Proverbs 20:15

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
is	יֵ֣שׁ yesh	H3426	there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be · cardinal number, both genders singular absolute
gold	זָ֭הָב za.ho	H2091	gold · noun, common masculine singular absolute
multitude	וְרָב ve.rov-	H7230	abundance (in any respect) · conjunction + noun, common masculine singular construct
rubies	פְּנִינִ֑ים pe.ni.Nim	H6443	probably a pearl (as round) · noun, common masculine plural absolute
lips	שִׂפְתֵי sif.tei-	H8193	the lip (as a natural boundary) · noun, common feminine dual construct
knowledge	דָֽעַת Da.'at	H1847	knowledge · noun, common feminine singular absolute
precious	יְ֝קָ֗ר ye.Kar	H3366	value · noun, common masculine singular absolute
jewel	וּכְלִ֥י u.khe.Li	H3627	something prepared · conjunction + noun, common masculine singular construct

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Proverbs 8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
Proverbs 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order…
Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 20:15

The lips of knowledge (a good understanding to guide the lips and a good elocution to diffuse the knowledge) are to be preferred far before gold, and pearl, and rubies; for, 1. They are more rare in themselves, more scarce and hard to be got. There is gold in many a man's pocket that has no grace in his heart. In Solomon's time there was plenty of gold (Kg1 10:21) and abundance of rubies; every body wore them; they were to be bought in every town. But wisdom is a rare thing, a precious jewel; few have it so as to do good with it, nor is it to be purchased of the merchants. 2. They are more enriching to us and more adorning. They make us rich towards God, rich in good works, Ti1 2:9, Ti1 2:10…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 20:15

The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pro 3:14-16).

John Gill on Proverbs 20:15

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies,.... A man may have a large quantity of either, or of both of thorn, as some men have; for there is much of them in the world, not only in mines and quarries, but in the houses and cabinets of men; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel; knowledge even of things natural, and a gift of elocution to express it by, are a rare jewel, and much more precious than gold and rubies, than a multitude of them; these are not to be mentioned with it, it is not equalled by them, it is greatly superior to them; see Job 28:12; and much more spiritual knowledge, and a capacity of expressing that to the edification of others; and especially Christ, the Wisdom…

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Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 20:15

15 There is indeed gold, and many pearls; But a precious treasure are lips full of knowledge. In order to find a connection between this proverb and that which precedes, we need only be reminded of the parable of the merchantman who sought goodly pearls, Mat 13:45. The proverb rises to a climax: there is gold, and there are pearls in abundance, the one of which has always a higher value than the other; but intelligent lips are above all such jewels - they are a precious treasure, which gold and all pearls cannot equal. In a similar manner the N.T. places the one pearl above the many goodly pearls. So might דעת (chokma) be called the pearl above all pearls (Pro 3:15; Pro 8:11); but the lips a…

The Church Fathers

Gold and a multitude of gems, etc. This is the boast of the wise buyer, who, as long as he buys, says that what happens to him is bad: but when someone has hurt or offended the saints of God, and has not refrained from treating them like a vile servant according to his own pleasure, he will rejoice that he has wisely made his purchase. Likewise, the buyer of the heavenly kingdom will rejoice when he departs from here, finding that the lips of knowledge, that is, of spiritual doctrine, used in the acquiring of heavenly things, are to be compared to gold, gems, and precious vessels.
— Bede, Commentary on Proverbs

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Jewels · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Precious Stones · Called: Precious jewels — Called: Precious jewels
Ruby · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Speaking · WISDOM IN — WISDOM IN

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Proverbs 20:15

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 20:15

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 20:15

John Gill on Proverbs 20:15

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 20:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Proverbs 20:15

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 20:15

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 20:15

John Gill on Proverbs 20:15

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 20:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Proverbs 20:14

Rashi on Proverbs 20:14