01 Nov What The Bible Says About: Money

Become wealthy

Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (Genesis 13:2)

The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. (Genesis 24:35)

The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. (Genesis 26:13)

In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. (Genesis 30:43)

Not made rich by men

that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ (Genesis 14:23)

From slaves to having great possessions

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. (Genesis 15:14)

Bought with money

For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. (Genesis 17:12-13)

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. (Genesis 17:23)

God will prosper you

Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ (Genesis 32:9)

But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” (Genesis 32:12)

Received money by betrayal

So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. (Genesis 37:28)

Money is just a tool, same silver causes different emotions and perceived intentions

Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them (Genesis 42:25) At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:27-28)

As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. (Genesis 42:35)

Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. (Genesis 43:12) So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. (Genesis 43:15)

Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.” (Genesis 43:18)

But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.” “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. (Genesis 43:21-23)

Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said. (Genesis 44:1-2)

We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? (Genesis 44:8)

To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. (Genesis 45:22)

Normal usage of money

Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.” 16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” (Genesis 47:14-16)

When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. (Genesis 47:18)

Asked for silver and gold

Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold. (Exodus 11:2)

The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. (Exodus 12:35)

Without payment of money

If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money. (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭21‬:‭11)

Fair use of money

If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭21‬:‭35)

But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss. (Exodus 22:15)

gods of gold

Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” (Exodus 32:2)

So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” (Exodus 32:24)

So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. (Exodus 32:31)

Gold in Tabernacle

From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; (Exodus 35:5)

All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. (Exodus 35:22)

to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, (Exodus 35:32)

Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit. (Exodus 36:13)

They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold. (Exodus 36:34)

They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. (Exodus 36:36)

and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze. (Exodus 36:38)