PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:1–9 The comparison between the plans of a man’s heart (vv. 1a, 9a) and the sovereign direction of the LORD (vv. 1b, 9b) unifies this section. Verses 2–8 focus on the importance of the heart-action connection.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:6 This proverb portrays the sacrificial system, by which iniquity is atoned for, as an expression of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness (cf. Ex. 34:6; Prov. 3:3; 14:22; 20:28). The right response is the fear of the LORD, by which one turns away from doing evil (a common “wisdom” phrase: 3:7; 13:19; 14:16; 16:17; Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; 28:28; Ps. 34:14; 37:27). The Bible consistently presents moral effort as the right response to God’s grace.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:10–33 The remaining sections of ch. 16 further illustrate the themes of vv. 1–9 on the benefits of wisdom for the well-being of the heart (vv. 16–19, 20–24, 25–33) in light of the sovereign governance of the Lord (vv. 10–15, 33).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:10–15 These verses concern the king, who is mentioned explicitly in all but v. 11. Verses 10 and 12 appear to represent the king as flawlessly wise, especially since he is descended from David. These proverbs represent the ideal and imply that people should have respect for their highest officials. Verses 13–15 indicate that people should be careful around kings simply because absolute rulers—as all kings were in biblical times—have great power. Verse 11 seems out of place but is actually very important: ultimately, justice (as symbolized by the scales, representing commercial transactions in general) is maintained by God—it is above the power of the king.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:16–19 The “better” sayings of vv. 16 and 19 seek to instill the value of wisdom over wealth (v. 16) and of humility with the poor over spoil with the proud (v. 19). The middle verses offer guidance on how to continue in the way of the wise (tread the highway of the upright, v. 17) and humble (do not foster a haughty spirit, v. 18). For similar statements of what it is wise to value, cf. 15:16–17; 16:8; 19:1, 22; 28:6.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:20–24 These verses commend the speech characteristic of the wise of heart (vv. 21a, 23a): the wise consider their words carefully (vv. 20a, 23a) so that their words are both persuasive (vv. 21b, 23b) and good for body and soul (v. 24); they exhibit faithfulness to God (v. 20b) and are considered discerning by others (v. 21a). Such wisdom is a fountain of life, and foolish speech is empty of any such benefits (v. 22).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:23–24 Persuasiveness is a skill that can be learned and improved. This is one aspect of the wisdom taught in Proverbs (cf. v. 21).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:25–32 a way that seems right … but. People often have the wrong idea about what is good and what is bad. Hunger seems a bad thing, but it forces people to work and keeps them from idleness (v. 26). Verses 27–30 likewise describe types of evil that seem clever to those who practice them but which are actually vile and destructive. This includes general troublemaking (v. 27), spreading discord (v. 28), drawing others to join in crime (v. 29), and conspiring with others to commit crime (v. 30). Gray hair seems to be a mark of infirmity but actually is a crown of glory (v. 31; cf. 20:29). Finally, a mighty warrior seems to be the strongest man of all, but in reality a man who can control himself is stronger than a conqueror (16:32).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:32 Contrary to the many who would say it is good to vent one’s anger, Proverbs advocates being slow to anger. Only a mighty person, likened to the person who is strong enough to take a city, is capable of controlling his anger (rules his spirit). (On the harmful effects of anger, see 14:29; 15:1, 18; 19:11; 22:24; 27:4; 29:22; 30:33; see also Gal. 5:20; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8.)
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 16:33 “Casting lots” involves the random selection or distribution of objects in order to make a choice uncontrolled and unbiased by the participants. In Israel it was typically performed “before the Lord” (see Josh. 18:8) in order to receive his direction. from the LORD. Not only the careful plans of the heart (Prov. 16:1, 9) but also the apparently random practice of casting lots falls under God’s providential governance. On the question of whether Christians should make decisions in this way, see note on Acts 1:26.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:1 Like 15:17, this proverb asserts that a poor but loving home is better than a home filled with feasting and strife. As the esv footnote indicates, “feasting” is lit., “sacrifices,” specifically peace offerings; such offerings would provide for a meal including meat—a luxury in ancient times.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:2 Through diligence one can overcome disadvantages of birth; through being undisciplined one can lose advantages of birth.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:3 Crucible and furnace suggest that the LORD tests hearts by adversity.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:4 This proverb concerns both the one who spreads and the one who listens to malicious gossip.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:5 mocks the poor. Such mocking can involve saying that those who suffer deserve it (e.g., the attitude of Job’s friends) or simply being callous or indifferent to their plight.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:6 Families depend on one another for their identity and joy. Both young and old should cherish their intergenerational relationships.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:7 False speech is especially disconcerting when coming from a prince, whose job it is to promote justice.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:8 A bribe is like a magic stone … prospers. This proverb observes but does not condone a fact of life (cf. note on 14:20). The wise person will ponder this reality and face it as a temptation.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:9–19 These verses include two collections of proverbs (vv. 9–13 and vv. 14–19) that revolve around interpersonal conflict.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:9–13 This section begins by contrasting wise and foolish responses to situations where a person is either the offended (v. 9) or offending (v. 10) party. The remaining verses warn against the calamitous effects of pursuing the foolish path; a situation of mortal danger (e.g., a she-bear protecting her cubs) is more desirable than the possibly ruinous effect of meeting a fool in his folly (v. 12).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:14–19 Verse 14 advises the reader to avoid, resolve, or walk away from conflict before things get out of hand and true calamity ensues. In v. 19, to make the door high symbolizes the pride of the owner and is a picture of the arrogance and pride of the one who “seeks destruction.” These two verses form a frame for vv. 15–18, each of which more or less describes the wisdom and shape of a right relationship.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:14 like letting out water. Once a dam has been breached, there is no holding back the water—an apt image for the rapid and damaging escalation of a quarrel.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:15 Though wisdom calls for the careful avoidance of strife, this does not excuse the one who justifies the wicked (calls a guilty person innocent) or who condemns the righteous (calls an innocent person guilty). Both of these actions are an abomination to the LORD.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:16 This proverb either (1) expresses the irony of thinking that wisdom is a commodity that can be bought with money, or (2) suggests that a fool, because he has no sense, would refuse to buy wisdom even if he could.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:18 There are wise limits to what it means to be a friend (cf. v. 17), e.g., when one is asked to put up a pledge or security for a loan for another person’s debt (see note on 6:1–5). Such an action is labeled here as the sheer stupidity of a person who altogether lacks sense.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:19 Transgression and strife go hand-in-hand (cf. v. 14). Transgression is in the heart of the person who loves strife, i.e., who is unwilling to “quit before the quarrel breaks out” (cf. v. 14). Such a person is characterized by pride and arrogance (makes his door high; see note on vv. 14–19); though he seeks the ruin of others, in reality he is seeking his own destruction, which God will bring about in due course (cf. Ps. 55:23; 2 Pet. 3:7).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:20–26 These two sets of proverbs (vv. 20–22 and vv. 23–26) for the most part describe things that bring grief.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:20–22 Three things will bring sorrow to the heart: a crooked and dishonest life (v. 20), a foolish son (v. 21), and too much discouragement (v. 22).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:23–26 Verses 23 and 26 speak of perversions of justice. Verse 24 speaks of the fool who wastes his life chasing unattainable goals (the ends of the earth), and v. 25 speaks of the fool who gives distress to his parents. Folly and injustice have this in common, that they both fill life with grief and vexation.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:25 The picture of a foolish son grieving the mother who bore him expands on the similar statement in v. 21 (cf. also 15:5, 20; 23:22–25). Such images should encourage both children and parents to seek the benefits of wisdom.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good. Governments should not punish innocent people (cf. 1 Pet. 2:14). In Israel, of all places, this should never happen!
