Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;
Parallel Translations
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Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;
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Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
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Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner;
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to Proverbs 25:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Timothy 2:20-21 Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor. If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.
- Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
- Ezekiel 22:18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the middle of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.
- Isaiah 1:25-27 I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’ Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
- Malachi 3:2-3 “But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap; and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
- 1 Peter 1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain When vice is removed from a king, he is…
When vice is removed from a king, he is a meet vessel for the Lord’s use.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver,…
Pro 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Ver. 4. Take away the dross from the silver.] The holy prophets were not only most exactly seen in the peerless skill of divinity, but most exquisitely also furnished with the entire knowledge of all things natural. Hence their many similies wherewith they learnedly beautify their matter, and deck out their terms, words, and sentences, giving thereunto a certain kind of lively gesture, attiring the same with light, perspicuity, easiness, estimation, and dignity; stirring up thereby men’s drowsy minds to the acknowledgment of the truth, and pursuit of godliness.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Then, and not till then, it is fit for…
Then, and not till then, it is fit for that use.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain This shows that the vigorous endeavour of a prince…
This shows that the vigorous endeavour of a prince to suppress vice, and reform the manners of his people, is the most effectual way to support his government. Observe, 1. what the duty of magistrates is: To take away the wicked, to use their power for the terror of evil works and evil workers, not only to banish those that are vicious and profane from their presence, and forbid them the court, but so to frighten them and restrain them that they may not spread the infection of their wickedness among their subjects. This is called taking away the dross from the silver, which is done by the force of fire. Wicked people are the dross of a nation, the scum of the country, and, as such, to be taken away. If men will not take them away, God will, Psa 119:119. If the wicked be taken away from before the king, if he abandon them and show his detestation of their wicked courses, it will go far towards the disabling of them to do mischief. The reformation of the court will promote the reformation of the kingdom, Psa 101:3, Psa 101:8. 2. What the advantage will be of their doing this duty. (1.) It will be the bettering of the subjects; they shall be made like silver refined, fit to be made vessels of honour. (2.) It will be the settling of the prince. His throne shall be established in this righteousness, for God will bless his government, the people will be pliable to it, and so it will become durable.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Take away the dross from the silver,.... By putting…
Take away the dross from the silver,.... By putting it into the furnace, and purging it from it:
and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer; not out of the furnace, a vessel formed and shaped, but pure silver shall come out of it for the refiner; of which a vessel may be made, very honourable, beautiful, and fit for use: the application of it is in Pro 25:5.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Take away - Then, and not 'till then it…
Take away - Then, and not 'till then it is fit for that use.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. Take away the dross from the silver]…
Verse 4. Take away the dross from the silver] You cannot have a pure silver vessel till you have purified the silver; and no nation can have a king a public blessing till the wicked - all bad counsellors, wicked and interested ministers, and sycophants - are banished from the court and cabinet. When the wise and good only are the king's ministers and advisers, then the throne will be established in righteousness, and his administration be a universal blessing.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 25:4-5. Take away the dross from the silver,…
Pro 25:4-5. Take away the dross from the silver, &c. — When the dross is separated from the silver, and not before, it becomes so pliable, that the finer may cast or work it into what form he pleases; thus, take away the wicked from before the king — Remove from his court and counsels those who, by their wicked advices and practices, provoke God’s displeasure against him, blast his reputation, and alienate the hearts of his subjects from him, and his throne shall be established in righteousness — By such impartial execution of justice, his kingdom will be settled in peace, and his government become as durable as it will be beneficial.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain The finer produces "the vessel unto honor," by taking…
The finer produces "the vessel unto honor," by taking away the dross from the silver (Mal 3:2 ), which mars its beauty and purity. Such is the destructive influence of the wicked in the royal counsels.†1 Take them then away from before the king. Let him purify his court and government from this dross. Let him exclude it from high places. Let him discountenance it in authority at any cost.†2 David thus established his throne in righteousness,†3 and commended this resolution by his dying counsel to his wise son.†4 This is political wisdom on scriptural principles. If "righteousness exalteth a nation,"†5 the open acknowledgment of it is the sure path to national prosperity.†6 And will not the throne of our great King be established by the entire and eternal removal of the wicked?†7 In the great day of trial and decision shall I be found reprobate or purified silver? Lord! let me, under the refiner’s hand, be "purified, and purged as gold and silver, that I may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness" in that day. (Mal 3:3 .)
