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Read the Bible

King James Version

Proverbs 17:8

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

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.
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A gyft is as a precious stone vnto hym that hath it: but vnto whom soeuer it turneth, it maketh hym vnwise.
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 gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

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 land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 13:17
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Genesis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Genesis 17:16
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Genesis 17:21
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
Genesis 23:4
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
Genesis 28:4
And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
Genesis 48:4
And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens 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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