Proverbs 21:6 - The King's Heart

Audio Bible

Context

The King's Heart
…5The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty. 6Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. 7The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.…

Cross References

James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.Matthew 16:26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?Luke 12:15-21
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” / Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ...Mark 8:36
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?Ecclesiastes 5:10-11
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. / When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?Jeremiah 17:11
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.”Micah 6:10-12
Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed? / Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights? / For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.Habakkuk 2:6-9
Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’ / Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. / Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers. ...Psalm 62:10
Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.1 Timothy 6:17-19
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.Proverbs 10:2
Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.Proverbs 13:11
Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.Proverbs 28:8
He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.Ezekiel 22:13
Now look, I strike My hands together against your unjust gain and against the blood you have shed in your midst.

Proverbs 10:2
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

Proverbs 13:11
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

Proverbs 20:14,21
It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth…

seek

Proverbs 8:36
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

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Proverbs 21

Making a fortune by a lying tongue
This phrase highlights the moral and ethical implications of acquiring wealth through deceit. In biblical context, honesty and integrity are highly valued, as seen in the Ten Commandments, which prohibit bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16). The Bible consistently warns against dishonest gain, emphasizing that God detests lying lips (Proverbs 12:22). Historically, deceitful practices in trade and commerce were common, yet the biblical narrative calls for fairness and truthfulness. This principle is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus teaches about the dangers of wealth obtained through unrighteous means (Luke 16:10-13).

is a vanishing mist
The imagery of a "vanishing mist" suggests the fleeting and insubstantial nature of wealth gained through deceit. This metaphor is consistent with biblical teachings that emphasize the temporary nature of earthly riches (James 4:14). The mist represents something that appears substantial but quickly dissipates, illustrating the futility of relying on dishonest wealth. This concept is reinforced in Ecclesiastes, where the pursuit of wealth is described as "vanity" and "chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

a deadly pursuit
The phrase "a deadly pursuit" underscores the spiritual and moral dangers associated with dishonest gain. In biblical terms, the pursuit of wealth at the expense of integrity leads to spiritual death and separation from God. This is reflected in the teachings of Jesus, who warns that one cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). The pursuit of wealth through deceit is not only morally wrong but also leads to destructive consequences, as seen in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied about their possessions and faced dire consequences (Acts 5:1-11). This serves as a cautionary tale about the ultimate cost of dishonest pursuits.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Solomon
Traditionally regarded as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. His proverbs often address moral and ethical living.

2. Ancient Israel
The cultural and historical context of Proverbs is ancient Israel, where wisdom literature was a key part of teaching and guiding the community in righteous living.

3. The Deceptive Person
This refers to individuals who use deceit to gain wealth, a common theme in wisdom literature warning against unethical behavior.

Teaching Points

The Futility of Dishonest Gain
Wealth obtained through deceit is temporary and ultimately unsatisfying. It is like a mist that vanishes, offering no lasting security or peace.

The Moral Consequences of Deceit
Engaging in deceitful practices not only harms others but also leads to spiritual and moral decay. It is a "deadly pursuit" that can lead to one's downfall.

The Value of Integrity
True prosperity comes from living a life of integrity and righteousness. God honors those who are honest and upright in their dealings.

The Eternal Perspective
Christians are called to focus on eternal values rather than temporary wealth. Our actions should reflect our faith and trust in God's provision.

Guarding Against Temptation
Believers must be vigilant against the temptation to use dishonest means for personal gain. Regular self-examination and accountability can help maintain integrity.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 21What does the Bible say about seeking fame?What does the Bible say about earthly treasures?Psalm 73:3 says the wicked prosper, yet other passages (e.g., Psalm 1:3) promise prosperity for the righteous--how do we reconcile this contradiction?What does 'If the Lord wills' mean?

(6) Is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.--Rather, is (as) the driven (fleeting) breath of those who are seeking death. They are seeking in reality not riches, but death, and these riches will vanish like their own breath. (Comp. Wisdom Of Solomon 5:14; Psalm 68:2).

Verse 6. - The getting of treasures by a lying tongue - the acquisition of wealth by fraud and falsehood - is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. The latter clause is variously rendered and interpreted. The Hebrew is literally, a fleeting breath, those seeking death. The Revised Version makes the last words a separate proposition, "They that seek them seek death." But this seems unnecessary, and somewhat opposed to the gnomic style, which often combines two predicates in one construction; and there is no reason why we should not render the words, as in the Authorized Version, "of seekers of death." Such a mode of obtaining wealth is as evanescent and unstable as the very breath, and ends in death, which is practically the result of their quest. Thus Wisd. 5:14, "The hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blown away with the wind; like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm; like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with the tempest, and passeth away. as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day." Some think that the comparison regards the mirage of the desert, which deceives travellers with the phantasms of cool waters and refreshing shade. Such an allusion is found in Isaiah 35:7. The Talmud enjoins, "Speak no word that accords not with the truth, that thy honour may not vanish as the waters of a brook." The Septuagint and Vulgate have followed a different reading (מוק שׁי־מות), and render thus: Vulgate, Vanus et excors est, et impingetur ad laqueos mortis, "He is vain and foolish, and will be taken in the snares of death;" Septuagint, "pursues vain things unto the snares of death (ἐπὶ παγίδας)" (Proverbs 13:14; Proverbs 14:27). So St. Paul says (1 Timothy 6:9), "They that desire to be rich fall into a into a temptation and a snare (παγίδα), and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition." Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Making
פֹּ֣עַל (pō·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6467: Doing, deed, work

a fortune
א֭וֹצָרוֹת (’ō·w·ṣā·rō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 214: Treasure, store, a treasury, storehouse

by a lying
שָׁ֑קֶר (šā·qer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

tongue
בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן (bil·šō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 3956: The tongue

is a vanishing
נִ֝דָּ֗ף (nid·dāp̄)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5086: To shove asunder, disperse

mist,
הֶ֥בֶל (he·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

a deadly
מָֽוֶת׃ (mā·weṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin

pursuit.
מְבַקְשֵׁי־ (mə·ḇaq·šê-)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

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