Proverbs 3:9
“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Within Proverbs 3's call to wholehearted devotion, verse 9 applies that devotion to material life, urging the reader to honor God with possessions and the first portion of all income.
What Does Proverbs 3:9 Mean?
We honor God not only with words but with our wealth, giving Him the first and best. This verse moves wisdom from the realm of thought into the realm of the wallet. "Substance" refers to one's material possessions, and "firstfruits" recalls the practice of bringing the earliest and finest portion of a harvest to God before keeping the rest.
The command to honor God with "the firstfruits of all thine increase" carries a deliberate order: God receives the first portion, not the leftovers. In an agricultural world, giving the firstfruits was an act of faith -- trusting that God who provided the first crop would provide the full harvest. The principle reaches every form of income and gain. To give God the first and best declares that He is the true source of all we have and that gratitude, not anxiety, governs our handling of money. This is worship expressed through generosity. The next verse promises abundant provision in response, but the heart of the matter is honor: how we treat our possessions reveals how we regard God. Putting Him first with our resources is one of the most practical ways the reverence described throughout Proverbs becomes visible in everyday life.
In the Original Language
"Honour" renders kabad, to give weight, esteem, or glory. "Firstfruits" is re'shit, the first and best portion, the same word used for the beginning in Proverbs 1:7.
Cross References
“So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
- Proverbs 3:10
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts.”
- Malachi 3:10
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give... for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:7
Application
Give God the first and best of your income as an act of worship and trust, rather than offering Him only what is left over.