Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 11:4
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
4. in the day of wrath ] “While the words are true in their highest sense of the great ‘Dies ir’ of the future, they speak in the first instance, as do the like words in Zep 1:15-18, of any ‘day of the Lord,’ any time of judgement, when men or nations receive the chastisement of their sins. At such times ‘riches profit not.’ ” Speaker’s Comm.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The day of wrath – Words true in their highest sense of the great diesirae of the future, but spoken in the first instance (compare Zep 1:15-18) of any day of the Lord, any time of judgment, when men or nations receive the chastisement of their sins. At such a time riches profit not.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath] Among men they can do all things; but they cannot purchase the remission of sins, nor turn aside the wrath of God when that is poured out upon the opulent transgressor.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the day of wrath; in the time of Gods judgments, when he is executing wrath and vengeance upon sinners.
Righteousness, or mercy, as this word is oft rendered; or charity to the poor, which is fitly opposed to riches laid up in store.
Delivereth from death; it moveth God to deliver them ofttimes from temporal calamities, and always from eternal death, where such actions are done from a right principle.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. (Compare Pr10:2).
wraththat is, of God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Riches profit not in the day of wrath,…. When God takes away the soul, and summons to judgment, and brings to it; and as riches profited not Rome Pagan, in the day of the Lamb’s wrath upon it; so neither will they profit Rome Papal, when it will come in remembrance before God, to give it the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath; see Re 6:15;
but righteousness delivereth from death; from the curse of a corporeal death; from the power of a spiritual one; and from dying the second or an eternal one; [See comments on Pr 10:2]; the Targum is,
“from an evil death.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Three proverbs in praise of :
4 Possessions are of no profit in the day of wrath;
But righteousness delivereth from death.
That which is new here, is only that possessions and goods ( vid., regarding , p. 63) are destitute of all value in the day of the ; for , the day of wrath breaking through the limits (of long-suffering), has the same meaning as in the prophets; and such prophetic words as Isa 10:3; Zep 1:18, and, almost in the same words, Eze 7:19, are altogether similar to this proverb. The lxx, which translates , harmonizes in expression with Sir. 5:8, cf. 2:2. Theodotion translates , Pro 27:10, by (providence, fate).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Note, 1. The day of death will be a day of wrath. It is a messenger of God’s wrath; therefore when Moses had meditated on man’s mortality he takes occasion thence to admire the power of God’s anger, Ps. cx. 11. It is a debt owing, not to nature, but to God’s justice. After death the judgment, and that is a day of wrath, Rev. vi. 17. 2. Riches will stand men in no stead that day. They will neither put by the stroke nor ease the pain, much less take out the sting; what profit will this world’s birth-rights be of then? In the day of public judgments riches often expose men rather than protect them, Ezek. vii. 19. 3. It is righteousness only that will deliver from the evil of death. A good conscience will make death easy, and take off the terror of it; it is the privilege of the righteous only not to be hurt of the second death, and so not much hurt by the first.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Deliverance and Doom
(Pro 11:4)
Verse 4 declares that riches, much sought by men, will be worth nothing in the day of wrath, Luk 12:15-21; Luk 16:19-26; but righteousness delivers from death, Pro 14:32; Gen 7:1; Rom 4:5-8. (See also comment on Pro 10:2-3. )
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) In the day of wrath.Riches profit in no day of wrath when God visits His people to take account of their evil doings; much less will they avail in the day (1Co. 3:13).
Righteousness delivereth from death.See above on Pro. 10:2.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Riches profit not Are of no use.
In the day of wrath That is, of divine wrath; so the word is often used. Compare Job 21:30; Eze 7:19; Zep 1:18; Pro 10:2-3. It probably refers to great calamities, such as war, pestilence, or famine.
But righteousness (often) delivereth from death This is almost the same as ch. Pro 10:2. The author may have had some particular case in his mind (easily conceived) which illustrated it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Triumph Of Righteousness And The Sad End Of Unrighteousness ( Pro 11:4-8 ).
These next five verses lay great emphasis on the advantages of righteousness (obedience to YHWH’s requirements). Righteousness delivers from death and judgment (Pro 11:4), it directs men in the right way (Pro 11:5), and it delivers them out of trouble (Pro 11:6). In contrast the unrighteous face the day of wrath (Pro 11:4), will fall by their own evildoing (Pro 11:5), will be taken captive by covetousness (Pro 11:6), and will discover that their expectations are groundless (Pro 11:7) They will experience the day of trouble.
The subsection is closely connected with the previous one (note the upright in 3a, 6a, and the treacherous in 3b, 6b), and focuses on being ‘delivered, snatched away’ (natsal) from death (4b, 6b). It is also connected with the following subsection by reference to ‘deliverance’ (chalats) in Pro 11:8 a, 9 b.
