Proverbs 22:1 · Bible study
Proverbs 22:1 Commentary: Study: The Value of a Good Name and Grace
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of 'a good name' and 'loving favor' in Proverbs 22:1. Hebrew insights from commentaries on reputation and wealth.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A good reputation and genuine favor are worth more than great wealth.
- Key words: shem (name/reputation), chen (favor/grace), tov (good), osher (riches), kesef (silver), zahav (gold).
- Main debate: Whether the adjective 'good' is implied in Hebrew or must be supplied; most agree the context requires it.
- Theological theme: Priority of character and divine/human grace over material accumulation; fear of the Lord as the root of both.
- Best use: A key text for sermons on priorities, stewardship, or Christian ethics; effective as a memory verse for children or new believers.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
KJV King James Version 1769
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Agoodname is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favor rather than silver and gold.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold--good grace.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
DE más estima es la buena fama que las muchas riquezas; y la buena gracia más que la plata y el oro.
É preferível ter um bom nome do que muitas riquezas; e ser favorecido é melhor que a prata e o o ouro.
La réputation est préférable à de grandes richesses,
Ein guter Ruf ist köstlicher denn großer Reichtum, und Gunst besser denn Silber und Gold.
De naam is uitgelezener dan grote rijkdom, de goede gunst dan zilver en dan goud.
La buona riputazione è da preferirsi alle molte ricchezze; e la stima, all’argento e all’oro.
Lepsze jest dobre imię, niż bogactwa wielkie; a przyjaźń lepsza, niż srebro i złoto.
Доброе имя лучше большого богатства, и добрая слава лучше серебра и золота.
美名 勝過 大 財；恩 寵 強如金 銀。
A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 22:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic meaning of this proverb: a good reputation and genuine favor are worth more than great wealth. The Hebrew word for 'name,' shem (H8034), appears without the adjective 'good' in the original text. As Adam Clarke explains, 'name' itself can carry the sense of 'reputation, credit, fame,' much like the English expression 'he has a name.' The word 'good' is supplied by the Septuagint, Vulgate, and other ancient versions, and most modern translations follow suit because the context demands it. For the second clause, the Hebrew chen (H2580, 'favor, grace') is paired with tov ('good'). Keil and Delitzsch note a chiastic structure: the first line ends with 'great riches,' and the second line ends with 'good grace', both are the objects being compared. Gill and Matthew Henry both observe that 'loving favor' includes favor with God and with people, a grace that no amount of silver or gold can buy. The point is not that wealth is evil, but that character and relational standing are far more precious.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse unequivocally ranks a good reputation and grace higher than material wealth.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'name' in the original Hebrew | All commentators agree that <em>shem</em> (name) here refers to reputation, honor, and good standing, not simply a personal identifier. | Some (Barnes, Keil) argue that 'good' is unnecessary in Hebrew because <em>shem</em> alone implies good repute; others (most English translations, many commentators) supply 'good' as the most natural interpretation. |
| Scope of 'loving favor' | The phrase encompasses both divine favor (grace from God) and human favor (kind regard from others). | Some (Gill, Matthew Henry) emphasize divine grace more heavily, citing parallels like Luke 2:52. Others (Wesley, Cambridge Bible) focus primarily on interpersonal goodwill. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Proverbs belongs to the wisdom literature of ancient Israel, written primarily for training in character and practical godliness. In the ancient Near East, a person's name was not a mere label; it carried the full weight of reputation, honor, and legacy. To 'have a name' meant to be known for one's integrity, skill, or moral standing (compare Job 30:8, where 'men without a name' means ignoble outcasts). This cultural background makes the first line immediately resonant: a good name is better than great riches because it secures what wealth cannot, trust, respect, and lasting memory.
The second line uses chen, 'favor' or 'grace.' This word appears frequently in Proverbs to describe both divine and human acceptance (e.g., 3:4; 13:15). In a society where survival often depended on patronage and community ties, favor was a social asset as tangible as silver or gold. Yet the proverb pushes beyond pragmatics: the grace that wins favor with God and the wise is a gift of character, not a commodity.
Verse 2 immediately follows with a reminder that both rich and poor share a common Creator, grounding the entire chapter in a worldview where God alone gives true worth. The surrounding proverbs (vv. 3, 5) continue the theme of prudence, humility, and the fear of the Lord as the path to real honor and life. This verse sits at the head of the chapter as a foundational claim: before we pursue wealth or status, we should prize a good name and loving favor.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Proverbs 22:1 is well-established. The word 'good' is absent from the Masoretic Text but is added by the Targum, Septuagint, and Vulgate. This insertion is not a textual variant in the strict sense but a clarification. The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variations that affect the meaning.
