Bible Strands
Proverbs 22:4
The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — A wisdom teacher addressing a student within the miscellaneous collection of Proverbs 22–24, where sayings are loosely grouped by theme rather than narrative.
The words — עֵקֶב ('eqev) means "consequence of" and frames the entire verse as a causal statement: what follows is the result, not a separate gift.
The thread — Matthew 6:33 inverts the order (seek the kingdom first, and "all these things" follow); James 4:10 pairs humility with exaltation; Psalms 34:9 ties fear of the LORD directly to material sufficiency.
Why it lands — The verse does not command wealth or long life; it identifies them as the natural outgrowth of a particular posture, so the reader is asked to examine whether their pursuit of those things is actually a pursuit of the posture that produces them.
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
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.
Cross-references
- Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
- Psalms 34:9 Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.
- Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
- Psalms 112:1 Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
- Proverbs 3:16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
- Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
- James 4:6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- 1 Timothy 4:8 For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.