Proverbs 23:5Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon's court scribes record wisdom teachings for young nobles learning to govern. Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: experienced wisdom from watching countless people chase illusions
The original word
hōn (הוֹן) — wealth that seems solid but proves fleeting
Why it matters
Eagles were symbols of swift departure in ancient Near East - wealth disappearing faster than the fastest bird
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 23:5
The Hebrew literally says wealth 'makes wings for itself' - it actively seeks to escape
Common misconceptionPeople think this forbids all wealth, but it warns against setting your 'eyes' (Hebrew: focus, desire) on wealth as your security.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 23:5
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 23:5 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 23:5 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include vanity, impermanence. Notable phrases: sprouts wings like an eagle; flies in the sky.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 23:5 mean to you, today?
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