then your barns will be filled with plentyThis phrase suggests a promise of abundance and prosperity. In ancient agrarian societies, barns were essential for storing grain and other produce. A barn filled with plenty indicates a successful harvest, which was seen as a blessing from God. This reflects the covenantal promises found in
Deuteronomy 28:8, where obedience to God results in blessings on the storehouses. The imagery of full barns symbolizes not just material wealth but also divine favor and provision. It underscores the principle that honoring God with one's resources leads to His provision and care.
and your vats will overflow with new wine
Vats were used for pressing grapes and collecting wine, a staple in the diet and culture of the ancient Near East. Overflowing vats signify an abundance of wine, which in biblical times was a sign of joy and celebration (Psalm 104:15). This imagery is often associated with God's blessings and the joy that comes from His provision. The mention of "new wine" points to freshness and renewal, echoing the newness of life found in Christ (Matthew 9:17). The abundance of wine also has eschatological overtones, pointing to the Messianic age of prosperity and peace, as seen inAmos 9:13-14, where the mountains drip with sweet wine. This phrase, therefore, not only promises material blessings but also spiritual joy and fulfillment.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
SolomonTraditionally considered the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. He wrote Proverbs to impart wisdom and understanding.
2.
IsraelThe nation to whom the Proverbs were initially addressed. The agricultural imagery would have been very familiar to the Israelites, who relied heavily on farming and vineyards.
3.
Barns and VatsThese are symbols of abundance and prosperity in an agrarian society. Barns store grain, and vats hold wine, both essential commodities in ancient Israel.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's ProvisionProverbs 3:10 assures us that when we honor God with our resources, He promises to provide abundantly. This teaches us to trust in God's provision rather than our own understanding.
Principle of GenerosityThe verse implies a cause-and-effect relationship between honoring God and receiving blessings. It encourages believers to be generous and faithful stewards of their resources.
Spiritual and Material BlessingsWhile the verse speaks of material abundance, it also points to spiritual blessings. A life aligned with God's wisdom leads to both spiritual fulfillment and material needs being met.
Faithfulness in StewardshipThe imagery of barns and vats suggests careful management and stewardship. Believers are called to be diligent and responsible with what God provides.
God's FaithfulnessThe promise of abundance is a testament to God's faithfulness. It reassures believers that God honors His promises when we live according to His principles.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Proverbs 3:10?
2.How can we honor God to ensure "barns will be filled with plenty"?
3.What does Proverbs 3:10 teach about God's provision for faithful stewardship?
4.How does Proverbs 3:10 connect with Malachi 3:10 on blessings for obedience?
5.In what ways can we apply Proverbs 3:10 to our financial practices?
6.How does trusting God's provision in Proverbs 3:10 strengthen our faith journey?
7.How does Proverbs 3:10 relate to the concept of divine blessing and prosperity?
8.What historical context influenced the writing of Proverbs 3:10?
9.How does Proverbs 3:10 align with the overall message of the Book of Proverbs?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 3?
11.What do Bible verses say about abundance?
12.Proverbs 10:3 claims God prevents the righteous from going hungry--how do we reconcile this with starving believers throughout history?
13.Proverbs 3:9 commands honoring God with wealth--why do many faithful givers remain poor while the corrupt often thrive?
14.How can we wisely manage our resources and finances?What Does Proverbs 3:10 Mean
ThenThe word “then” links this promise to the command immediately before it: “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest” (Proverbs 3:9).
• Cause and effect: obedience precedes blessing, echoingDeuteronomy 28:1–2 andJohn 14:23.
• God invites His people to test His faithfulness in giving, much as inMalachi 3:10. When the Lord is honored first, the outcome that follows is guaranteed by His character.
Your barns will be filled with plenty• Literal picture: agricultural storehouses bulging with grain (Genesis 41:47–49).
• Principle: God supplies more than the basic need—“plenty.”Psalm 65:11 speaks of “abundance” as the mark of divine favor.
• Assurance:Proverbs 11:24–25 shows the generous person becoming richer, not poorer.
• Application: while the form of provision may vary—salary, opportunities, health—the promise stands: God makes sure His faithful stewards do not lack (2 Corinthians 9:8).
And your vats will overflow with new wine• Vats collect juice from the press; “overflow” signals surplus beyond capacity (Joel 2:24).
• “New wine” is the freshest, sweetest yield of the crop (Isaiah 65:8), symbolizing vitality and joy (Psalm 104:14–15).
• Spiritual dimension: God enriches both materially and experientially. Jesus echoed this fullness inLuke 6:38, promising a “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”
• Perspective: blessing is covenantal, not transactional; it flows from relationship, as seen inMatthew 6:33—“seek first the kingdom… and all these things will be added.”
summaryProverbs 3:10 promises tangible, overflowing provision to those who honor the Lord with their first and best. The sequence is simple: obedience, then abundance. God’s people can trust Him to transform faithful giving into more than enough—grain-packed barns and wine-brimming vats—testifying that He rewards those who put Him first.