Footnotes:
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†1 1Ki 12:10-16 . 2Ch 24:17-24 .
†2 Pro 20:8, Pro 20:26 .
†3 Psa 101:4-8.
†4 1Ki 2:5-6, 1Ki 2:32-33, 1Ki 2:44-45 .
†5 Pro 14:34.
†6 1Ki 15:13 . 2Ch 14:1-7 .
†7 Mal 3:17-18. Mat 13:41-43 ; Mat 25:31-46 .
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain As separating impurities from ore leaves pure silver, so…
As separating impurities from ore leaves pure silver, so taking from a king wicked counsellors leaves a wise and beneficent government.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4, 5. Take away the dross, etc. — Let…
4, 5. Take away the dross, etc. — Let wicked counsellors and companions be removed from the king, and their places filled with good men, and the government will be established by equity and justice. A good proverb this for kings, and all who are in authority. Compare Pro_16:12; Pro_20:8; Pro_29:14.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. a vessel for the finer] Such pure metal…
4. a vessel for the finer] Such pure metal as the refiner, who has with that very object taken away the dross, can make into a goodly vessel or vase. Egredietur vas purissimum, Vulg.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) And there shall come forth a vessel for…
(4) And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.—Or, So there results a vessel to the refiner, or silversmith. He is able to make one.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 4, 5. A tetrastich in an emblematical form.
Vers. 4, 5. A tetrastich in an emblematical form.
Take away the dross from the silver. Silver was most extensively used by the Hebrews (see "Dictionary of the Bible," sub voc.), whether obtained from native mines or imported from foreign countries, and the process of separating the ore from the extraneous matters mixed with it was well known. (Psa_12:6 Eze_22:20, etc.; see on Pro_17:3) And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer (tsaraph); the goldsmith. The pure silver is ready for the artist s work, who from this material can make a beautiful vessel. Septuagint, "Beat untested silver, and all shall be made entirely pure," where the allusion is to the process of reducing minerals by lamination.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Take away the dross from the silver, and there…
Pro_25:4-5
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
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Purifying fires
No text in Scripture brings out with equal distinctness the higher office of affliction, i.e.,, to develop in us preparation for a true usefulness. The object of furnace fires is not to melt the precious metal, or even to release the dross, but to make the metal ready for the purposes of manufacture. Not the silver ingot, however, but the silver vessel, is the object of the assayer. When God tries His children, it is not simply that they shall come forth as gold, glorious as is purity of character, but that they may be both ready to be shaped for His purposes and capable of being used to fulfil His will. Paul seems to refer to this proverb in 2Ti_2:19-21, the only other passage in which the same truth is taught by the same figure. (Homiletic Review.)
Take away the wicked from before the king.
The removal of wicked men from influential positions
This shows that the vigorous endeavour of a prince to suppress vice, and reform the manners of his people is the most effectual way to support his government.
I. What the duty of magistrates is. To take away the wicked; to use their power for the terror of evil works and evil-workers, to banish those from the court who are vicious and profane, and to frighten them, and restrain them from spreading the infection of their wickedness among the people. Wicked people are the dross of a nation.
II. The advantage of doing this duty.
1. It will be the bettering of their subjects. They shall be made like silver refined; fit to be made vessels of honour.
2. It will be the settling of the prince. His throne shall be established in this righteousness, for God will bless his government, the people will be pliable to it, and so it will become durable. (Matthew Henry.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 the material in a metal that people do not…
dross
the material in a metal that people do not want and they remove by heating the metal
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his throne will be established by doing
The throne is a metonym for the power to rule. These words can be translated in active form. AT: "the king will establish his throne by doing" or "he will have the power to rule because he does" (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)
translationWords
silver
evil
king
throne
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 25:4-5 As silver is ready for use once it…
25:4-5 As silver is ready for use once it is refined of impurities, the king’s court can do justice when wicked people are removed. A little bit of evil can spoil much good (Eccl 10:1).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.