Proverbs 21:26There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don't withhold.
The setting
Ancient Israel's royal court, ~950 BC. Solomon observing daily human behavior in Jerusalem, Israel...
The emotion here: wise observation mixed with concern for human nature
The original word
ḥāmad (חמד) — intense desire that leads to coveting what belongs to others
Why it matters
Solomon collected 25 tons of gold annually in taxes, giving him unique insight into greed
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 21:26
The Hebrew contrasts 'all day long' coveting with spontaneous, joyful giving
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about being wealthy versus poor, but it's about the heart attitude - you can covet with $10 or $10 million.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 21:26
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 21:26 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 21:26 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include generosity, greed. Notable phrases: covet greedily; righteous give.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 21:26 mean to you, today?
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