Prosper / Prosperity in Scripture

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Define how Scripture uses the “prosper/prosperity” idea across Hebrew and Greek, distinguishing material wealth, well-being/peace, success, flourishing, and spiritual/gospel prosperity. Show representative verses for each sense (including Ps 72:7; Prov 13:21).

I. Lexical Inventory (core roots and ranges)

Hebrew (OT)

  • צָלַח (tsālaḥ) — “to prosper, succeed, advance; cause to prosper.” Often task-success under God’s hand (Gen 39:2–3; Josh 1:8; Ps 1:3; Isa 53:10; 55:11).

  • שָׁלוֹם (shalôm) — “peace, wholeness, welfare, well-being,” sometimes rendered “prosperity” (Ps 72:7; 73:3; Jer 29:11).

  • שַׁלְוָה (shalvâ) — “ease, security, quiet prosperity” (Ps 30:6 [ESV “prosperity”]).

  • טוֹב (ṭôb) — “good, benefit, well-being,” sometimes translated “prosperity” contextually (Prov 13:21b; cf. 16:20).

  • עָשַׁר / עֹשֶׁר (‘āshar / ‘osher) — “to be/become rich; riches” (Prov 10:22; 22:4).

  • שָׂכַל (śākal) — “act wisely; have success” (Josh 1:8 “good success”).

  • דָּשֵׁן (dāshen) — “to be made fat, luxuriant,” idiom for being well supplied/“prosper” (Prov 28:25).

Greek (NT)

  • εὐοδόω (euodoō) — “to prosper, succeed; have a prosperous journey” (Rom 1:10; 1 Cor 16:2; 3 John 2).

  • εἰρήνη (eirēnē) — “peace/well-being” (NT correlate of shalôm)—sometimes the practical content of prosperity (e.g., Rom 15:13).

  • πλουτέω / πλοῦτος (plouteō / ploutos) — “to be rich; wealth” (Luke 12:21; 2 Cor 8:9; 1 Tim 6:9–10).

Fallacy guard. Do not import every gloss into every verse (“illegitimate totality transfer”). Let context fix sense.

II. Sense-by-Sense Uses with Representative Verses

A) Task/Plan Success (God-enabled “it works/it advances”)

  • Gen 39:2–3 — “The LORD was with Joseph… the LORD made all he did to prosper (הִצְלִיחַ).”

  • Josh 1:8 — Meditating/doing Torah: “then you will make your way prosperous (תַצְלִיחַ) and then you will have good success (תַשְׂכִּיל).”

  • Ps 1:3 — The righteous “in all he does, he prospers (יַצְלִיחַ).”

  • Isa 55:11 — God’s word “shall prosper (הִצְלִיחָה) in the thing for which I sent it.”

  • Isa 53:10 — “The will of the LORD shall prosper (יִצְלַח) in his hand” (Messianic servant).

B) Well-being / Peace (“Prosperity” as Shalom)

  • Ps 72:7 — “In his days may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace (שָׁלוֹם; often rendered ‘prosperity’) till the moon be no more.”

  • Ps 73:3 — “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity (shalôm) of the wicked.”

  • Jer 29:11 — “plans for welfare/shalom (not disaster), to give you a future and a hope.”

  • Ps 122:6 — “Pray for the peace/prosperity (shalôm) of Jerusalem!”

C) Ease/Security (“Prosperity” as Calm Stability)

  • Ps 30:6 — “In my prosperity (שַׁלְוָה, ease/security) I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’”

D) Material Wealth / Enrichment

  • Prov 10:22 — “The blessing of the LORD makes rich (עָשִׁיר), and he adds no sorrow with it.”

  • Prov 28:25 — “Whoever trusts in the LORD will be enriched (יְדֻשָּׁן; lit. ‘made fat’).”

  • 1 Tim 6:9–10 — Warning against desire to be rich; money-love = many snares.

  • 2 Cor 9:8–11 — “God is able to make all grace abound… so that you may abound in every good work… you will be enriched in every way for all generosity.”

  • 1 Cor 16:2 — “Each one… set aside as he may prosper (εὐοδῶται), so that no collections… when I come.”

E) “Good” Repaying the Righteous (Prosperity as “Good/Benefit”)

  • Prov 13:21 — “Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are repaid with good (טוֹב).” (Many versions render the second cola “prosperity rewards the righteous.”)

F) Flourishing/Growth (Botanical Metaphor)

  • Ps 92:12–14 — The righteous flourish like the palm/cedar.

  • Ps 72:7 — “the righteous flourish (יִפְרַח)” (paired with shalom).

G) Prosperity of the Wicked (Phenomenological/Temporary)

  • Jer 12:1–2 — “Why does the way of the wicked prosper (יִצְלָח)?”

  • Ps 73 (esp. vv. 3–20) — Their prosperity (shalôm) is fleeting; end is ruin.

  • Prov 11:28 — “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall.”

