Reference: Wealth
Hastings
This word is used in Scripture occasionally in the Elizabethan and primary sense of 'well-being' (e.g. 1Sa 2:32; Es 10:3 etc.), but generally in the more usual sense of affluent possessions (e.g. Ge 34:29; De 8:17-18; Ac 19:25 etc.).
1. Palestine is described in De 8:7-8 as rich not only in cereal but also in mineral wealth; but this may be a description more poetic than literal. It is, however, frequently spoken of as 'flowing with milk and honey' (Ex 3:8, etc. etc.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
(Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.)
They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.
I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land of brooks, springs, and fountains flowing forth in valleys and hills, a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates, of olive trees and honey,
Be careful not to say, "My own ability and skill have gotten me this wealth." You must remember the Lord your God, for he is the one who gives ability to get wealth; if you do this he will confirm his covenant that he made by oath to your ancestors, even as he has to this day.
You will see trouble in my dwelling place! Israel will experience blessings, but there will not be an old man in your house for all time.
There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
But Barzillai was very old -- eighty years old, in fact -- and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants.
He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts. Not so with the wicked! Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
Their land is full of gold and silver; there is no end to their wealth. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of worthless idols; they worship the product of their own hands, what their own fingers have fashioned.
So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard!
Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, those who keep drinking long after dark until they are intoxicated with wine.
Therefore my people will be deported because of their lack of understanding. Their leaders will have nothing to eat, their masses will have nothing to drink.
They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited.
If a lying windbag should come and say, 'I'll promise you blessings of wine and beer,' he would be just the right preacher for these people!
For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
no bag for the journey, or an extra tunic, or sandals or staff, for the worker deserves his provisions.
The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.
"For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.
Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.
Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't his sisters here with us?" And so they took offense at him.
As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, "You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much -- homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.
and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod's household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.
Do not carry a money bag, a traveler's bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road.
But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God."
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!" Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham!
Therefore he said, "A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
He said to them, "But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler's bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.
All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.
For there was no one needy among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales and placing them at the apostles' feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need. read more. So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated "son of encouragement"), sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and placed it at the apostles' feet.
Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!"
He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business.
For "physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come."
Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
Command those who are rich in this world's goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. read more. In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.
My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, read more. do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, "You sit here in a good place," and to the poor person, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor"? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. read more. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
Because you say, "I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing," but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,