25 A foolish H3684 son H1121 is a grief H3708 to his father, H1 and bitterness H4470 to her that bare H3205 him.
The proverbs H4912 of Solomon. H8010 A wise H2450 son H1121 maketh a glad H8055 father: H1 but a foolish H3684 son H1121 is the heaviness H8424 of his mother. H517
And it came to pass after H310 this, that Absalom H53 the son H1121 of David H1732 had a fair H3303 sister, H269 whose name H8034 was Tamar; H8559 and Amnon H550 the son H1121 of David H1732 loved H157 her. And Amnon H550 was so vexed, H3334 that he fell sick H2470 for his sister H269 Tamar; H8559 for she was a virgin; H1330 and Amnon H550 thought H5869 it hard H6381 for him to do H6213 any thing H3972 to her. But Amnon H550 had a friend, H7453 whose name H8034 was Jonadab, H3122 the son H1121 of Shimeah H8093 David's H1732 brother: H251 and Jonadab H3122 was a very H3966 subtil H2450 man. H376 And he said H559 unto him, Why art thou, being the king's H4428 son, H1121 lean H1800 from day H1242 to day? H1242 wilt thou not tell H5046 me? And Amnon H550 said H559 unto him, I love H157 Tamar, H8559 my brother H251 Absalom's H53 sister. H269 And Jonadab H3082 said H559 unto him, Lay thee down H7901 on thy bed, H4904 and make thyself sick: H2470 and when thy father H1 cometh H935 to see H7200 thee, say H559 unto him, I pray thee, let my sister H269 Tamar H8559 come, H935 and give H1262 me meat, H3899 and dress H6213 the meat H1279 in my sight, H5869 that I may see H7200 it, and eat H398 it at her hand. H3027 So Amnon H550 lay down, H7901 and made himself sick: H2470 and when the king H4428 was come H935 to see H7200 him, Amnon H550 said H559 unto the king, H4428 I pray thee, let Tamar H8559 my sister H269 come, H935 and make H3823 me a couple H8147 of cakes H3834 in my sight, H5869 that I may eat H1262 at her hand. H3027 Then David H1732 sent H7971 home H1004 to Tamar, H8559 saying, H559 Go H3212 now to thy brother H251 Amnon's H550 house, H1004 and dress H6213 him meat. H1279 So Tamar H8559 went H3212 to her brother H251 Amnon's H550 house; H1004 and he was laid down. H7901 And she took H3947 flour, H1217 and kneaded H3888 it, and made cakes H3823 in his sight, H5869 and did bake H1310 the cakes. H3834 And she took H3947 a pan, H4958 and poured them out H3332 before H6440 him; but he refused H3985 to eat. H398 And Amnon H550 said, H559 Have out H3318 all men H376 from me. And they went out H3318 every man H376 from him. And Amnon H550 said H559 unto Tamar, H8559 Bring H935 the meat H1279 into the chamber, H2315 that I may eat H1262 of thine hand. H3027 And Tamar H8559 took H3947 the cakes H3834 which she had made, H6213 and brought H935 them into the chamber H2315 to Amnon H550 her brother. H251 And when she had brought H5066 them unto him to eat, H398 he took hold H2388 of her, and said H559 unto her, Come H935 lie H7901 with me, my sister. H269 And she answered H559 him, Nay, my brother, H251 do not force H6031 me; for no such thing ought H3651 to be done H6213 in Israel: H3478 do H6213 not thou this folly. H5039 And I, whither shall I cause my shame H2781 to go? H3212 and as for thee, thou shalt be as one H259 of the fools H5036 in Israel. H3478 Now therefore, I pray thee, speak H1696 unto the king; H4428 for he will not withhold H4513 me from thee. Howbeit he would H14 not hearken H8085 unto her voice: H6963 but, being stronger H2388 than she, forced H6031 her, and lay H7901 with her. Then Amnon H550 hated H8130 her exceedingly; H3966 H1419 so that the hatred H8135 wherewith he hated H8130 her was greater H1419 than the love H160 wherewith he had loved H157 her. And Amnon H550 said H559 unto her, Arise, H6965 be gone. H3212 And she said H559 unto him, There is no cause: H182 this evil H7451 in sending me away H7971 is greater H1419 than the other H312 that thou didst H6213 unto me. But he would H14 not hearken H8085 unto her. Then he called H7121 his servant H5288 that ministered H8334 unto him, and said, H559 Put H7971 now this woman out H2351 from me, and bolt H5274 the door H1817 after H310 her. And she had a garment H3801 of divers colours H6446 upon her: for with such robes H4598 were the king's H4428 daughters H1323 that were virgins H1330 apparelled. H3847 Then his servant H8334 brought H3318 her out, H2351 and bolted H5274 the door H1817 after H310 her. And Tamar H8559 put H3947 ashes H665 on her head, H7218 and rent H7167 her garment H3801 of divers colours H6446 that was on her, and laid H7760 her hand H3027 on her head, H7218 and went H3212 on H1980 crying. H2199 And Absalom H53 her brother H251 said H559 unto her, Hath Amnon H550 thy brother H251 been with thee? but hold now thy peace, H2790 my sister: H269 he is thy brother; H251 regard H7896 H3820 not this thing. H1697 So Tamar H8559 remained H3427 desolate H8074 in her brother H251 Absalom's H53 house. H1004 But when king H4428 David H1732 heard H8085 of all these things, H1697 he was very H3966 wroth. H2734 And Absalom H53 spake H1696 unto his brother Amnon H550 neither good H2896 nor bad: H7451 for Absalom H53 hated H8130 Amnon, H550 because H1697 he had forced H6031 his sister H269 Tamar. H8559
A foolish H3684 son H1121 is the calamity H1942 of his father: H1 and the contentions H4079 of a wife H802 are a continual H2956 dropping. H1812
Yea, I hated H8130 all my labour H5999 which I had taken H6001 under the sun: H8121 because I should leave H3240 it unto the man H120 that shall be after H310 me. And who knoweth H3045 whether he shall be a wise H2450 man or a fool? H5530 yet shall he have rule H7980 over all my labour H5999 wherein I have laboured, H5998 and wherein I have shewed myself wise H2449 under the sun. H8121 This is also vanity. H1892
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.