Reception History
This proverb has been widely cited across Jewish and Christian traditions. The apocryphal book of Sirach (41:12) echoes it: 'Have regard for your name, for it will outlast a thousand great treasures of gold.' Rabbinic literature, as noted by Keil and Delitzsch, also values a good name above all else (Mishnah Avot 4:17). Early Christian writers used the verse to encourage believers to prioritize character and neighborly love over material gain. Matthew Henry (1710) connected the first line to the duty of seeking a good reputation for God's glory, and the second line to the example of Christ, who 'had no silver or gold' but grew in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). In later centuries, the verse became a staple in sermons on stewardship and Christian ethics, reminding congregations that true wealth is measured by grace, not gold.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A name beyond the label. In Hebrew, shem alone can mean a good reputation. Your name is your legacy before God and others.
- Favor over finance. Chen (grace, favor) is more valuable than silver and gold. This favor comes from God and from people of integrity.
- Wealth is secondary. The proverb does not condemn riches but sets a clear priority: character and relationships are first.
Five-point outline
- The nature of a name. Hebrew shem encompasses reputation, honor, and identity (Ecclesiastes 7:1).
- Why character outlasts cash. Riches can vanish overnight; a good name endures beyond the grave.
- Loving favor, what is it? Chen means grace, kindness, acceptance. It is better to be loved than to be rich.
- Wealth without wisdom is empty. Many wealthy people have no name, but the person of character can open doors that money cannot.
- The test of true success. How do you measure your life? By bank balance or by the good you have done and the grace you have shown?
Illustration hooks
- A tradesman known for honesty who never goes hungry for work, while a sharper but wealthier rival struggles for trust.
- A woman who forgives a debt and wins a friend for life, while another hoards her money and loses every relationship.
- The difference between a legacy etched on a tombstone ('benevolent father') and one measured only by the size of an inheritance.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I build a good name without becoming proud or image-conscious?
- Does this verse mean I should not pursue financial success at all?
- How can I cultivate 'loving favor' in a world that sees kindness as weakness?
Leading a Discussion
This passage strikes at the heart of how we measure success. In a culture that often equates worth with wealth, Proverbs 22:1 invites a radical reordering of priorities. Read the verse aloud together, then let the questions guide your group’s conversation.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase 'a good name' mean in your own experience? Give an example of someone whose name carries weight.
- The Hebrew word shem can mean reputation or fame. How is biblical 'name' different from modern fame?
- Read Ecclesiastes 7:1. How does that verse reinforce or expand the message here?
- What kinds of 'favor' (grace, kindness) are more valuable to you than money? Why?
- Think of a time you gained something you wanted through integrity and relationship, not through money. What made that more satisfying?
- How can we as a group help each other prioritize character over cash in practical, daily decisions?
- Where is the hardest place for you to resist the pull of valuing wealth over reputation or grace?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 1:47 | Moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne;’ and the king bowed himself on the bed. |
| Ecclesiastes 7:1 | A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth. |
| Luke 10:20 | Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” |
| Acts 7:10 | and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house. |
| Philippians 4:3 | Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. |
| Hebrews 11:39 | These all, having been commended for their faith, didn’t receive the promise, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke defines a good name as reputation and credit, not just a label. He argues that character holds practical value because a person of proven integrity wields more influence through his word alone than a rich man does through his wealth.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the word "good" is not present in the original Hebrew; the term "name" alone in Hebrew already carries the idea of a good reputation. He observes that the marginal reading offers a better translation of the verse's second clause.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold this view see a good name as something lasting far longer than any wealth. It endures with a person much longer than thousands of gold treasures. This gives hope that what we do to keep our name pure will bring lasting benefit.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note restates the verse plainly to drive home its point: a good reputation and the affection of others are worth more than any amount of silver or gold. It treats this as a straightforward moral directive, not a suggestion.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes the "good name" here from ordinary reputation: it is a spiritual name among God's people, a new name from God that outlasts earthly wealth. He reads "loving favor" as divine grace, which surpasses silver and gold and cannot be bought with any money.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that a good name comes from God as mentioned in Job 30:8 and also in Ecclesianes 7:1. Loving favour refers to kind regard shown by wise and good people.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch note that a good name is superior to great wealth because grace holds more value than silver or gold. Some ancient texts mention a good name alone while later ones add the word good to it.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange's Commentary argues that in this verse, "good" is not an adjective describing "favor" but a predicate meaning "better," making the two clauses parallel. The word "name" alone implies a good name, as in Ecclesiastes 7:1, so the contrast is between a good reputation and material wealth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues a good reputation is more valuable than wealth because it implies wisdom and honesty, brings glory to God, and allows a person to recommend religion to others. Loving favor, being well esteemed by those around us, is better than silver and gold—Christ himself grew in favor with God and people.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley defines this favour as a good reputation among upright people, especially those who are themselves good. He specifies that it includes the genuine, heartfelt kindness that naturally accompanies such regard. For him, this favour is not mere popularity but is rooted in moral character and sincere goodwill.