Bible Strands
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — A wisdom teacher (traditionally Solomon) addresses a student within a series of antithetical proverbs contrasting the fates of the righteous and the wicked (13:21–23).
The words — יַנְחִיל (yan.Chil, Hiphil of נחל) is an active "he causes to inherit," a deliberate transfer of estate. צָפוּן (tza.Fun) means "stored up, hidden," suggesting the sinner's wealth is not destroyed but hoarded for another's claim.
The thread — Proverbs 28:8 repeats the same pattern: wealth gained by usury is laid up for one who is kind to the poor. Job 27:16 and Ecclesiastes 2:26 frame the sinner's accumulation as temporary and ultimately assigned to another.
Why it lands — It removes the illusion that ill-gotten wealth is secure; the sinner's estate is not his to keep. The reader is asked to weigh what "good" actually produces across generations against what sin merely accumulates for a season.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Cross-references
- Ecclesiastes 2:26 To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Job 27:16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
- Proverbs 28:8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.
- Psalms 37:25 I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.
- Psalms 112:2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
- Genesis 17:7 I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
- Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.
- Ezra 9:12 Now, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, leaving it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’
- Psalms 128:6 that you may see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
- Psalms 102:28 The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”