Honor the LORD with your wealthThis phrase emphasizes the importance of recognizing God as the source of all blessings and resources. In the ancient Near Eastern context, wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favor. The act of honoring God with one's wealth is a demonstration of gratitude and acknowledgment of His sovereignty. This principle is echoed in other scriptures, such as
Malachi 3:10, where God invites His people to bring tithes into the storehouse. The concept of honoring God with material possessions is also seen in the New Testament, where Jesus teaches about the proper use of wealth in parables like the Rich Fool (
Luke 12:16-21).
and with the firstfruits of all your crops;
The offering of firstfruits was a practice deeply rooted in Israelite tradition, as seen inLeviticus 23:10 andDeuteronomy 26:1-11. It involved giving the first and best portion of the harvest to God, symbolizing trust in His provision for the future. This act of faith was not only a religious duty but also a cultural expression of reliance on God's continued blessing. The firstfruits offering is a type of Christ, who is referred to as the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" in1 Corinthians 15:20, indicating His preeminence and the promise of resurrection for believers.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
SolomonTraditionally regarded as 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.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing His eternal nature and faithfulness to His people.
3.
IsraelThe nation to whom the Proverbs were originally addressed, a people in covenant relationship with God, called to live according to His laws and wisdom.
4.
FirstfruitsIn ancient Israel, the first portion of the harvest was offered to God as an act of worship and acknowledgment of His provision.
5.
HarvestThe gathering of crops, which in an agrarian society, was a primary source of wealth and sustenance.
Teaching Points
Honoring God with Our ResourcesThe act of honoring God with our wealth is a recognition of His sovereignty and provision in our lives. It is an acknowledgment that everything we have comes from Him.
The Principle of FirstfruitsOffering the firstfruits signifies giving God the best and the first of what we have, not the leftovers. It is a demonstration of trust in His continued provision.
Stewardship and GenerosityAs stewards of God's resources, we are called to manage them wisely and generously. This includes supporting the work of the church and helping those in need.
Faith and Trust in God's ProvisionBy giving the firstfruits, we exercise faith, trusting that God will provide for our needs even as we give away a portion of what we have.
Reflecting God's CharacterOur giving should reflect God's generosity and love. As we honor Him with our wealth, we become conduits of His blessings to others.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Proverbs 3:9?
2.How can we "honor the LORD with your wealth" in today's society?
3.What does "firstfruits of all your harvest" symbolize in our daily lives?
4.How does Proverbs 3:9 connect with Malachi 3:10 on tithing?
5.Why is prioritizing God with our resources crucial for spiritual growth?
6.How can honoring God with wealth impact our relationship with Him and others?
7.What does "Honor the LORD with your wealth" mean in Proverbs 3:9?
8.How does Proverbs 3:9 challenge modern views on wealth and materialism?
9.Why is honoring God with wealth emphasized in Proverbs 3:9?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 3?
11.How can you honor the Lord with your wealth?
12.Proverbs 3:9 commands honoring God with wealth—why do many faithful givers remain poor while the corrupt often thrive?
13.How can you honor the Lord with your wealth?
14.What is the offertory?What Does Proverbs 3:9 Mean
Honor• “Honor” means treating someone as weighty and worthy. In Scripture the verb always calls for action, not mere sentiment. God Himself says, “I will honor those who honor Me” (1 Samuel 2:30).
• Honoring the LORD is more than lip service;Malachi 1:6 rebukes priests who spoke piously yet brought blemished offerings.
• Each choice we make with money either adds to—or subtracts from—the honor due His name.
the LORD• The object of this honor is not an abstract idea of divinity but “the LORD,” the covenant-keeping God revealed in Scripture. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).
•Deuteronomy 6:5 commands wholehearted love for Him; honoring Him financially flows naturally from that devotion.
• Because He owns everything (Psalm 24:1), acknowledging His lordship over our resources is simply living in reality.
with your wealth• Wealth here is whatever God has placed in your hands: salary, savings, property, time, skills. “Remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
• David models this perspective: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand” (1 Chronicles 29:14).
• Practical ways to honor Him:
– Budget with giving as the first line, not the leftover.
– Use possessions to serve others, reflecting the generosity of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
– Guard against hoarding; stewardship, not accumulation, is the goal.
and with the firstfruits• Firstfruits are the very first portion of a harvest, offered before any personal use.Exodus 23:19 commands, “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your land to the house of the LORD your God.”
