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Saturday, August 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

Proverbs 17:8

A gyft is as a precious stone vnto hym that hath it: but vnto whom soeuer it turneth, it maketh hym vnwise.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bribery;   Thompson Chain Reference - Precious Stones;   Stones, Precious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Precious Stones;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mines;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fool, Foolishness, and Folly;   Gift, Giving;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gift, Giving;   Grace;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amulet;   Fool;   Gift;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Amulet;   Gems;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner;wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Hebrew Names Version
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
King James Version
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
English Standard Version
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
New American Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
New Century Version
Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask. They think it will work every time.
Amplified Bible
A bribe is like a bright, precious stone in the eyes of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
World English Bible
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.
Legacy Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm in the eyes of its owner;Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Berean Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Contemporary English Version
A bribe works miracles like a magic charm that brings good luck.
Complete Jewish Bible
A bribe works like a charm, in the view of him who gives it — wherever it turns, it succeeds.
Darby Translation
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.
Easy-to-Read Version
Some people think a bribe is like a lucky charm—it seems to work wherever they go.
George Lamsa Translation
A precious stone is beautiful in the eyes of him who has it; wherever it turns it is admired.
Good News Translation
Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything.
Lexham English Bible
The bribe is a stone of magic in the eyes of its owner; everywhere he will turn, he will prosper.
Literal Translation
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who possesses it; everywhere he turns, he is prudent.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Liberalite is a precious stone vnto him that hath it, for where so euer he becometh, he prospereth.
American Standard Version
A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Bible in Basic English
An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.
King James Version (1611)
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoeuer it turneth, it prospereth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Instruction is to them that use it a gracious reward; and whithersoever it may turn, it shall prosper.
English Revised Version
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
Update Bible Version
A bribe is [as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it; Wherever it turns, it prospers.
Webster's Bible Translation
A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
New English Translation
A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.
New King James Version
A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
New Living Translation
A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
New Life Bible
Being paid in secret for wrong-doing is like a stone of much worth to the one who has it. Wherever he turns, he does well.
New Revised Standard
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The expectation of him that expecteth is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
Revised Standard Version
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
Young's Literal Translation
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
THE MESSAGE
Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone; any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

Contextual Overview

8 A gyft is as a precious stone vnto hym that hath it: but vnto whom soeuer it turneth, it maketh hym vnwise.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gift: Proverbs 17:23, Psalms 18:16, Psalms 19:6, Psalms 21:13, Psalms 29:4, Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 16:19

precious stone: Heb. stone of grace

whithersoever: Genesis 33:9-11, Genesis 43:11, 1 Samuel 25:35, 2 Samuel 16:1-4, Micah 7:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:27 - took Genesis 24:31 - thou Genesis 32:13 - a present Proverbs 18:16 - General Proverbs 19:6 - and Proverbs 21:14 - gift Daniel 11:24 - he shall scatter Acts 24:26 - hoped

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
For all the lande whiche thou seest, wyll I geue vnto thee, and to thy seede for euer.
Genesis 13:17
Arise, and walke about in the lande, after the length of it, & after the breadth of it: for I wyll geue it vnto thee.
Genesis 17:7
Moreouer I wyll make my couenaunt betweene me and thee, & thy seede after thee, in their generations, by an euerlasting couenaut, yt I may be God vnto thee, and to thy seede after thee.
Genesis 17:16
And I wyll blesse her, and geue thee a sonne of her: yea, I wyll blesse her, and she shalbe [a mother] of nations, yea & kynges of people shall sprynge of her.
Genesis 17:17
But Abraham fell vppon his face, and laughed, and sayde in his heart: shall a chylde be borne vnto hym that is an hundreth yere olde? And shall Sara that is ninetie yere olde beare?
Genesis 17:21
But my couenaunt wyl I make with Isahac whiche Sara shall beare vnto thee, euen this tyme twelue moneth.
Genesis 23:4
I am a straunger and a foriner amongest you: geue me a possession to bury in with you, that I may bury my corse out of my sight.
Genesis 28:4
And geue the blessing of Abraham vnto thee, and to thy seede with thee, that thou mayest receaue to inherite ye lande wherein thou art a straunger, whiche God gaue vnto Abraham.
Genesis 48:4
Beholde, I wyll make thee fruiteful, and cause thee to multiplie, and wyll make a great number of people of thee, and wyll geue this lande vnto thy seede after thee vnto an euerlastyng possession.
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you for my people, and wilbe to you a God: And ye shall knowe that I am the Lord your God which bring you out from the burthens of the Egyptians.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it,.... Or "is a stone of grace" h, the note of similitude being wanting. It is an ornament of grace, adorns the person that wears it, makes him look lovely and amiable; is very grateful and desirable in itself, attracts and dazzles the eyes, and fills the mind with pleasure; so is a gift in the eyes of him that has it, that is the owner of it; either that has it in his possession to give, is the giver of it, as Aben Ezra; which, as it is valuable in his own eyes, he judges it to be so with others, and thinks he can do what be pleases with it, and engage persons by it to do as he would have them: or that is the receiver of it, as the Targum; who, having it given him, is master of it, and is so acceptable to him, and has such an influence upon him, as to do anything for it the giver of it directs him to, as follows:

whithersoever it turneth it prospereth: to whatsoever cause, or to whatsoever persons, judge or jury, it is given and received; it succeeds far better than the most eloquent orations, or learned pleadings in law, or appeals to statutes, and the production of them. Money answers all things; a gift blinds the eyes; it is like a diamond, so sparkling and dazzling, so charming and attracting, that the person to whom it is offered cannot resist it; and it draws him to do whatever is desired of him; it carries the cause, it succeeds according to the wish of the giver: or, as the Arabic version renders it,

"he shall find his business plain;''

done as he would have it. Jarchi applies the proverb thus;

"when a man comes before the Lord, and bribes him with words, and returns unto him, it is a precious stone in his eyes; and in all that he asks of him he prospers.''

h אבן חן "lapsis gratiae", Montanus, Baynus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A half-satirical description of the power of bribery in palaces and among judges. The precious stone (literally as in the margin) is probably a gem, thought of as a talisman, which, “wherever it turns,” will ensure “prosperity” to him who, being the possessor, has the power to give it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 17:8. A gift is as a precious stone — It both enriches and ornaments. In the latter clause there is an evident allusion to cut stones. Whithersoever you turn them, they reflect the light, are brilliant and beautiful.


 
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