Proverbs 8 · a question people ask
"With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity" (8:18). Does loving wisdom make you rich?
Wisdom says it: "With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity" (8:18), and "that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries" (8:21). In Hebrew prosperity in 8:18 is tsedaqah, the word of righteousness in "I walk in the way of righteousness" (8:20). Brown-Driver-Briggs gives it as "righteousness", and Strong's gives "rightness", and "figuratively (prosperity)". In the same speech she sets herself above riches: "Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold" (8:10), and "My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold" (8:19). The chapter doesn't say how or when she gives it. Elsewhere the book says, "Better is little, with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble" (15:16), and "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich" (28:6). These notes quote 8:18 and 8:21 as Wisdom's words; they don't make them a promise of money to anyone, and don't explain them away.
The verses
“Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.”
“With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice, that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.”
“Better is little, with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble.”
“Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.”