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 17:27–18:4 This section is framed by two proverbs on the careful, restrained use of words (17:27; 18:4). Between these, 17:28 asserts that a fool would do well to keep his mouth shut, while 18:2 asserts that this is the one thing a fool cannot do. Also, 18:1 asserts that some people are irrational in their determination to be antisocial; this is answered by 18:3, which declares that wicked behavior brings people into contempt. Together, these six proverbs call for people to be careful with their words in the public arena lest they risk exclusion and humiliation.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:1 Whoever isolates himself translates a Hebrew word that refers to someone who is either reclusive or divisive. Either way, antisocial tendencies seem to be implied.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:5–8 These verses all concern the misuse of words and the consequences thereof. Verses 6 and 7 obviously parallel each other. Of itself, v. 5 is a simple condemnation of injustice in the courts; but in this context, and especially against v. 8, the implication is that the legal system will malfunction in a setting dominated by innuendo, gossip, and lying. Verse 8 explains why gossip is so deadly: people love to hear it and to share it.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:9–12 Verses 10 and 11 describe two types of security (the LORD and riches), while vv. 9 and 12 describe two things that bring about one’s destruction (laziness and pride). Taken together, these proverbs imply that riches can give a false sense of security that leads to laziness, pride, and a downfall, but that humility and the fear of God exalt people.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:13 This proverb relates to every area of life, not just a courtroom setting.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:14 A person’s spirit, if it is hopeful and good, can endure sickness and adversity, but if the spirit is despondent, even when there is nothing overtly wrong, then life itself becomes difficult to bear.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:15–19 These proverbs could be applied to many settings in life, though here they seem to be particularly focused on a courtroom setting. In hearing a case, one should seek with one’s heart (Hb. leb, “reason, emotions, and will”) to acquire knowledge, and likewise with one’s ear to listen carefully to what is being said, for this is the way that the wise (person) seeks knowledge. One reason for this is the danger of bribery (condemned in 15:27)—that is, because of the gift that makes room for him, providing access to the great. Thus the warning of 18:17 not to be easily swayed by the person who states his case first; rather, the wise person examines the evidence in a careful, probing manner (cf. v. 13). Still, in some cases it is impossible to reach a verdict, because the matter is hidden and there is not enough evidence to make a well-informed judgment. In such cases (v. 18), it is better to settle quarrels by means of casting a lot (“before the Lord”), thus leaving the outcome in the Lord’s hands, rather than allowing powerful contenders to do violence to each other. Even so, whether by means of a lot or judicial determination, the reconciliation of one brother to another (i.e., reconciliation of close friends) is difficult to achieve. A brother offended can be more unyielding than a strong city—for the resolution of quarreling meets with resistance like the bars of a castle.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:18 On whether Christians should cast lots, see note on Acts 1:26.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:20–21 Since the tongue can produce either death or life, the wise person will guard his or her speech (cf. 12:13–14; 13:2–3).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:22–20:4 A number of proverbs in this section of the book are so similar to each other that they appear to serve as markers, setting boundaries for separate proverb collections. Proverbs 18:22 and 19:14 both assert that a good wife is from the Lord; while 19:15, 24, and 20:4 concern laziness. Proverbs 19:11–12 deals first with patience and then with the king’s anger, and 20:2–3 deals first with the king’s anger and then with patience. Between these markers, 18:23–19:10 concerns misfortune, while 19:16–23 can be described as an inventory of the essential elements of a good life. Over against 19:16–23, the proverbs in 19:25–20:1 present the antithesis of the good life, the life of the mocker.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:22 This verse refers to both the human action (finds) and the divine governance (from the LORD) of a marital relationship, while the pronouncement good agrees with the Lord’s assessment that it was “not good” for Adam to be alone (Gen. 2:18).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:23–19:4 These proverbs observe misfortune from various angles. The poor are reduced to begging and taking abuse (18:23), but a few friends stick by a man even in his worst times (18:24). The great majority of one’s companions, however, only stay close by so long as one’s fortunes are good; in bad times, they disappear (19:4). Poverty with integrity is better than immorality (19:1), but hunger, such as is produced by poverty, can lead to thoughtless, hasty acts of folly (see 19:2 and note). People often blame God for their misfortune when they should be blaming themselves (19:3).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 18:24 a friend … closer than a brother. Cf. 17:17 and 27:10.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:2 Whoever makes haste with his feet could refer to a person hurrying to sin (in contrast with the one walking in integrity in v. 1), but more likely it refers to an impulsive person who unwisely acts before thinking or planning the right way. He has a “desire” to get somewhere but he does not have sufficient knowledge to reach his goal.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:5–9 Verses 5 and 9 are virtually identical and frame this section. Of itself, v. 5 is a general proverb on the importance of honest testimony (for further implications of and warnings against being a false witness, see 6:19; 12:17; 14:5). In this context, dominated by the idea of poverty and misfortune, “false witness” could relate either to those who exploit the poor in the courts or to poor people who will perjure themselves for a little money. Verses 6–7 of ch. 19 return to the idea mentioned in v. 4, that the prosperous seem to have many friends but the poor man has no friends at all. Verse 8 picks up on the teaching of vv. 1–2, that even in misfortune one must seek wisdom.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:10 Not fitting … for a slave to rule over princes does not mean it is always wrong for a slave to rise to power; otherwise, Joseph’s ascent in the Egyptian government would be an example of moral disorder in the world. Rather, it suggests that fortune and misfortune are not always fair: sometimes a fool becomes wealthy without doing anything to merit that wealth, and sometimes a slave rises to power without an ability to rule well.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:11 In many cultures, any sign of disrespect to a man is a challenge to his honor, and he can regain it only by fighting whoever insults him. Here, patience and overlooking slights bring honor to a man.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:12 The growling of a lion is frightening and precedes an act of violence; dew is gentle and gives life. The proverb does not say that a king’s anger (or favor) is always right, but that it is powerful.