10 Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small. You shall not have in your house diverse measures, a great and a small. A perfect and just weight shall you have; a perfect and just measure shall you have: that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
Hear this, you who desire to swallow up the needy, And cause the poor of the land to fail, Saying, 'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, Making the ephah small, and the shekel large, And dealing falsely with balances of deceit; That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of shoes, And sell the sweepings with the wheat?'" Yahweh has sworn by the pride of Jacob, "Surely I will never forget any of their works.
Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, And a short ephah{An ephah is a measure of volume, and a short ephah is made smaller than a full ephah for the purpose of cheating customers.} that is accursed? Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, And with a bag of deceitful weights?
The engraved images of their gods shall you burn with fire: you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it to you, lest you be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God. You shall not bring an abomination into your house, and become a devoted thing like it: you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 20
Commentary on Proverbs 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
Pro 20:1
Here is,
Pro 20:2
See here,
Pro 20:3
This is designed to rectify men's mistakes concerning strife.
Pro 20:4
See here the evil of slothfulness and the love of ease.
Pro 20:5
A man's wisdom is here said to be of use to him for the pumping of other people, and diving into them,
Pro 20:6
Note,
Pro 20:7
It is here observed to the honour of a good man,
Pro 20:8
Here is,
Pro 20:9
This question is not only a challenge to any man in the world to prove himself sinless, whatever he pretends, but a lamentation of the corruption of mankind, even that which remains in the best. Alas! Who can say, "I am sinless?' Observe,
Pro 20:10
See here,
Pro 20:11
The tree is known by its fruits, a man by his doings, even a young tree by its first fruits, a child by his childish things, whether his work be clean only, appearing good (the word is used ch. 16:2), or whether it be right, that is, really good. This intimates,
Pro 20:12
Note,
Pro 20:13
Note,
Pro 20:14
See here
Pro 20:15
The lips of knowledge (a good understanding to guide the lips and a good elocution to diffuse the knowledge) are to be preferred far before gold, and pearl, and rubies; for,
Pro 20:16
Two sorts of persons are here spoken of that are ruining their own estates, and will be beggars shortly, and therefore are not to be trusted with any good security:-
Pro 20:17
Note,
Pro 20:18
Note,
Pro 20:19
Two sorts of people are dangerous to be conversed with:-
Pro 20:20
Here is,
Pro 20:21
Note,
Pro 20:22
Those that live in this world must expect to have injuries done them, affronts given them, and trouble wrongfully created them, for we dwell among briers. Now here we are told what to do when we have wrong done us.
Pro 20:23
This is to the same purport with what was said v. 10.
Pro 20:24
We are here taught that in all our affairs,
Pro 20:25
Two things, by which God is greatly affronted, men are here said to be ensnared by, and entangled not only in guilt, but in trouble and ruin at length:-
Pro 20:26
See here,
Pro 20:27
We have here the dignity of the soul, the great soul of man, that light which lighteth every man.
Pro 20:28
Here we have,
Pro 20:29
This shows that both young and old have their advantages, and therefore must each of them be, according to their capacities, serviceable to the public, and neither of them despise nor envy the other.
Pro 20:30
Note,