PRO 18

Proverbs 18:11

WEB

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

BSB

A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.

KJV

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

Matthew Henry

Verse 11

Proverbs 18:11

Having described the firm and faithful defence of the righteous man (Pro 18:10), Solomon here shows what is the false and deceitful defence of the rich man, that has his portion and treasure in the things of this world, and sets his heart upon them. His wealth is as much his confidence, and he expects as much from it, as a godly man from his God. See, 1. How he supports himself. He makes his wealth his city, where he dwells, where he rules, with a great deal of self-complacency, as if he had a whole city under his command. It is his strong city, in which he intrenches himself, and then sets danger at defiance, as if nothing could hurt him. His scales are his pride; his wealth is his wall in which he encloses himself, and he thinks it a high wall, which cannot be scaled or got over, Job 31:24; Rev 18:7. 2. How herein he cheats himself. It is a strong city, and a high wall, but it is so only in his own conceit; it will not prove to be really so, but like the house built on the sand, which will fail the builder when he most needs it.

Cross-references: Prov 18:10 · Job 31:24 · Rev 18:7

Hebrew interlinear

H1952

הוֹןhôwn/hone/

n-m — wealth, enough

Derivation: from the same as 1951 in the sense of 202;

wealth; by implication, enough

KJV: enough, for nought, riches, substance, wealth.

הוֹן

n.m — wealth

הוֹן n.m. wealth, sufficiency (poet., almost wholly WisdLt, especially Pr)

H6223

עָשִׁירʻâshîyr/aw-sheer'/

n-m — rich, noble

Derivation: from 6238;

rich, whether literal or figurative (noble)

KJV: rich (man).

עָשִׁיר

n. m — rich

עָשִׁיר rich; usu. n. m. the rich

H7151

קִרְיָהqiryâh/kir-yaw'/

n-f — city

Derivation: from 7136 in the sense of flooring, i.e. building;

a city

KJV: city.

קִרְיָה

n.f — town

קִרְיָה n.f. town, city

H5797

עֹזʻôz/oze/

n-m — strength, force, security, majesty, praise

Derivation: or (fully) עוֹז; from 5810;

strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise)

KJV: boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong.

עֹז

n.m — strength

עֹז, and (rarely) עוֹז n.m. strength, might

1. material and physical

2. personal, social, and political

3. might of י׳

4. = boldness, impudence

5. = stronghold

H2346

חוֹמָהchôwmâh/kho-maw'/

n-f — wall

Derivation: feminine active participle of an unused root apparently meaning to join;

a wall of protection

KJV: wall, walled.

חוֹמָה

n.f — wall

חוֹמָה 133 n.f. wall (as protection)

1. usu. term for wall of city

2. wall of a building

3. fig. of waters of Red Sea

H7682

שָׂגַבsâgab/saw-gab'/

v — be, make, lofty, inaccessible, safe, strong

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be (causatively, make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong; used literally and figuratively

KJV: defend, exalt, be excellent, (be, set on) high, lofty, be safe, set up (on high), be too strong.

שָׂגַב

vb — be high

[שָׂגַב] vb. be (inaccessibly) high

Qal

1. of city, be (too) high for capture

2. be high in prosperity

Niph.

1. be high

2. be (safely) set on high

3. be exalted

Pi.

1. set (securely) on high

2. exalt

Pu. be set (securely) on high

Hiph. God acts exaltedly

H4906

מַשְׂכִּיתmaskîyth/mas-keeth'/

n-f — figure, imagination

Derivation: from the same as 7906;

a figure (carved on stone, the wall, or any object); figuratively, imagination

KJV: conceit, image(-ry), picture, × wish.

מַשְׂכִּית

n.f — show-piece

מַשְׂכִּית n.f. show-piece, figure, imagination

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