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:13–14 Verse 13 gives balance to v. 14 in the recognition that family life can be painful and some wives are a great burden to their husbands. (Of course, some husbands are a great burden to their wives; see Introduction: Literary Features, regarding “concreteness”; and see note on 21:9.) The continual dripping brings to mind a leaking roof. This is not a minor irritation but a source of structural damage that can make a house uninhabitable. The point is that such a woman ruins her house (see 14:1). Verse 14 of ch. 19 implies not only that a prudent wife is a gift from the LORD (see Introduction: Character Types in Proverbs), but also that she manages the household so well that she increases its assets. inherited from fathers. House and wealth come in the ordinary course of things, in contrast to the prudent wife, who is a sign of special favor.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The lazy person is always too tired to work. Then his laziness becomes more and more severe until he is in dire poverty.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:16–23 These verses lay out some essential features of a good life, which can be summarized as shown in the chart. This list moves from basic principles of wisdom to the significance of love and then finally to fearing God as the supreme principle of life.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c99
| listen to instruction | vv. 16, 20 |
| be kind to the poor | v. 17 |
| be involved in your children’s lives and discipline them | v. 18 |
| avoid friendships with those who lack self-control | v. 19 |
| acknowledge the rule of God | v. 21 |
| understand that love and integrity are what bring real happiness | v. 22 |
| fear the Lord | v. 23 |
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:24 In a humorous caricature (echoing v. 15), the sluggard here is so foolish and so lazy that he will not even feed himself. Laziness is irrational and leads to poverty and hunger.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:25–20:1 In contrast to the features of a good life described in 19:16–23 is the description in these verses of the scoffer or mocker. This person is a complete reprobate and the quintessential fool. Of such a person it can be said: (1) the only hope for correcting his stubborn attitude lies in beatings, which may or may not have the desired effect (19:25); (2) he has no respect for parents (19:26); (3) he will not listen to sound teaching (19:27); (4) he rejects all notions of right and wrong (19:28); and (5) again, he gets beaten for his behavior (19:29). Finally, wine is called a mocker and strong drink a brawler in 20:1. That is, excessive drinking leads to picking fights and an abandonment of principles of right and wrong. It is implied that drunkenness is common among scoffers.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 19:25 The simple learn by seeing a beating, but the wise take instruction from a simple word of reproof. Notably, although the simple can learn prudence, no such teachable spirit is attributed to the scoffer.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:2 The first line of this proverb is almost identical to 19:12a, but whereas 19:12b speaks of the king’s favor, 20:2b continues to speak only of his anger (see also note on 15:10–12). The text does not say that a king’s anger is always justified, only that it is lethal. Therefore, one should take care.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:3 Of itself, this is another exhortation to patience (cf. 19:11). Its position after 20:2 may suggest that a king also should learn patience.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:4 In Israel, the grain harvest began after Passover (around April), and the sowing of this crop (in a field that had just been plowed) was done in the autumn, after the Feast of Tabernacles (around November).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:5–21:8 The proverbs of this section primarily give teachings about judgment and, to a lesser extent, money. The section is framed by 20:5–7 and 21:8; 20:5 asserts that one must be discerning to understand what another person is really up to, and 20:6 observes that people’s pretenses of virtue are often false and asks how to find true goodness. Verse 7a of chapter 20 answers the question of 20:6. While it looks like an empty truism, 20:7a really means that people’s behavior is a good indicator of what they are. The blessing of 20:7b serves as a transition line to the catalog of proverbs that follows. It begins with the word “blessed,” a word that often introduces wisdom poems (e.g., Ps. 1:1; 112:1). At the end, Prov. 21:8 repeats the basic rule of discernment found in 20:7a: crooked people do evil, and upright people do good.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:8–12 This catalog of proverbs looks at judgment from various angles. The purpose of a king, representing human government, is to curb evil through acts of judgment (v. 8). Awareness of one’s own guilt should make one forbearing in judging others (v. 9). Scales (economic tools that are also symbols of judgment) should be fair, balanced, and impartial (v. 10; see 11:1). The first principle of discernment, that people’s actions show what they are, is simple and obvious; it applies even to evaluating children (20:11). As God made both eye and ear, he better than anyone knows how to assess a person or situation, and his judgment will be final and decisive (v. 12). Sometimes these proverbs balance one another. God’s people do need to be forbearing, but that does not mean being unwilling to discern good and evil in others.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:8 winnows all evil. That is, he sorts and separates it out, and then removes it.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:13–17 These proverbs all relate to wealth: laziness leads to poverty (v. 13); people will set a value on something as it suits them (v. 14); wisdom is better than wealth (v. 15); one should not trust a man who gets involved in foolish debts (v. 16); and the pleasures of dishonest gain are brief (v. 17).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:14 “Bad, bad.” The buyer says the item he desires is worth very little, in order to drive the price down. But after he buys it, the item belongs to him, so his words change: now he boasts of its value. The proverb says this happens, without commending such activity. Wisdom requires weighing the words of other people.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:18–19 One should not make major decisions without seeking the counsel of others. On the other hand, one should be careful about who is brought into one’s private deliberations. The example of making war particularly points to the need to find advisers who can keep a matter private.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:20–21 The person who despises parental authority will not live long (v. 20; see Ex. 20:12; 21:17). An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning. Too much wealth given too soon will be used foolishly and will not be blessed later in life (cf. note on Prov. 13:11). In Israel, land was given to sons as an inheritance for the continued welfare of the family (cf. 13:22).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:22–25 These four proverbs teach that God, not people (20:22), is the judge and avenger, and that he detests all willful distortions of human judgment, as represented by biased scales (v. 23). Verse 24 emphasizes the mystery of divine sovereignty (see Ps. 37:23; Jer. 10:23). A person makes his own decisions and is responsible for them, but paradoxically God directs the steps of each. This paradox demonstrates the limitations of human discernment; if a person does not fully comprehend the pattern of his own life, how can he be competent to judge others? Proverbs 20:25 warns against falling under divine judgment by making ill-conceived vows (see Eccles. 