Proverbs 17:3 (ASV)

Passage

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

Proverbs 17:2 A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.

Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.

Proverbs 17:4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; [And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "refining", "silver", "furnace", "gold", "jehovah", "trieth", and "hearts". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "refining" and "silver", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "A servant that dealeth wisely shall have..." into verse 4's "An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips...", so "refining" and "silver" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "refining" and "silver" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.