EGW → Biblical Foundation
Select an Ellen White book from the sidebar to see each passage mapped to the Bible verses it amplifies, cites, or echoes.
Scripture Index
Ellen White & Bible Cross-Reference
Proverbs 10:4
"He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."
"The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; and those who are diligent in business may not always be prospered. But it is “the hand of the diligent” that “maketh rich.” And while indolence and drowsiness grieve the Holy Spirit and destroy true godliness, they also tend to poverty and want. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand.” Proverbs 10:4 . CT 278.1"
EGW quotes Proverbs 10:4 directly, making this an explicit allusion and a direct principle.
"offensive; but a pure, flowing brook spreads health and gladness over the land. A man of persevering industry will be a blessing anywhere. The exercise of man's physical and mental powers is necessary to their full and proper development. 4T 410.1"
Both passages highlight the value of diligence and industry. The EGW passage uses the metaphor of a flowing brook to illustrate the positive impact of perseverance, while Proverbs 10:4 directly contrasts diligence with a slack hand, leading to wealth versus poverty.
"The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph's care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God, and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained. God was glorified by the faithfulness of His servant. It was His purpose that in purity and uprightness the believer in God should appear in marked contrast to the worshipers of idols—that thus the light of heavenly grace might shine forth amid the darkness of heathenism. PP 214.4"
The EGW passage illustrates the principle of diligence leading to prosperity, attributing Joseph's success to both his hard work and God's blessing, which aligns with the proverb's teaching.
“When we began our work at this school, eight years ago, the students were earning about $2,000 a year in the industrial work; that is, they were working sufficient to receive a credit of $2,000 a year. That work has steadily grown from that day to this, until, when our last statement was drawn, September 30, 1908, it was shown that the students, during the preceding year, had earned $20,000 on their education.” [Note.—At the 1913 General Conference, Professor Machlan reported continued prosperity in the industrial departments at Avondale. “The industrial feature of the college,” he declared, “is a most interesting as well as a most valuable one. Last year fifty-five per cent of the students paid their entire expenses in labor, thirty-five per cent paid one half their school fees, while only ten per cent were full-paying students.”] (Church and Sabbath School Bulletin, 1913, 154.)] ... Since the inauguration of the ‘Christ's Object Lessons’ work, we have never called for a penny of don…
The EGW passage describes the growth of the students' earnings through industrial work at the Avondale school. Proverbs 10:4 contrasts the poverty of the slack hand with the wealth produced by diligence. Both passages connect diligence and hard work with prosperity and financial gain.
"The proverb, “The world owes me a living,” has in it the essence of falsehood, fraud, and robbery. The world owes no man a living who is able to work and gain a living for himself. But if one comes to our door and asks for food, we should not turn him away hungry. His poverty may be the result of misfortune. 6T 278.2"
Both passages contrast diligence and poverty. The proverb speaks of the consequences of laziness, while EGW speaks against the entitlement mentality of expecting a living without working. The connection is thematic, focusing on the value of work.
Proverbs 10:5
"He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame."
"Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. Only let the moments be treasured. A few moments here and a few there, that might be frittered away in aimless talk; the morning hours so often wasted in bed; the time spent in traveling on trams or railway cars, or waiting at the station; the moments of waiting for meals, waiting for those who are tardy in keeping an appointment—if a book were kept at hand, and these fragments of time were improved in study, reading, or careful thought, what might not be accomplished. A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness. COL 343.4"
Both passages emphasize the importance of using time wisely. Proverbs 10:5 contrasts the wise son who gathers in summer with the shameful son who sleeps during harvest. EGW similarly contrasts using small fragments of time productively with wasting them. The core idea of diligence and avoiding sloth is shared.
Proverbs 10:12
"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."
"I wish my position to be clearly understood. I have no sympathy with the course that has been pursued toward Brother -----. The enemy has encouraged feelings of hatred in the hearts of many. The errors committed by him have been reported from one person to another, constantly growing in magnitude, as busy, gossiping tongues added fuel to the fire. Parents who have never felt the care which they should feel for the souls of their children, and who have never given them proper restraint and instruction, are the very ones who manifest the most bitter opposition when their children are restrained, reproved, or corrected at school. Some of these children are a disgrace to the church and a disgrace to the name of Adventists. 5T 51.3"
The description of hatred being stirred up and errors being magnified through gossip aligns with the principle that love covers all sins, while hatred stirs up strife.
Proverbs 10:19
"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."
We may deny Christ by our worldly conversation and by our pride of apparel. You have a circle of friends who are a snare to you and to your children. You love their companionship. Through association with them, you are led to dress yourselves and your children after the fashions followed by those who have no fear of God before their eyes. You thus show that you have friendship with the world. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.” Does your intercourse with these friends incline you to visit the closet and ask divine love and grace, or does it estrange your mind from God? And your dear children—what is your neglect of their eternal interests doing for them? Your example has encouraged them to hurry on the life journey with heedless presumption or with blind self-confidence, having no fixed religious principles to guide them. They have no conscientious regard for the Sabbath, or for the claims of God in any respect; they do not love Christian duties, and are straying further…
EGW directly quotes Proverbs 10:19.
"Parents, tender and affectionate as they were, loved their children too wisely to accustom them to self- indulgence. Before them was a life of trial and hardship, perhaps a martyr's death. They were educated from childhood to endure hardness, to submit to control, and yet to think and act for themselves. Very early they were taught to bear responsibilities, to be guarded in speech, and to understand the wisdom of silence. One indiscreet word let fall in the hearing of their enemies might imperil not only the life of the speaker, but the lives of hundreds of his brethren; for as wolves hunting their prey did the enemies of truth pursue those who dared to claim freedom of religious faith. GC 67.2"
EGW's statement about being 'guarded in speech' and understanding 'the wisdom of silence' directly reflects the principle articulated in Proverbs 10:19 about the dangers of excessive talking and the value of restraint.
Proverbs 10:22
"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."
"“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 . Ed 142.7"
EGW directly quotes Proverbs 10:22.
"“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, And He addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 . CT 385.6"
Ellen White directly references Proverbs 10:22 in this passage.
"“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, And He addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 22:17-21 ; Psalm 78:5, 4, 6, 7 ; Proverbs 10:22 . MH 448.2"
Ellen White directly references Proverbs 10:22 in this passage.
"Whenever pride and ambition are indulged, the life is marred, for pride, feeling no need, closes the heart against the infinite blessings of Heaven. He who makes self-glorification his aim will find himself destitute of the grace of God, through whose efficiency the truest riches and the most satisfying joys are won. But he who gives all and does all for Christ will know the fulfillment of the promise, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 . With the gentle touch of grace the Saviour banishes from the soul unrest and unholy ambition, changing enmity to love and unbelief to confidence. When He speaks to the soul, saying, “Follow Me,” the spell of the world's enchantment is broken. At the sound of His voice the spirit of greed and ambition flees from the heart, and men arise, emancipated, to follow Him. PK 60.2"
The EGW passage directly quotes Proverbs 10:22: “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.”