Proverbs 8:11

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
wisdom	חָ֭כְמָה chokh.mah	H2451	wisdom (in a good sense) · noun, common feminine singular absolute
better	טוֹבָ֣ה to.Vah	H2896	good (as an adjective) in the widest sense · adjective, feminine singular absolute
rubies	מִפְּנִינִ֑ים mi.pe.ni.Nim	H6443	probably a pearl (as round) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural absolute
desired	חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים cha.fa.Tzim	H2656	pleasure · noun, common masculine plural absolute
compared	יִֽשְׁווּ yish.vu-	H7737	properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural

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 3:14-15 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Proverbs 4:5-7 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Psalms 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalms 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Job 28:15-19 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
Proverbs 20:15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8:1-11

The will of God revealed to us for our salvation is here largely represented to us as easy to be known and understood, that none may have an excuse for their ignorance or error, and as worthy to be embraced, that none may have an excuse for their carelessness and unbelief. I. The things revealed are easy to be known, for they belong to us and to our children (Deu 29:29), and we need not soar up to heaven, or dive into the depths, to get the knowledge of them (Deu 30:11), for they are published and proclaimed in some measure by the works of the creation (Psa 19:1), more fully by the consciences of men and the eternal reasons and rules of good and evil, but most clearly by Moses and the prophe…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 8:11

(Compare Pro 3:14-15).

John Gill on Proverbs 8:11

For wisdom is better than rubies,.... A sort of precious stones: or, "than precious stones" (z) in general; so the Targum and Septuagint, Arabic and Syriac versions; even than all of them, as the Vulgate Latin version; or, than "pearls" (a), or "carbuncles" (b): there are none equal to it, nor is it to be procured by them; see Job 28:16; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it; See Gill on Proverbs 3:15. (z) "gemmis", Baynus; "prae gemmis politis", Schultens. (a) "Margaritas", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis; "unionibus", Cocceius. (b) "Carbunculis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 8:10-12

Her self-commendation is continued in the resumed address: 10 "Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold! 11 For wisdom is better than corals, And all precious jewels do not equal her. 12 I, Wisdom, inhabit prudence, And the knowledge of right counsels is attainable by me." Instead of ולא־כּסף influenced by קחוּ, is ואל־כסף with תּקחוּ to be supplied; besides, with most Codd. and older editions, we are to accentuate קחוּ מוּסרי with the erasure of the Makkeph. "Such negations and prohibitions," Fleischer remarks, "are to be understood comparatively: instead of acquiring silver, rather acquire wisdom. Similar is the old Arabic 'l-nâr w-l'-'l-'âr, the fire…

The Church Fathers

It is written that "wisdom is better than stones of costly price; and all precious things are not comparable to her." For the wisdom that comes from above, from God, is an incomparable blessing. When we attain to it by means of the holy Scripture, which is inspired of God, and gain the divine light to dwell in our minds, we then advance without wandering, and we come toward whatever is useful for our spiritual profit. Come, therefore, and let us now also scrupulously examine the meaning of the Gospel lessons.
— Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 133

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

Rubies — Concerning the meaning of the Hebrew words translated “rubies” there is much difference of opinion. (Job 28:18) see also Prov 3:15; 8:11; 31:10 Some suppose “coral” to be in tended; others “pearl,”…
Ruby — (Heb. peninim), only in plural (Lam. 4:7). The ruby was one of the stones in the high priest’s breastplate (Ex. 28:17). A comparison is made between the value of wisdom and rubies (Job 28:18; Prov.…
Wisdom · .UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — .UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO

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 8:11

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8:1-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 8:11

John Gill on Proverbs 8:11

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 8:10-12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Proverbs 8:11

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8:1-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 8:11

John Gill on Proverbs 8:11

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 8:10-12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Proverbs 8:10-11

Rashi on Proverbs 8:11