The subsection can be presented chiastically:
A Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (Pro 11:4)
B The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness (Pro 11:5).
B The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be captured by covetousness (Pro 11:6).
A When a wicked man dies, his expectation perish, and the expectation arising from strength perishes (Pro 11:7).
Note that in A the righteous man is delivered from death, but riches do not profit in the day of wrath, whilst in the parallel the expectation of the unrighteous proves useless and perishes. In B the righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, whilst the unrighteous will fall as a result of their own evildoing, whilst in the parallel the righteousness of the upright will deliver them, whilst the treacherous will be enslaved by covetousness and will take the place of the righteous, presumably in death.
Pro 11:4
‘Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death.’
This verse puts Pro 10:15 into perspective. ‘Riches do not profit in the day of wrath.’ It is thus not the wealth of the wise man which is his fortress city, it is his righteousness. It is the fact that he walks in accordance with God’s wisdom. In Pro 10:15 his wealth was simply a sign that he had so responded to God’s wisdom.
It will be noted that the riches mentioned here are more general. They apply both to the unrighteous (Pro 1:13 where they are hoped for riches; Pro 6:31) and the righteous (Pro 8:18). Such riches are of no profit to anyone on the day of wrath, the day when troubles come on men from YHWH as illustrated in Pro 1:26-31; Pro 2:22; Pro 3:25; Pro 6:15; Pro 7:22-23; Pro 7:26-27; Pro 8:36 b; personalised in Pro 6:34. In that day wealth will be of no value. Men’s expectations will die with them (Pro 11:7). The only thing that will matter in that day will be the protection of YHWH. For the assumption is being made that YHWH will watch over the righteous and deliver them from death.
Solomon thus puts riches into perspective. There are the riches which abound to the righteous because they walk wisely with God, which are a by-product of their righteousness, and there are the riches which are obtained by wresting them from others (Pro 1:11-19) or by using false balances (Pro 11:1). In the latter case they are their main aim in life, not simply a by-product of living wisely. But in neither case will those riches benefit them in the day of wrath. God will then look at their hearts and see if they have walked with Him. It was this paradox that caused the disciples such problems in the case of the rich young ruler (Mar 10:23-31).
Pro 11:5-6
‘The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.’
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will be captured by covetousness.’
These two parallel verses describe the two different kinds of people who will face the day of wrath, and explains why each will be treated in the way they are. The blameless and upright will be guided by their righteousness in the right way and will be delivered, not by their riches, but by the One Who upholds the righteous. In contrast the evildoer (wicked) and the treacherous will fall as a result of their own evildoing. They have nothing by which to direct their way and find themselves stumbling and falling in the by-paths in which they find themselves (compare Pro 7:26; Pro 3:23; Pro 4:12; Pro 4:19; Pro 2:13-15). Furthermore they will be taken captive as a consequence of their own greed and covetousness (compare Pro 1:11-19; Pro 11:1). Their greed has taken them over, and they will have brought the wrath upon themselves.
Pro 11:7
‘When a wicked man dies, his expectation perish,
And the expectation arising from strength perishes.’
The unrighteous (‘wicked’) man is now brought into the foreground. He lives in expectation of good things, and especially so if he is strong and wealthy, but he will die and his expectations will perish, whatever prompts them. In that day all his vaunted strength will be of no avail. His riches will do him no good (Pro 11:4).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Pro 11:4
2Ki 9:8, “For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:”
Ahab had killed many of the prophets of God. But when he coveted the vineyard of Naboth the Jezerelite and took another man’s possessions by murder, God sent Elijah to speak judgment upon him The prophet told King Ahab that in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs also lick his blood. Because Ahab humbled himself, this prophecy was fulfilled in Ahab’s son (1Ki 21:29, 2Ki 9:25).
1Ki 21:29, “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.”
2Ki 9:25, “Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;”
Pro 11:4 Comments – In this life, a man who lives by earthly wisdom believes that there is security in wealth. He believes that when he works and saves and becomes wealthy, that his problems will be taken care of. We find a similar statement of this divine truth in Pro 10:2-3. But the truth is that wealth gotten by ill means brings more problems. This is why the Scriptures says, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.” (Pro 15:16) The place of greatest peace and provision is walking in God’s will for our lives. For example, in the days of Noah, even rich men perished in the flood; only Noah and His family lived, and this was because his righteousness.
Gen 7:1, “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”
In 1Sa 25:1-44, the man Nabal was judged and died because he did not give to those in need.
