoing material luxury or social climbing.
- Challenging Materialism: This proverb stands as a direct counter-cultural statement against the human tendency to equate wealth, lavish entertainment, or abundant possessions with happiness and success. It refocuses the listener's attention from external achievements to internal states and relational health.
- Inner Peace as a Resource: The "quietness" is not just an absence of noise but a deep internal peace (shalvah), which enables spiritual and relational flourishing even in austere conditions. It suggests this peace is a renewable and more valuable resource than any earthly provision.
Proverbs 17 1 Commentary
Proverbs 17:1 offers a profound and radical reordering of societal values. It asserts that genuine blessedness lies not in material abundance or lavish outward displays, but in the invaluable state of peace and harmony, especially within one's home and relationships. The proverb powerfully illustrates that true joy and contentment stem from internal tranquility and amicable relationships, irrespective of one's economic standing. It serves as a stark warning against prioritizing wealth, luxury, or social status at the expense of fostering a peaceful environment. Any material comfort or festivity that comes steeped in contention and argument is declared inferior to even the barest necessity shared in serenity. The wisdom teaches that conflict pollutes and devalues everything it touches, rendering even the most abundant blessings tasteless.