5:4–5).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:26–27 For the health of his kingdom, a wise king must root out evildoers. Drives the wheel over them is not meant literally but is an agricultural image using the picture of a heavy cart being drawn over the grain to separate the wheat from the chaff. winnows. See note on v. 8. The king can only look on the exterior; God, by contrast, sees the innermost parts (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7). God’s judgment is thus more fair and more effective.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:28 This verse balances what is said in v. 26. Although a king must separate out and punish evildoers, the real security of his throne is in steadfast love and faithfulness. This may refer to the king’s character, but more likely it refers to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, which was the foundation of the Davidic dynasty (1 Kings 3:6; 8:23; Ps. 89:28). This is the idea in view when steadfast love and faithfulness are said to preserve or watch over someone (Ps. 40:11; 61:7). This is a striking truth, given that one expects a king’s security to be in his army.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 20:29 Gray hair (cf. 16:31) is a concrete example of a general truth: many of the physical evidences of old age have a dignity and splendor of their own, often representing experience, maturity, wisdom, and holiness (see the discussion of “concreteness” in Introduction: Literary Features).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:1–4 Like 20:22–25, this section has three proverbs on divine judgment followed by a fourth proverb that is related but does not explicitly mention the Lord. God is a much higher judge than the king, whom he controls (cf. 21:1; on the “king” in Proverbs, see also 16:10–15; 20:8, 28; 24:21–22; 29:14; the Solomonic origin of these passages shows that the king is specifically the Davidic king). People are not vindicated by their own consciences but by God’s judgment (21:2), which cannot be averted simply with sacrifices and religious rites (v. 3; cf. 1 Sam. 15:22). The thing most likely to bring divine judgment on one’s head is pride (Prov. 21:4).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:1 The stream of water describes water flowing through a channel or an irrigation ditch, which a skillful farmer can turn to flow wherever he wishes.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:9–19 Verses 9 and 19, on the quarrelsome wife, frame this unit on the rewards for the wise and the troubles of the wicked.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:9 The wise husband will reflect on what aspects of his behavior have led his wife to become quarrelsome (cf. 19:13; 21:19; 25:24).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:10–13 Just as the wicked offers no mercy to his neighbor (v. 10), so his own pleas for help will not be answered (v. 13) because God both knows and judges the wicked (v. 12). Though it may take an example of the wicked being punished for the simple to learn, those who are wise take instruction to heart (v. 11; cf. 19:25).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:14 A bribe achieves its temporary end of avoiding punishment at the expense of true justice (cf. 17:8, 23). In the broader context of 21:10–18, it is clear that, though a bribe may appease the immediate situation, no one can evade justice forever.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:15–18 When justice is practiced, it is a joy for those who have walked in its ways and a terror to those who have perverted them (v. 15). Verses 16–18 describe the reality of the terror for the wicked: they have turned from the path that leads to life (v. 16), loved mere pleasure and luxury to their own impoverishment (v. 17), and are themselves a ransom—an image that likely reflects the merciless manner in which they treated others (v. 18; cf. vv. 10, 13).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:17 This proverb does not imply that pleasure or wine or oil are wrong in themselves, but when they are enjoyed apart from thanksgiving to God, or enjoyed more than following in God’s paths, they will destroy a person’s life.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:19 The life of a desert outcast is better than the life of marriage to a quarrelsome woman (see note on v. 9).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:20–22:1 This unit is held together by an inclusio (literary “bookends”) consisting of three verses at 21:20–22 and three verses at 21:30–22:1. In 21:20, wealth is achieved by wisdom and lost by folly, but 21:21 speaks of pursuing righteousness and kindness; 22:1 teaches that one should choose a good name (emblematic of being a righteous and kind person) over wealth. Thus, 22:1 answers 21:20–21; wisdom can enable a person to achieve prosperity, but one should always pursue a good name through righteousness and kindness over riches. Verse 22 of ch. 21, which speaks of the importance of wisdom in a military action—besieging a city—is answered by 21:30–31, which assert that no wisdom … can avail against the LORD (21:30) and that however carefully one may plan a military action, victory is in the hands of the LORD (21:31). The whole unit teaches that success comes by wisdom, but that no amount of intelligence can stand against the Lord’s sovereign will, and that in the end a good and kind heart is better than great wealth and power.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:23–24 The man who keeps his mouth and his tongue (of v. 23) is the opposite of the scoffer (of v. 24).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:25–26 Laziness leads to constant greed and craving, whereas the diligence of the righteous allows them to be generous (see note on 10:4).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked that God abhors is a kind of lie, a false pretense of piety (cf. 15:8–9).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:28 The contrast of a false witness with one who hears indicates that a person who testifies falsely has chosen not to listen carefully to either the matter at hand or the requirements that a witness act justly. Both the person and the perjury of such a witness will ultimately perish, because it is the Lord who clearly sees and judges these things (vv. 2, 12) and causes the word of the faithful witness to endure (cf. 12:19; 19:5, 9).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:29 A bold face is a futile attempt to cover up or compensate for a path that is wicked, but the upright does not need a cover-up because he is wise in attending honestly to his ways.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 21:30–22:1 These form the final three verses of the inclusio described in the note on 21:20–22:1.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:2–16 This text is bounded by a frame consisting of vv. 2–6 at the beginning and vv. 15–16 at the end. Verses 2–5 are a tightly bound unit dealing with aspects of wealth, poverty, and the way to ruin (see note on vv. 2–5), while v. 6 asserts that one should train one’s children. At the end of this collection, v. 15 teaches that parents should discipline their children, and v. 16 discusses the rich, the poor, and the road to ruin.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:2–5 These four verses are bound together by a parallel structure:
A: the LORD is the maker of rich and poor (v. 2)
B: the prudent are cautious but the simple are not (v. 3)
A′: fear of the LORD leads to riches and honor (v. 4)
B′: the crooked wander off into thorns but the wise man guards his soul (v. 5)