The entirety of Psalms 49 deals with this subject of unrighteous men who trusted in riches.
Psa 49:6-7, “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:”
This Psalm tells us that these people think that their posterity and their name will continue forever. Although they will go to the grave and their riches and glory will not follow them, God will redeem the righteous from the grave.
Psa 49:15, “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”
When God judged the children of Israel during the days of Ezekiel, they threw their silver in the street, because it could not save them from destruction.
Eze 7:19, “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.”
Jesus teaches that our soul is worth more than the wealth of this entire world.
Mat 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?”
In the story of the rich fool found in Luk 12:13-21, we learn that life does not consist in the abundance of our wealth. We are to beware of covetousness and not to worry about our needs being met, for God will take care of us.
Luk 12:20, “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus warns us of trusting in our riches (Luk 16:19-31. For riches can easily become a stumbling block to heaven.
Luk 18:25, “For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
The Scriptures teach that these riches will not only be of no benefit, they will actually be used as a testimony that brings greater judgment upon the wicked. In Jas 5:1-6 God tells the rich man that his riches, gathered by robbing the wages of the poor, will stand as a witness against him on the Day of Judgment.
Jas 5:1-3, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”
Pro 11:4 Scripture References – Note other similar verses in the book of Proverbs:
Pro 10:2-3, “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.”
Pro 11:28, “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”
Note similar verses in the Scriptures:
Job 36:17, “But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.”
Jer 9:23, “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:”
Zep 1:18, “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
v. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Ver. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. ] Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath. Zep 1:18 Isa 13:7 Yea, they carried away the richer Jews, when the poorer sort were left to till the land. 2Ki 24:14 The great Caliph of Babylon, whom all the Mohammedan princes honoured above all others, as the true successor of Mohammed, and the grand oracle of their law, being taken together with his city by the great Cham of Tartary, was by him set in the midst of his infinite treasure, and willed to feed thereon, and make no spare; in which order, the covetous wretch, being kept for certain days, miserably died for hunger, in the midst of those things, whereof he thought he should never have enough. a Wherefore should I die, being so rich? said that wretched Cardinal Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, in Henry VI’s time. Fie, quoth he, will not death be hired? will money do nothing? b His riches could not reprieve him.
But righteousness delivereth from death.
a Turk. Hist., fol. 113.
b Acts and Mon., fol. 925.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the day, &c. The day of [God’s] wrath.
delivereth = rescueth. Hebrew. nazal here and in Pro 11:9, but not in verses: Pro 11:8, Pro 11:9, or 21.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 11:4
Pro 11:4
“Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.”
The Good News Bible rendered “day of wrath” here as “day of death”; but in the light of Rev 6:17, that day is “the day of the wrath of God,” the judgment day. In this interpretation, the “day of death” from which righteousness delivers is the “second death.” It is also true that riches are of no value in the day of death.
Pro 11:4. Clarke: Among men they can do all things; but they cannot purchase the remission of sins, nor turn aside the wrath of God when that is poured out. Observe this fact in 1Pe 1:18; Pro 10:2; Eze 7:19; Zep 1:18. If one could gain the whole world, he could not redeem his lost soul by offering it to God at judgment (Mar 8:36-37). But righteousness has a great bearing on ones being delivered when God raises to punish (Gen 7:1; 2Pe 2:5; 2Pe 2:7).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Riches: Pro 10:2, Job 36:18, Job 36:19, Psa 49:6-8, Eze 7:19, Zep 1:18, Mat 16:26, Luk 12:20
but: Pro 12:28, Gen 7:1, Rom 5:17, 1Ti 4:8
Reciprocal: Gen 7:23 – and Noah Job 20:28 – and his goods Job 21:30 – day Psa 49:9 – That he Psa 49:10 – leave Pro 8:18 – and righteousness Pro 11:19 – righteousness Pro 18:11 – General Ecc 5:13 – riches Ecc 7:12 – the excellency Isa 10:3 – where Jer 9:23 – rich Jer 48:36 – the riches Eze 14:14 – deliver Eze 27:27 – Thy riches Zec 9:4 – the Lord Mat 6:19 – General Rom 2:5 – the day Jam 5:1 – ye Jam 5:20 – from death
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 11:4-6. Riches profit not in the day of wrath In the time of Gods judgments, when he is executing vengeance upon sinners; but righteousness delivereth, &c. See note on Pro 10:2. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct, &c. Shall bring all his designs and endeavours to a happy issue, and deliver him from many snares and dangers, Pro 11:6.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Riches do not profit in the day of God’s wrath (cf. Job 21:30; Eze 7:19; Zep 1:18). [Note: Whybray, The Book . . ., p. 67.]