• Giving first demonstrates trust. Before you know how big the final yield will be, you acknowledge that provision ultimately comes from Him.
• It also declares priority: God is not an afterthought in the budget; He is first place.
of all your crops• “All” widens the scope. Nothing is excluded—grain, fruit, vegetables, flocks, today’s paycheck, or tomorrow’s investment bonus.
•Deuteronomy 26:2 instructs Israel to bring “some of the firstfruits of all that you have produced,” reinforcing totality.
• The promise attached inProverbs 3:10—“then your barns will be filled with plenty”—shows that God’s blessing rests on comprehensive obedience, not selective generosity.
summaryHonoring the LORD begins in the heart but shows up in the checkbook. Because He is the covenant God who owns everything, we treat Him as supremely valuable by giving the first and best of all we possess. Trusting His promise, we hold resources with open hands, confident that the One who supplies seed to the sower will also fill barns and overflow vats for His glory.
Verse 9. -
Honour the Lord with thy substance, etc. An exhortation to self-sacrificing devotion by the appropriation and use of wealth to the service of Jehovah.
With thy substance (
mehonehka); Vulgate,
de tua substantia; LXX.,
ἀπὸ σῶν δικαίων πόνων.
Hon, properly "lightness," is "opulence," "wealth," as in
Proverbs 1:13. The
min in composition with
hon is not partitive, as Delitzsch and Berthean take it, but signifies "with" or "by means of," as in
Psalm 38:7;
Isaiah 58:12;
Ezekiel 28:18;
Obadiah 1:9. The insertion of
δικαίος by the LXX. limits the wealth to that which is justly acquired, and so guards against the erroneous idea that God is honoured by the appropriation to his use of unlawful wealth or gain (Plumptre). The Israelites "honoured Jehovah with their substance" when they contributed towards the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and later when they assisted in the preparations for the building of the temple, and in the payment of tithes. The injunction may undoubtedly refer to tithes, and is in accordance with the requirement of the Mosaic Law on that and other points as to oblations, free will offerings, etc.; but it has a wider bearing and contemplates the use of wealth for all pious and charitable purposes (see
Proverbs 14:31). The word
maaser, "tithe," does not occur in the Proverbs.
With the firstfruits (
mere-shith); Vulgate,
de primitiis. So Targum Jonathan, Syriac, and Arabic. The law of the firstfruits is found in
Exodus 22:29;
Exodus 23:19;
Exodus 34:20;
Leviticus 23:10;
Numbers 18:12:
Deuteronomy 18:4;
Deuteronomy 26:1-3. The firstfruits were presented by every Israelite to the priests, in token of gratitude and humble thankfulness to Jehovah, and consisted of the produce of the land in its natural state, or prepared for human food (Maclear, 'Old Test. Hist.,' bk. 4, c. 3,
a). The "firstfruits" also carried with it the idea of the best. The custom of offering the firstfruits of the field and other revenues as a religious obligation was observed by ancient pagan nations (see Diod. Sic., 1:14; Plut., 'De Iside,' p. 377; Pliny, 'Hist. Nat.,' 18:2 (Zockler). Some of the ancient commentators find in this verse an argument for the support of the ministry. It is well known that the priests "lived of the sacrifice," and were "partakers of the altar," and as their support by these means tended to the maintenance of Divine worship, so those who supported them were in the highest degree "honoring God." The injunctions also show that the honouring of God does not consist simply of lip service, of humility and confidence in him, but also of external worship, and in corporeal things. They are not peculiar to Israel, but are binding on all. They oppose all
selfish use of God's temporal gifts, and lead to the thought that, in obeying them, we are only giving back to God what are his own. "The silver and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:28).
"We give thee but thine own,
Whate'er the gift may be;
All that we have is thine shine,
A trust, O Lord, from thee."
(Day's 'Psalter.')
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Honorכַּבֵּ֣ד(kab·bêḏ)Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3513:To be heavy, weighty, or burdensomethe LORDיְ֭הוָה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelwith your wealthמֵהוֹנֶ֑ךָ(mê·hō·w·ne·ḵā)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1952:Wealth, sufficiencyand with the firstfruitsוּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית(ū·mê·rê·šîṯ)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7225:The first, in place, time, order, rankof allכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everyyour harvest;תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃(tə·ḇū·’ā·ṯe·ḵā)Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8393:Product, revenue
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OT Poetry: Proverbs 3:9 Honor Yahweh with your substance (Prov. Pro Pr) 
