Proverbs 27:26 kjv

The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

Proverbs 27:26 nkjv

The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;

Proverbs 27:26 niv

the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.

Proverbs 27:26 esv

the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field.

Proverbs 27:26 nlt

your sheep will provide wool for clothing,
and your goats will provide the price of a field.

Proverbs 27 verses

Proverbs 27 26 Meaning

Proverbs 27:26 teaches that diligent and careful management of one's foundational assets, specifically livestock in an agrarian society, directly leads to practical provision for daily needs and the accumulation of capital for significant investments. The verse illustrates a natural consequence of faithful stewardship: the "lambs" provide necessities like clothing, while the "goats" offer capital, allowing for the purchase of larger assets like a field, symbolizing financial security and long-term prosperity. It emphasizes the importance of consistent labor, wisdom, and foresight in maintaining one's livelihood and building wealth over time.

Proverbs 27 26 Context

Proverbs 27:26 is part of a larger unit in Proverbs 27 (verses 23-27) that extols the virtue of diligent husbandry and careful management of agricultural resources. This passage serves as a culminating illustration of practical wisdom previously discussed in the book, particularly the benefits of hard work, foresight, and disciplined stewardship. It is directly preceded by an exhortation in verse 23 to "know well the condition of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds," setting the stage for the specific outcomes described in verse 26.

In the ancient Near East, Israel was predominantly an agrarian society. Wealth and stability were intrinsically tied to land ownership and livestock. Sheep and goats were not just sources of food but primary capital. They provided wool for clothing, skins for tents and containers, meat for sustenance, milk for dairy products, and manure for fertilizing fields. Moreover, a surplus of livestock could be sold or traded for other significant assets, such as land. A "field" (שׂדה - sadeh) represented permanent, productive wealth and was often the cornerstone of a family's economic security, ensuring food production for generations. This context highlights that the verse speaks not just of mundane tasks but of fundamental economic survival and growth rooted in wise daily decisions. It also subtly reinforces divine order: that blessings flow not from idleness or reliance on false gods, but from faithful application of wisdom and effort in the work God has provided.

Proverbs 27 26 Word analysis

• The lambs (כבשים - kebāṣîm): Refers to young sheep, known for their soft wool and as a source of clothing material. Their provision of clothing represents immediate, everyday necessities derived from consistent care of livestock. It signifies that even the "small" and common output of diligent work covers essential needs.
• will provide you with clothing (ללבושך - ləlḇûšeḵa): Directly translated "for your clothing." This highlights the practical, direct benefit derived from sheep – wool for textiles. This underscores self-sufficiency and the securing of basic needs through responsible husbandry. It speaks to sustainable provision for the household.
• and the goats (עזים - ʿîzẓîm): Refers to adult female goats. Goats were incredibly versatile in ancient economies. While sheep primarily yielded wool, goats provided hair (for coarser fabric like tent material), milk, meat, and were also excellent for breeding. Their robustness and diverse uses made them a valuable capital asset.
• with the price of a field (מחיר שׂדה - mĕḥîr śāḏeh): "Price of a field" means enough capital (money or goods from selling goats) to acquire land. This moves beyond immediate sustenance to long-term wealth creation and security. It implies accumulation of significant value through consistent increase and proper management of goats. A field represents stability, inheritance, and sustained future productivity, moving from merely surviving to thriving and investing for future generations.

Words-group analysis:

• "The lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats...": This juxtaposition showcases two different levels of economic return from diligent husbandry. Lambs provide direct, consumable, or immediately usable goods (clothing), addressing present needs. Goats, representing more significant or versatile assets, provide the capital for larger, more strategic investments. This illustrates a tiered benefit system where the initial necessities lead to the accumulation of greater wealth.
• "...with the price of a field.": This phrase encapsulates the long-term vision and wealth-building aspect of diligence. Acquiring a field signifies a move from sustenance to significant asset accumulation and land ownership, which was the ultimate mark of economic security and status in ancient Israel. It emphasizes that consistent, small efforts (caring for individual animals) compound over time into substantial financial growth and permanent assets. The entire phrase implies a strategic, future-oriented approach to wealth derived from foundational, ongoing labor.

Proverbs 27 26 Bonus section

This verse, along with the preceding verses 23-25 and the concluding verse 27, forms a remarkable "parable of the careful farmer." It serves as a microcosm of much of Proverbs, demonstrating how abstract principles of wisdom—diligence, foresight, management, and careful observation—translate into tangible, material benefits and long-term security. The "knowing well" and "paying close attention" mentioned in verse 23 are the intellectual and active foundations that unlock the blessings described in verse 26. The verse challenges any notion of instant wealth or relying solely on divine intervention without human effort; rather, it highlights the partnership between God's design for a productive world and humanity's responsible interaction with it. This section underlines the Proverbs' emphasis on God's blessing manifesting through wise human endeavor, rather than external luck or arbitrary blessings from deities.

Proverbs 27 26 Commentary

Proverbs 27:26 distills the practical wisdom of diligent stewardship, presenting it as the pathway from daily sustenance to significant wealth accumulation. The passage begins with the foundational principle that attentive care to livestock, specifically knowing their condition (v. 23), directly yields beneficial outcomes. The verse illustrates this progression clearly: from the routine output of lambs providing necessary clothing—representing the securing of daily, basic provisions—to the higher-value capital provided by goats, enabling the acquisition of a field.

This progression highlights that wise and consistent labor builds beyond immediate needs into true financial security and long-term prosperity. It is a profound lesson in responsible economics rooted in an agrarian context, where a person’s future largely depended on how well they managed their animal and land resources. The verse, therefore, is not merely about farming; it embodies the timeless principle that small acts of diligence, repeated over time, yield substantial, enduring rewards. It champions an ethic of sustained effort and wise investment over idleness or pursuit of quick gains, embodying the reality that God often blesses our diligent work. This wisdom extends to any enterprise or aspect of life: careful attention to fundamentals leads to growth and surplus.

For instance, consider:

• Financial budgeting: Small, consistent savings over time lead to significant capital for larger investments.
• Skill development: Daily practice (the "lambs" of effort) leads to mastery (the "goats" that secure new opportunities).
• Spiritual growth: Daily engagement with God's Word and prayer ("lambs") develops a deep relationship that sustains through trials and equips for service ("goats" enabling Kingdom work).