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Thursday, October 24th, 2024
the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Proverbs 14:1

The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Family;   Fool;   Wife;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Virtues;   Wise;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Wisdom;   Women;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Crib;   Proverbs, Book of;   Rhetoric;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Women;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Buildeth;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Update Bible Version
Every wise woman builds her house; But the foolish plucks it down with her own hands.
New Century Version
A wise woman strengthens her family, but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.
New English Translation
Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
World English Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Amplified Bible
The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives], But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].
English Standard Version
The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A wijs womman bildith hir hous; and an unwijs womman schal distrie with hondis an hous bildid.
English Revised Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Berean Standard Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Contemporary English Version
A woman's family is held together by her wisdom, but it can be destroyed by her foolishness.
American Standard Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Bible in Basic English
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
Complete Jewish Bible
Every wise woman builds up her home, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Darby Translation
The wisdom of women buildeth their house; but folly plucketh it down with her hands.
Easy-to-Read Version
A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
King James Version (1611)
Euery wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it downe with her hands.
New Life Bible
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
New Revised Standard
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne handes.
George Lamsa Translation
A WISE woman builds her house; but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Good News Translation
Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Every, wise woman, buildeth up her house, but, a foolish one, with her own hands, would break it down.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
Revised Standard Version
Wisdom builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wyse women vpholde their house: but a foolishe wyfe plucketh it downe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs hers down with her hands.
Christian Standard Bible®
Every wise woman builds her house,
Hebrew Names Version
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
King James Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Lexham English Bible
The wisest of women builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
Literal Translation
A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her own hands.
Young's Literal Translation
Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse woma vpholdeth hir house, but a foolish wife plucketh it downe.
THE MESSAGE
Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.
New American Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Legacy Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house,But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands.

Contextual Overview

1 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wise: Proverbs 24:3, Proverbs 24:4, Proverbs 31:10-31, Ruth 4:11

the foolish: Proverbs 9:13-15, Proverbs 19:13, Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 21:19, 1 Kings 16:31, 1 Kings 21:24, 1 Kings 21:25, 2 Kings 11:1

Reciprocal: Exodus 35:25 - General 1 Samuel 25:3 - good 2 Samuel 7:11 - he will make Proverbs 12:4 - virtuous Proverbs 12:7 - the house Proverbs 31:27 - General Ecclesiastes 10:18 - General Matthew 7:26 - doeth 1 Timothy 5:14 - guide

Cross-References

Genesis 10:22
The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
Genesis 11:2
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
Isaiah 11:11
It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 21:2
A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease.
Isaiah 22:6
Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield.
Isaiah 37:12
Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
Jeremiah 25:25
all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes;
Ezekiel 32:24
"There is Elam and all her multitude, All around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, Who caused their terror in the land of the living; Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.
Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
11 And he said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; [fn] when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every wise woman buildeth her house,.... Not only by her fruitfulness, as Leah and Rachel built up the house of Israel; but by her good housewifery, prudent economy; looking well to the ways of her household; guiding the affairs of her house with discretion; keeping all things in a good decorum; and bringing up her children in virtue, and in the fear and admonition of the Lord. So Christ, who in this book goes by the name of "Wisdom", or the wise woman, builds his house upon himself, the Rock; and all his people on their most holy faith, by means of the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances: he guides and governs his house, where he is, as a Son in it and over it; and of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, taken care of, and wisely and plentifully provided for: and so Gospel ministers, who are wise to win souls, being well instructed in the kingdom of God; these "wise women" y, so it is in the original text, or wise virgins; these wise master builders lay the foundation Christ ministerially, and build souls on it; and speak things to the edification of the church and people of God, and the building of them up in faith and holiness;

but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "being built"; this she does by her idleness and laziness; by her lavish and profuse way of living; by her negligence and want of economy; by her frequenting playhouses, and attention to other diversions; and so her family and the affairs of it go to wreck and ruin. Thus the apostate church of Rome, who is called a "woman", and may be said to be a "foolish" one, being a wicked one and a harlot; see Revelation 17:2; pulls down the true church and house of God with both hands, as much as in her lies, by her false doctrines, and superstitious worship and idolatry; and by her murders and massacres of the saints, with the blood of whom she is said to be drunk; nay, not only pulls it down with her hands, but treads upon it with her feet,

Revelation 11:2. So likewise all false teachers do as this foolish woman does, by their impure lives and impious doctrines, defile the temple of God, subvert the faith of many; by means of whom the tabernacle of David, or house of God, is fallen down; the ruins and breaches of which Christ will repair in the latter day.

y חכמות נשים "sapientes mulieres", Munster, Baynus; so the Septuagint and Arabic versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every wise woman - literally, Wise women. The fullest recognition that has as yet met us of the importance of woman, for good or evil, in all human society.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIV

Various moral sentiments. The antithesis between wisdom and

folly, and the different effects of each.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV

Verse Proverbs 14:1. Every wise woman buildeth her house — By her prudent and industrious management she increases property in the family, furniture in the house, and food and raiment for her household. This is the true building of a house. The thriftless wife acts differently, and the opposite is the result. Household furniture, far from being increased, is dilapidated; and her household are ill-fed, ill-clothed, and worse educated.


 
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