(10)
Presses.--Or
vats,into which the newly pressed juice flowed: the "winefat" of
Mark 12:1. (Comp. the promise to follow upon payment of tithes,
Malachi 3:8-12.)
Verse 10. -
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. The promise held out to encourage the devotion of one's wealth to Jehovah's service, while supplying a motive which at first sight appears selfish and questionable, is in reality a trial of faith. Few persons find it easy to realize that giving away will increase their store (Wardlaw). The teacher is warranted in bringing forward this promise by the language of Moses in
Deuteronomy 28:1-8, whine, among other things, he promises that Jehovah will command a blessing upon the "storehouses" and industry of those who honour God. The principle is otherwise expressed in
Proverbs 11:25, "The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be also watered himself;" and it is exemplified in
Haggai 1:3-11;
Haggai 2:15, 19;
Malachi 3:10-12, and in the New Testament in
Philippians 4:14-19;
2 Corinthians 9:6-8.
Thy barns;
asameykha, the only form in which
asam, "a storehouse," "barn," or "granary," occurs. The Hebrew
asam is the same as the Latin
horreum (Vulgate) and the Greek
ταμιεῖον (LXX.).
With plenty (
sava); Vulgate,
saturitas;
i.e. fulness, abundance, plenty. The root
sava is "to become satisfied," and that richly satisfied. This expression and the following,
and thy presses shall burst out with new wine, depict the greatest abundance.
Thy presses (
y'kaveykhu). The word here translated "presses" is, strictly speaking," vats" or "reservoirs," into which the must from the wine press flowed. The wine press consisted of two parts, the
gath (equivalent to the Latin
torcularium, torculum, or
torcular; Greek,
ληνός,
Matthew 21:33), into which the grapes were collected from the surrounding vineyard, and there trodden underfoot by several persons (
Nehemiah 13:15:
Isaiah 63:3;
Lamentations 1:15), whose movements were regulated by singing or shouting (
Isaiah 16:10;
Jeremiah 48:33), as among the Greeks (see 'Athen.,' 5. p. 199,
a; Anacreon, 'Od.,' 17:1, 52; cf. Theocritus, 7:25) and Egyptians (Wilkinson, 'Man. and Cust.,' vol. 2. pp. 152-157); and the
yekev, used here, which was a trough of corresponding size, dug into the ground, or cut out of a rack, at a lower level, to receive the must. The
yekev corresponded with the Greek
ὑπολήνιον, mentioned in
Mark 12:l, and the Latin
lacus (Ovid, 'Fasti,' 5:888; Pliny, 'Epist.,' 9:20; 'Colum. de Rust.,' 12:18): Cajeterus, indeed, reads,
lacus torcularii. The word
yekev is, however, used for the wine press itself in
Job 24:11 and
2 Kings 6:27.
Shall burst out (
yiph'rotsu); literally,
they shall extend themselves;
i.e. shall overflow.
Parats, "to break," is here used metaphorically in the sense of "to be redundant," "to overflow" (cf.
2 Samuel 5:20). It is employed intransitively of a people spreading themselves abroad, or increasing, in
Genesis 28:14;
Exodus 1:12.
New wine (
tirosh); Vulgate, Arabic, and Syriac,
vino; LXX.,
οἴνῳ; properly, as in the Authorized Version, "new wine;" Latin,
mustum (see
Deuteronomy 33:28;
Isaiah 36:17;
Isaiah 55:1).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
then your barnsאֲסָמֶ֣יךָ(’ă·sā·me·ḵā)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 618:A storehousewill be filledוְיִמָּלְא֣וּ(wə·yim·mā·lə·’ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4390:To fill, be full ofwith plenty,שָׂבָ֑ע(śā·ḇā‘)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7647:Plenty, satietyand your vatsיְקָבֶ֥יךָ(yə·qā·ḇe·ḵā)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3342:A trough, a wine-vatwill overflowיִפְרֹֽצוּ׃(yip̄·rō·ṣū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6555:To break throughwith new wine.וְ֝תִיר֗וֹשׁ(wə·ṯî·rō·wōš)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8492:Must, fresh grape-juice, fermented wine
Links
Proverbs 3:10 NIVProverbs 3:10 NLTProverbs 3:10 ESVProverbs 3:10 NASBProverbs 3:10 KJV
Proverbs 3:10 BibleApps.comProverbs 3:10 Biblia ParalelaProverbs 3:10 Chinese BibleProverbs 3:10 French BibleProverbs 3:10 Catholic Bible
OT Poetry: Proverbs 3:10 So your barns will be filled (Prov. Pro Pr)