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:6 Train up a child. This proverb, founded on the covenant with Abraham (cf. Gen. 18:19), encourages parents to “train” (i.e., to “dedicate” or “initiate”; this is the sense of the word in Deut. 20:5; cf. Ezra 6:16) their children in the way (i.e., the right moral orientation) by pointing to the kinds of conduct that please or displease the Lord, and to the normal outcome of each kind of conduct (on the matter of consequences, see Introduction: Literary Features). The training will include love and instruction as well as “the rod of discipline” (Prov. 22:15).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:7–9 The rich … lender who rules the poor … borrower (v. 7) is in contrast to the bountiful person who shares with the poor (v. 9). Between these two, v. 8 describes the powerful man who will come to ruin.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:10–11 The scoffer, who will be driven out, is contrasted with the person of pure heart and gracious speech, who will be welcomed by the king.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:12 God’s eyes … watch over knowledge in the sense that he is the guarantor that the teachings of wisdom will be vindicated.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:13 This proverb shows how far a sluggard will go to avoid work. But what will actually devour him is not the imaginary lion of his excuses but the reality of poverty.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:14 The forbidden woman is a deep pit—something from which a man cannot escape by himself. She ruins him financially, and probably in other ways as well, relating to health, strength, relationships, and above all the man’s relationship to God. She is thus a means God uses to punish the wicked.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:15–16 These verses form the end of the frame described in the note on vv. 2–16. On the rod of discipline, see notes on v. 6 and 23:13–14.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child. Children will learn to do wrong on their own; parents are needed to train them to act rightly.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:17–24:22 The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise.” This section easily divides into 30 discrete teachings, as indicated in 22:20, and these reflect an awareness of the Egyptian wisdom text, The Instruction of Amenemope, dated to about 1250 B.C. Clearly 22:17–24:22 did not slavishly copy Amenemope, but there are many affinities in content. The most significant difference between the two is the devotion to the Lord exhibited in Proverbs. The identity of “the wise” (22:17) is unknown; perhaps they are the scholars who assembled these proverbs (possibly under Solomon’s sponsorship).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:17–21 Like the prologue in 1:1–7, this text asserts that it can impart wisdom to the reader, give him practical skills for dealing with people, and encourage the fear of the Lord.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:22–23 Saying One. One should never rob the poor, because he is poor (and therefore has little power to defend himself) or crush the afflicted at the gate. The gate was the place of legal transactions; i.e., one should not use the courts to deprive the poor of their property. Teachings that reflect concern for the well-being of the poor are common in the ancient Near East, but biblical wisdom is distinctive for its assertion that the Lord is the champion of the poor. The Lord cares particularly for the poor among his people, and will punish those who hurt them.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:24–25 Saying Two. lest you learn his ways. A bad attitude toward life and people is contagious and deadly; therefore the wise will choose their friends carefully.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:26–27 Saying Three. why should your bed be taken from under you? Cf. Deut. 24:10–13, which specifies that a poor man’s cloak, the “bed” on which he slept, was not to be held in pledge overnight.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:28 Saying Four. The landmark was the boundary stone (Deut. 19:14; 27:17), and to move it was to steal a man’s real property as well as his ancestral heritage.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 22:29 Saying Five. People of great skill, whatever their craft may be, win the respect even of kings. The implied exhortation is that one should never be careless about the quality of one’s work.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:1–3 Saying Six. The warning here is that the rich host may be using the luxuries he can provide to entrap his less-wealthy guests so that they feel obliged to do his bidding. His hospitality is deceptive.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:4–5 Saying Seven. The workaholic is exhorted to be discerning enough to desist in his pursuit of wealth. suddenly it sprouts wings. Wealth is fleeting; there should come a point where a person decides he has enough, and he will devote some of his time and effort to valuable activities that bring no financial reward. See also note on 8:18–21.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:6–8 Saying Eight is similar to the warning of vv. 1–3, but here the host is a man who is stingy. You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten probably signifies eventual revulsion and regret on the part of the guest when he realizes what a fool he has been.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:9 Saying Nine. The problem is not the fool’s lack of intelligence but his obstinacy.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:10–11 Saying Ten reaffirms the warning of 22:28, but the reference to orphans suggests that the victims may be too weak to defend themselves. In this case, the movement of the boundary stone is not something surreptitiously done but is an open seizure of another family’s land, perhaps through the courts. Their Redeemer is the Lord himself (cf. Gen. 48:16; Ps. 19:14; 119:154), perhaps portrayed here as the near kin (Lev. 25:25–26).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:12 Saying Eleven. The command suggests that one should doggedly pursue wisdom. It cannot be acquired without determination.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:13–14 Saying Twelve clearly affirms the place of corporal punishment in child rearing. At the same time, the father’s overriding desire is to teach the child, rather than to vent his anger. The connection of the two verses shows that he will not die and you will save his soul from Sheol are parallel ideas. On the use of the proper name “Sheol,” see note on Ps. 6:5. Since Proverbs generally contrasts “life” and “death” as a right relationship with God vs. estrangement from him (which lasts beyond one’s bodily death; see note on Prov. 7:26–27), Sheol here is the place where the ungodly go (cf. Ps. 49:14). The point is that the discipline has character training as its goal, not simply behavior; and this training equips the child to persevere in the way of life (cf. Prov. 22:15), which is the godly parents’ chief aim (cf. 23:15–18, 22–25).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:15–16 Saying Thirteen develops the teaching of vv. 13–14. The father speaking here is motivated to teach by love, and his joy is in seeing his son succeed in life.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:17–18 Saying Fourteen. Instead of envying those who disregard God’s way, one should make pleasing the Lord one’s top priority (v. 17), because such a path embodies the true hope that there is a future for the godly (cf. 24:14, 20; Ps. 37:9–11, 34, 37–38). Although Proverbs does not refer explicitly to the nature of this “future” (cf. Prov. 10:2; 11:4; 14:32), its encouragement to walk in the fear of the LORD presents the benefits of wisdom as fixing and guarding not only the present path but also the eternal destiny to which the path leads.