19 The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.
And Abigail went back to Nabal; and he was feasting in his house like a king; and Nabal's heart was full of joy, for he had taken much wine; so she said nothing to him till dawn came. And in the morning, when the effect of the wine was gone, Nabal's wife gave him an account of all these things, and all the heart went out of him, and he became like stone. And about ten days after, the Lord sent disease on Nabal and death came to him.
Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, lifting himself up in pride, said, I will become king; and he made ready his carriages of war and his horsemen, with fifty runners to go before him.
The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
If a wise man goes to law with a foolish man, he may be angry or laughing, but there will be no rest.
A curse is on him who is building his house by wrongdoing, and his rooms by doing what is not right; who makes use of his neighbour without payment, and gives him nothing for his work; Who says, I will make a wide house for myself, and rooms of great size, and has windows cut out, and has it roofed with cedar and painted with bright red. Are you to be a king because you make more use of cedar than your father? did not your father take food and drink and do right, judging in righteousness, and then it was well for him?
The tree which you saw, which became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven and seen from the ends of the earth; Which had fair leaves and much fruit, and had in it food for all; under which the beasts of the field were living, and in the branches of which the birds of heaven had their resting-places:
For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;
For the righteousness of God does not come about by the wrath of man.
But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true. This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One. For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 17
Commentary on Proverbs 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Pr 17:1-28.
1. sacrifices—or, "feasts" made with part of them (compare Pr 7:14; Le 2:3; 7:31).
with—literally, "of."
strife—its product, or attendant.
2. (Compare Pr 14:35).
causeth shame—(Pr 10:5).
shall … inheritance—that is, share a brother's part (compare Nu 27:4, 7).
3. God only knows, as He tries (Ps 12:6; 66:10) the heart.
4. Wicked doers and speakers alike delight in calumny.
5. (Compare Pr 14:31).
glad at calamities—rejoicing in others' evil. Such are rightly punished by God, who knows their hearts.
6. Prolonged posterity is a blessing, its cutting off a curse (Pr 13:22; Ps 109:13-15), hence children may glory in virtuous ancestry.
7. Excellent speech—(Compare Margin). Such language as ill suits a fool, as lying (ought to suit) a prince (Pr 16:12, 13).
8. One so corrupt as to take a bribe evinces his high estimate of it by subjection to its influence (Pr 18:16; 19:6).
9. seeketh love—(Compare Margin). The contrast is between the peace-maker and tale-bearer.
10. Reproof more affects the wise than severe scourging, fools.
11. Such meet just retribution (1Ki 2:25).
a cruel messenger—one to inflict it.
12. They are less rational in anger than wild beasts.
13. (Compare Ps 7:4; 35:12).
evil—injury to another (Pr 13:21).
14. letteth … water—as a breach in a dam.
before … meddled with—before strife has become sharp, or, by an explanation better suiting the figure, before it rolls on, or increases.
15. abomination … Lord—as reversing His method of acting (Pr 3:32; 12:2).
16. Though wealth cannot buy wisdom for those who do not love it, yet wisdom procures wealth (Pr 3:16; 14:24).
17. To the second of these parallel clauses, there is an accession of meaning, that is, that a brother's love is specially seen in adversity.
18. (Compare Pr 6:1-5; 11:15).
in the presence, &c.—that is, he either fails to consult his friend, or to follow his advice.
19. strife—contention is, and leads to, sin.
he that exalteth his gate—gratifies a vain love of costly building.
seeketh—or, "findeth," as if he sought (compare "loveth death," Pr 8:36).
20. The second clause advances on the first. The ill-natured fail of good, and the cavilling and fault-finding incur evil.
21. (Compare Pr 23:24). Different words are rendered by "fool," both denoting stupidity and impiety.
22. (Compare Pr 14:30; 15:13). The effect of the mind on the body is well known.
medicine—or, "body," which better corresponds with "bone."
drieth—as if the marrow were exhausted.
23. a gift … bosom—Money and other valuables were borne in a fold of the garment, called the bosom.
to pervert—that is, by bribery.
24. Wisdom … him—ever an object of regard, while a fool's affections are unsettled.
25. a grief—or cross, vexation (compare Pr 17:21; 10:1).
26. Also—that is, Equally to be avoided are other sins: punishing good subjects, or resisting good rulers.
27, 28. Prudence of speech is commended as is an excellent or calm spirit, not excited to vain conversation.