H) Gospel/Spiritual Prosperity (NT accent)

  • 3 John 2 — Prayer that you may prosper (εὐοδοῦσθαι) and be in good health, “as your soul prospers.”

  • Rom 1:10 — Request for a prosperous journey (εὐοδωθήσομαι) to serve the gospel.

  • 2 Thess 3:1 (conceptual): that the word may “run and be honored” (prosper in its mission).

I) Covenant Blessing/Curse Frame (National-Corporate)

  • Deut 28:1–14 — Obedience brings abundance (offspring, land produce, barns).

  • Deut 28:15–68 — Disobedience brings privation/exile.

  • 2 Chron 20:20 — “Believe… and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed/prosper (תַצְלִיחוּ).”

III. What “Prosper/Prosperity” Means (Putting it Together)

  1. Not one idea, but a family of senses.

    • Success (work/mission/plans) → mainly tsālaḥ / euodoō.

    • Wholeness/peace/well-being → shalôm / eirēnē (often translated “prosperity”).

    • Security/ease → shalvâ.

    • Material wealth → ‘osher / ploutos (and idioms like “made fat”).

    • Flourishing (botanical imagery).

    • Apparent wicked prosperity (temporary; a test of faith).

    • Spiritual/gospel prosperity (NT emphasis).

  2. Covenantal and moral frame. Wisdom/general promise texts (Ps 1; Prov 10:22; Josh 1:8) are not blank checks; they are normative patterns under God’s covenant governance, balanced by Job/Ecclesiastes/Ps 73 and the exile narratives.

  3. OT → NT development. The NT de-absolutizes wealth as a righteousness marker (Luke 6:20; 12:15–21; 1 Tim 6:6–10) and re-centers prosperity on gospel fruitfulness, generosity, and sufficiency (“having all sufficiency… abounding in every good work,” 2 Cor 9:8).

  4. Working definition (synthesis).
    Biblical prosperity = God-given wholeness and fruitfulness—material, relational, and spiritual—measured chiefly by faithful success in God’s will (holiness, wisdom, generosity, gospel advance), not by accumulation per se. Material abundance may be included, but contentment and sufficiency for good works are centrally in view (Prov 30:8–9; 2 Cor 9:8).

IV. Translation/Context Notes

  • “Prosperity” ≠ always “riches.” In many English Bibles, “prosper/prosperity” renders shalôm (peace/well-being) or tsālaḥ (success). Read the parallel cola and genre to fix sense (e.g., Ps 72:7 pairs flourish + shalom).

  • Prov 13:21 uses ṭôb (“good/benefit”) as the righteous person’s recompense—contextually well-being/prosperity, not necessarily riches.

  • Idioms. “Made fat” (דָּשֵׁן) is a Hebrew idiom for being well supplied (Prov 28:25), not gluttony.

  • Beware prosperity-gospel readings. Scripture praises generosity and contentment, warns against money-lust, and locates true “prosperity” in doing God’s will (1 Tim 6:6–10; 2 Cor 9:8–11; Matt 6:19–34).

V. Practical Implications

  1. Pursue wisdom/obedience (Josh 1:8; Prov 3) and expect God-given fitness for His callings; measure “success” by faithfulness and good works.

  2. Pray for shalom—peaceful stability and sufficiency (Ps 122:6; 3 John 2)—and refuse envy of the wicked’s ease (Ps 73).

  3. Practice generosity as the normal outlet of God’s provision (2 Cor 9:8–11).

  4. Hold riches loosely; desire neither poverty nor riches (Prov 30:8–9).

Representative Passage Index (by category)

  • Success (tsālaḥ): Gen 39:2–3, 23; Josh 1:8; Ps 1:3; Isa 53:10; 55:11; Jer 20:11; 2 Chron 20:20.

  • Shalom-prosperity: Ps 72:7; 73:3; 122:6; Jer 29:11.

  • Ease/Security: Ps 30:6.

  • Wealth/Enrichment: Prov 10:22; 28:25; 1 Tim 6:9–10; 2 Cor 9:8–11; 1 Cor 16:2.

  • Flourishing: Ps 92:12–14; 72:7.

  • Wicked “prosperity”: Ps 73; Jer 12:1–2; Prov 11:28.

  • NT spiritual/gospel prosperity: Rom 1:10; 2 Thess 3:1 (conceptual); 3 John 2.

Select Conservative Resources (SBL style)

  • Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer. A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000 (s.v. εὐοδόω, πλουτέω).

  • Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon, 1906 (s.v. צָלַח, שָׁלוֹם, שַׁלְוָה, טוֹב).

  • Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2000.

  • Waltke, Bruce K. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004; and Chs. 16–31 (2005).

  • Longman, Tremper III. Psalms. Tyndale Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2014.

  • Wright, Christopher J. H. Deuteronomy. NIBC. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996 (on covenant blessings/curses).

Bottom Line

Biblical “prosperity” most often means God-given success and well-being under His covenant care, expressed as shalom, sufficiency, and fruitfulness (with generosity)—sometimes including wealth, often not defined by it.

Categories: Word & Topic Studies