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:19–21 Saying Fifteen. Slumber (v. 21) here describes the results of intoxication or gluttony. Eating and drinking to excess will impoverish people.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:22–25 Saying Sixteen. Acquiring wisdom is a duty in that it is the best way one can fulfill the command to honor one’s parents.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:26–28 Saying Seventeen. The prostitute is compared to a deep pit or well (in that she entraps a young man and he cannot escape; cf. note on 22:14) and to a robber (in that she will cost him dearly). Prostitution is used as a striking example of those “personal sins” that, far from affecting the sinner alone, corrupt and bankrupt society and so ruin communities. The preface, give me your heart, guides parents in their nurturing task: their target must ever be the deepest core of the child’s inner life. Observe my ways further guides parents. They must aim to embody the virtues they commend.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 23:29–35 Saying Eighteen. This exposition on the folly of drunkenness opens with a poignant question and answer (vv. 29–30); commands those who would listen to heed a warning (vv. 31–32); and, in order to communicate the tragic consequences of overindulgence in wine, presents a painfully comedic image of the drunkard deluded about his self-harm (vv. 33–35). The final two lines are as clear a picture as any in Proverbs of “a fool who repeats his folly” (see 26:11). Your eyes will see strange things (23:33). A drunken person does not “see” clearly, i.e., he cannot perceive the cause-and-effect connections of events. like one who lies on the top of a mast (v. 34). This is a notoriously unstable place to stay: the comparison is either to the staggering gait of the drunk person, or to the nausea he will feel (as uncontrollable as seasickness).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:1–2 Saying Nineteen. The young man’s peers can be the greatest threat to his moral life (cf. 23:17).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:3–4 Saying Twenty. The images of wisdom’s benefits (a house … built, established, and filled) include material provision in addition to a blessed family life. However, the means by which they are received (by wisdom, understanding, and knowledge) are presented in Proverbs as stemming from the fear of the Lord. Thus the nature of and posture toward riches is always to be governed by the priority of pursuing wisdom.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:5–6 Saying Twenty-one. The source of true strength is found in wisdom; by implication, strength and might apart from wisdom will be ineffective. Wise guidance obtained in consultation with an abundance of counselors is the key to victory whether in war or in any circumstance that requires might and power. Wisdom carefully acquired and applied is the means of success in all of life.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:7 Saying Twenty-two. Other proverbs indicate that the fool can never stop talking (e.g., 10:19; 13:3). The point here is that he is at a loss when a situation calls for serious analysis.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:8–9 Saying Twenty-three. Those who plan to do evil (v. 8) quickly get a reputation for it.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:10 Saying Twenty-four. Although framed as an observation, this is actually an exhortation for the reader to show himself strong and courageous in times of adversity.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:11–12 Saying Twenty-five. This further expands on the call of v. 10 to act with strength of character amid difficulty. Although the circumstances of those taken away to death and stumbling to the slaughter are not specified, the themes of Proverbs make it likely that the images refer to those suffering under the injustice of the wicked (see 1:11–13) and possibly to those walking a path that leads to death (cf. 7:25–27). Proverbs calls the righteous to integrity of character that protects justice, proclaims the benefits of wisdom, and warns against living as if such things are unknown or do not matter (24:12). Claiming ignorance of a widely known evil is no excuse for not rescuing the victims of slaughter, for God knows the true condition of the heart. The one who embraces wisdom can never be content with merely seeking the well-being of himself or of his family; he will also seek justice as widely as he can. That God will repay man according to his work (cf. Job 34:11; Ps. 62:12; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 2 Tim. 4:14; Rev. 18:6) implies that a person’s deeds reveal the true state of his heart, whether he walks on the path of life or of death.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:13–14 Saying Twenty-six. Just as honey is sweet to the taste and good for the body, so wisdom is pleasant to the soul that feeds on it, fostering a secure hope (cf. v. 20; see notes on 23:17–18; Ps. 37:9).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:15–16 Saying Twenty-seven. This warns against joining with the wicked in injustice because it forms a person’s character in a way that will not be beneficial in calamity. The righteous is able to rise repeatedly because both his person and his path are sustained by the Lord (cf. 2:6–8; 15:29).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:17–18 Saying Twenty-eight. If vv. 15–16 are aimed at the wicked, who commit crimes against the righteous, this saying is directed against the righteous, who might be tempted to gloat over the downfall of the wicked (cf. 17:5b). Do not rejoice reflects the heart of God, who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (see note on Ezek. 33:11).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:19–20 Saying Twenty-nine. This saying, building on vv. 13–18, once again reassures the reader that the wicked have no future. In short, the righteous must beware of two attitudes: gloating celebration when the wicked fall (v. 17), and a despairing fear that they never will fall (v. 19). The words of v. 19 are very close to those of Ps. 37:1; the wisdom psalm is in truth a hymnic reflection on this topic.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:21–22 Saying Thirty. Both God and the (Davidic) king appear in Proverbs as agents of wrath (cf. 14:35; 16:10–15; 19:12; 20:2). The young man should respect authority, both human and divine.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:23–34 Further Sayings of “the Wise.” (See note on 22:17–24:22.) These sayings are grouped in a parallel fashion, as follows:
A: justice in court (vv. 23–26)
B: economy lesson for the home (v. 27)
A′: justice in court (vv. 28–29)
B′: economy lesson for the home (vv. 30–34)
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:23–25 Partiality in judging is not good. Courts must render honest verdicts, convicting the guilty and acquitting the innocent. People may be prejudiced for or against a person because he or she is rich and famous or of a certain race, but partiality of any kind is to be rejected.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:26 The Hebrew phrase translated kisses the lips is found only here in the OT. It is either an act of homage (e.g., those who have not kissed Baal, 1 Kings 19:18) or an act of affection (e.g., Esau kissed Jacob upon their meeting, Gen. 33:4). Either sense fits the verse well in that an honest answer treats the other person involved with both respect and affection (note the appeals to honest speech in the surrounding text, Prov. 24:23–25, 28–29). (The sexually oriented kiss, though known in Israel—cf. Prov. 7:13; Song 8:1—is not relevant here.)
