5 Acceptance of the face of the wicked `is' not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
And I command your judges at that time, saying, Hearkening between your brethren -- then ye have judged righteousness between a man, and his brother, and his sojourner; ye do not discern faces in judgment; as the little so the great ye do hear; ye are not afraid of the face of any, for the judgment is God's, and the thing which is too hard for you, ye bring near unto me, and I have heard it;
and she writeth in the letters, saying, `Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people, and cause two men -- sons of worthlessness -- to sit over-against him, and they testify of him, saying, Thou hast blessed God and Melech; and they have brought him out, and stoned him, and he dieth.' And the men of his city, the elders and the freemen who are dwelling in his city, do as Jezebel hath sent unto them, as written in the letters that she sent unto them, they have proclaimed a fast, and caused Naboth to sit at the head of the people, and two men -- sons of worthlessness -- come in, and sit over-against him, and the men of worthlessness testify of him, even Naboth, before the people, saying, `Naboth blessed God and Melech;' and they take him out to the outside of the city, and stone him with stones, and he dieth; and they send unto Jezebel, saying, `Naboth was stoned, and is dead.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 18
Commentary on Proverbs 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
Pro 18:1
The original here is difficult, and differently understood.
Pro 18:2
A fool may pretend to understanding, and to seek and intermeddle with the means of it, but,
Pro 18:3
This may include a double sense:-
Pro 18:4
The similitudes here seem to be elegantly transposed.
Pro 18:5
This justly condemns those who, being employed in the administration of justice, pervert judgment,
Pro 18:6-7
Solomon has often shown what mischief bad men do to others with their ungoverned tongues; here he shows what mischief they do to themselves.
Pro 18:8
Tale-bearers are those who secretly carry stories from house to house, which perhaps have some truth in them, but are secrets not fit to be told, or are basely misrepresented, and false colours put upon them, and are all told with design to blast men's reputation, to break their friendship, to make mischief between relations and neighbours, and set them at variance. Now the words of such are here said to be,
Pro 18:9
Note,
Pro 18:10
Here is,
Pro 18:11
Having described the firm and faithful defence of the righteous man (v. 10), Solomon here shows what is the false and deceitful defence of the rich man, that has his portion and treasure in the things of this world, and sets his heart upon them. His wealth is as much his confidence, and he expects as much from it, as a godly man from his God. See,
Pro 18:12
Note,
Pro 18:13
See here how men often expose themselves by that very thing by which they hope to gain applause.
Pro 18:14
Note,
Pro 18:15
Note,
Pro 18:16
Of what great force gifts (that is, bribes) are he had intimated before, ch. 17:8, 23. Here he shows the power of gifts, that is, presents made even by inferiors to those that are above them and have much more than they have. A good present will go far,
Pro 18:17
This shows that one tale is good till another is told.
Pro 18:18
Note,
Pro 18:19
Note,
Pro 18:20
Note,
Pro 18:21
Note,
Pro 18:22
Note,
Pro 18:23
Note,
Pro 18:24
Solomon here recommends friendship to us, and shows,