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:27 Proverbs encourages sensible preparation before building a house, so that one may attend well to the life lived in it.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:28–29 Commitment to giving an honest answer (v. 26) includes refraining from paying back a neighbor, through false testimony or deception, for past acts of injustice (cf. Lev. 19:15–18; Matt. 5:43–48).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 24:30–34 These verses illustrate how proverbs are supposed to function: upon walking by a field and vineyard that has fallen into ruin through laziness (vv. 30–31), the observer takes it to heart and rightly recognizes (v. 32) that the wise instruction he has heard about the sluggard applies to the situation at hand (vv. 33–34 are identical to 6:10–11). Both the observer and the reader are encouraged to believe that sustained and steadfast labor is a part of the path of wisdom.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:1–29:27 Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs. The present form of the book of Proverbs came into existence, at earliest, in the reign of Hezekiah (reigned 715–686 B.C.; see Introduction: Author and Date). Hezekiah is credited with reviving Judah’s religious traditions (2 Kings 18:3–7). A new, expanded edition of Solomonic proverbs was apparently part of that revival.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:2–3 The glory of kings (v. 2) is set here as subordinate to and derived from the glory of God because the king’s searching is a function of his role under the overall governance of God, who keeps some things hidden (see Deut. 29:29). Proverbs 25:3 further describes the king from the perspective of his subjects and asserts by implication (reference to the heavens and the earth) that though his heart is hidden to those under him, it remains subject to the Creator (cf. 21:1–2). The references to Solomon and Hezekiah (25:1) indicate that, as usual in Proverbs, the kingship assumed is Davidic (14:28, 35; 16:10–15; 19:12; 20:2, 8, 26, 28; 21:1; 22:11, 29; 25:2–7b; 29:4, 14). to search things out. According to Proverbs, the ideal king will both govern through the use of his wisdom and investigate and understand the world and its people.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:4–5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king. The close advisers of a ruler must be chosen with careful attention to their moral character (cf. 13:20). Following the picture of governance by the king under God in 25:2–3, here is wise counsel for those living and serving in that realm: every individual is called to search his or her own heart and seek to practice and pursue righteousness for the sake of the kingdom and the good of its people. Though this may particularly apply to those serving in the court of the king, the breadth of the imagery in vv. 2–3 and the nature of the instruction that follows (vv. 6–15) indicate that any attempt to act in accord with this passage, no matter how small it may seem, honors God and king (see 24:21).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:6–7b These verses encourage proper humility; honor is better bestowed than wrongly presumed in the presence of the king (cf. Luke 14:7–11).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:7c–10 The last line of v. 7 is understood by some ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate) and most modern versions as opening vv. 8–10. This section encourages working out conflict with a neighbor in the context of personal relationship (v. 9a) rather than imprudently rushing either to present a case in court (v. 8) or to perpetuate a grievance by reporting it to others (vv. 9b–10). Similar principles are operative in the instruction that Jesus gives in Matt. 18:15–20 (see notes there; and note on Matt. 5:25–26).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:11–12 The apples refer to a decorative motif in jewelry, similar to the more familiar “pomegranate” pattern (Ex. 39:24–25; 1 Kings 7:18). The image represents godly speech (a word fitly spoken, i.e., suited to its occasion). A wise reprover to a listening ear (cf. Prov. 9:8b–9) is like gold jewelry; that is, stunningly beautiful and valuable (possibly because of its rarity).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:13 The time of harvest for the various crops runs from June through September, and the heat can be withering. At such a time, the cold of snow—however it was brought—would refresh the workers (a literal snowfall is probably not in view, as that could be a catastrophe; cf. 26:1).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:14 In an agrarian context, skies that promise but never produce rain would be a familiar image to illustrate a person who brags that he will give a gift, most likely to incur some sort of favor, but who has no intention to fulfill his promise.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:15 a soft tongue will break a bone. Diplomacy with superiors means using tact even while trying to persuade.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:16–17 Verse 16 is at first glance a warning against gluttony (and perhaps, by extension, an encouragement to take care in enjoying all pleasant things). But in context it is a metaphor leading into v. 17: one’s presence, even though it may be pleasant, may become too much of a good thing.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:18–20 In this collection, three types of men—the liar, the untrustworthy, and the insensitive—are each described with a pair of appropriate metaphors.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:20 Putting vinegar (which is acidic) on soda (which is alkaline) does no good, destroying the distinctive properties of both.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:21–22 Although interpreters differ about the meaning of the metaphor of heaping burning coals on the enemy’s head, it is likely an image for leading him to repentance or shame, suggesting that he will feel inward burning pangs of guilt for his wrongdoing. In any case, the message is clearly to repay evil with good (see Rom. 12:17–21). The image of “burning coals” does not imply something that harms the enemy, because it further explains the bread and drink in Prov. 25:21, which do him good, and also because Proverbs forbids taking personal vengeance (see 20:22). Finally, the LORD will reward you (25:22) implies a good result from these “burning coals,” which is most consistent with leading the person to repentance.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:23 The north wind is not the usual source of rain in Palestine, but when it is, it brings unexpected and damaging rain. So a backbiting tongue brings sudden anger and damage.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:24 quarrelsome wife. See note on 21:9.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:25–26 These two proverbs are joined by water metaphors relating to the proximity and expectation of the source. Good news that comes from a far country is unexpected and revitalizing (v. 25). However, a righteous man who yields to injustice or to evil pollutes his way (v. 26)—a way that people close to him had likely come to trust as a “fountain of life” (cf. 10:11; 13:14; 14:27).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:27 The solution adopted by the esv for the difficult second line has fairly wide support. The point is that to seek one’s own glory can make people sick (see v. 16).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:28–26:12 All of these proverbs focus on the fool, who is mentioned explicitly in every verse except 25:28 and 26:2.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 25:28 Self-control relates to the passions (such as anger or love), the appetites (for food, sex, etc.), and the will (as illustrated by impulsive decisions). The lack of self-control is a mark of a fool. He is like a city … left without walls, that is, with no means of defense against enemies.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:2 A curse that is causeless is a wish for harm to come to a righteous person, or a word of condemnation wrongly spoken against him. But it does not alight because God (who is sovereign over all) gives no heed to it but rather protects the righteous person.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:4–5 These verses are especially striking in that they appear to contradict each other. To answer a fool according to his folly (v. 5) is to keep replying to his remarks in order to show up their folly. Verse 4 gives the general policy (answer not a fool), because you will end up like him yourself as he responds to your reply with further folly: the interchange will have no end. Verse 5 gives the exception (answer a fool), because sometimes he or others may think to their own harm that he cannot be answered (cf. v. 12).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:8 One who fastens into a sling a stone that is meant to be flung out of the sling shows that he has neither the knowledge nor the skill to use it, and is in danger of hurting himself. Likewise, one who bestows honor on a fool shows a failure to understand the purpose of giving such recognition and stands to suffer harm when the fool proves unworthy of the honor and thus damages the reputation of the one who wrongly honored him.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:9 A proverb in the mouth of fools is like a thorn in the hand of the drunkard because when a fool uses a proverb, he is insensitive to the fact that it applies principally to himself.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:11 The first line supplies a vivid image for 2 Pet. 2:22.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:12 After 11 verses describing the terrible state of the fool, this verse becomes a forceful punch line: even more hopeless than the situation of the fool is the situation of the stubbornly unteachable person, who is wise in his own eyes (see v. 5). The reference to a better hope for the fool indicates just how dire the situation is, since the fool is described as one who already considers his way to be “right in his own eyes” (12:15). Yet there are degrees of folly, and some of the more thoughtless type of fools can sometimes be reclaimed.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:13–16 These proverbs focus on the sluggard. Verses 13–15 present him as comically ludicrous in his laziness, and v. 16 gives this portrait a twist by observing that the sluggard considers himself the paradigm of wisdom. His fear of the lion (v. 13) uses a remote possibility of danger as an excuse for not working.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:17–22 These proverbs describe a person who uses his words carelessly. Examples include interfering in other people’s arguments (v. 17), deceiving people as a joke without concern for the consequences (vv. 18–19), and gossiping, especially where gossip provokes conflict (vv. 20–21). Verse 22 directly warns the reader that gossip is seductive, and the proverb serves as a bridge to the next section (vv. 23–28), on the liar.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:17 Someone who stands behind a passing dog and grabs it by the ears is temporarily safe from harm, but he is actually trapped because when he lets go, the angry dog will attack him.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:23–28 These verses concern the liar. He artfully conceals his lies, and one should take care not to be fooled by him (vv. 23–25). But eventually his lies will be exposed and he will be entrapped in his own web of deceit (vv. 26–28). The Hebrew of v. 23a presents a challenge: the Masoretic text, as in the esv footnote (“silver of dross”), suggests that the dross from refining silver was actually used to make a glaze for ceramics; the esv text is based on a related Ugaritic word for the glaze on a pot. In either case, just as cheap pottery can be made to look beautiful, so fervent speech can disguise an evil heart.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 26:27 Whoever digs a pit probably refers to the hostile enemy described in vv. 24–26. He is preparing a hidden trap for someone, but he is the one who will be harmed.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:1–2 These proverbs both concern boasting (boast in v. 1 and praise in v. 2 are different forms of the same Hb. root, h-l-l). In v. 1, a person should not boast of his prospects; in v. 2, he should not boast of himself.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:3–4 Both proverbs have the same pattern (two items mentioned for comparison’s sake, followed by a single item that is worse than both of them). In v. 3, the two compared items are physical (stone and sand), and in v. 4 they are psychological (wrath and anger). Together, the proverbs suggest that a fool is more unbearable than any kind of physical or psychological malaise. The provocation a fool gives (v. 3) could be from a variety of behaviors associated with this character type (laziness, verbosity, a tendency to promote discord, etc.). Jealousy (v. 4), unlike ordinary anger, will not yield to reason.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:5–6 Open rebuke affords a person the chance to reflect on the course of the path he or she is walking, where hidden love perceives but fails to communicate the possibility of such a need (v. 5). The wounds of a friend are meant to cut to the heart for the good of the person, whereas the kisses of an enemy are devised to appease the heart in order to hide the hurt that has or is to come (v. 6). Cf. 28:23.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:7–10 These four proverbs each teach an element of wisdom that can stand on its own, but they have additional application when taken together. Verse 7 deals with honey, a pleasant treat, and v. 9 deals with oil and perfume, luxuries that here represent a banquet (an ancient host provided perfumed oils for his guests at a banquet). Also, v. 7 says that something bitter is sweet to a hungry man, while v. 9 speaks of the sweetness of earnest counsel. Together, vv. 7 and 9 suggest that it is good to have friends for the occasional party, but it is better yet to have a friend willing and able to give good advice. Verse 8 speaks of someone who wanders far from his home (his immediate family) and leaves it unprotected, while v. 10 concerns someone in need whose brother (his immediate family) is far away. Together, they teach that there are benefits in remaining close to family, but a person should not hesitate to turn to a true friend when in need.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:11–28:1 This section opens (27:11) with a paternal appeal similar to those in chs. 1–9 and then has an inclusio (literary “bookends”) made up of 27:12 (the simple plunge heedlessly into danger) and 28:1 (the wicked flee when there is no danger). Between these two are various pieces of advice for the young man on prudence and integrity. The point of the whole section (27:12–28:1) is this: the one who has both prudence and integrity will neither stumble into trouble nor live in fear of retribution.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:12–14 It takes wisdom to distinguish between rightful courage and foolish walking into danger. One should not cosign a loan for a stranger or an immoral woman (a repeat of 20:16). loud voice … early in the morning. Friendliness can seem obnoxious to a neighbor. Even in being sociable, one should be tactful.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:15–16 In light of v. 12, these proverbs encourage a man to be careful, for a quarrelsome character would likely be evident before marriage. A husband should also examine the way his behavior affects his wife, since marriage is a mutually formative relationship. The fact that the husband tries but fails to restrain his wife pictures the consequences of a marriage working against itself, rather than each person working with and for the other (cf. the contrasting description of 31:11–12, 23, 28, 31).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:17 Another is, as the esv footnote reads, “the face of another.” Since the word “face” (Hb. panim) can refer to the edge of an axe or sword (Eccles. 10:10; possibly Ezek. 21:16), the image is that interaction with a good man (both as he encourages and corrects) hones one’s skill in handling challenges. Man translates Hebrew ’ish, a word that specifically refers to a male human being. But such concrete examples in Proverbs invite broader application (see Introduction: Literary Features; cf. also notes on Prov. 31:10–31; 31:26; 31:28–29; 31:30; 31:31).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:18 Faithful servants will eventually eat the fruit that comes through their labors.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:19–22 Just as water reflects a person’s actual appearance, so the heart reflects a person’s true nature (v. 19). Looking at a reflection in water is an experience common to all people, but who is able to see into the heart? Proverbs indicates that while a person may conceal or reveal his heart through speech and actions, it lies open and transparent only before God (see 21:2). The comparisons of 27:20–22 draw attention to the state of the person’s heart: dissatisfaction and greed that always want more (v. 20), the fostering of either humility or pride in response to receiving praise (v. 21), and folly that is so deeply rooted in a fool that it is unaffected even if he is ground to a pulp (v. 22). This focus on the heart as known and weighed by God is also evoked by the images of v. 20a (Sheol and Abaddon) and v. 21a (crucible and furnace), particularly since, in the one place where each of these phrases is found elsewhere in Proverbs (15:11a and 17:3a, respectively), it is followed by a second line that refers to the heart as either open before (15:11b) or tested by (17:3b) the Lord.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 27:23–27 Though a person may think his wealth will last forever (v. 24), it will not. Therefore even those who have flocks and herds (v. 23) should keep careful account of them in order to be wise stewards.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:2–12 For the most part, the meanings of these proverbs, taken individually, are self-evident. Taken as a group, however, they indicate that righteous individuals are an essential component of a just society. That is, one will not have good social order where many individuals, and especially those with power, are unjust. The structure of the text suggests its unity. Verse 2, which says that a society thrives when people have understanding but that it has many rulers when it is evil, brackets the entire section when connected with v. 12, which says that people celebrate the success of the righteous but hide when the wicked come to power. So these verses form an inclusio. Also, two catchwords link vv. 2 and 12. In v. 2, rulers are “many” (Hb. rab), but in v. 12, glory is “great” (Hb. rab); v. 2 speaks of a wise “man” (Hb. ’adam), but v. 12 speaks of “people” (Hb. ’adam) hiding. Between these two verses there are many other parallels among the proverbs. Verses 3 and 8 both concern how one treats the “poor,” whether with oppression (v. 3) or with kindness (v. 8). Verses 4, 7, and 9 teach that one’s attitude toward the “law” (Hb. torah) is the fundamental determiner of whether one will be good or evil. Verses 5 and 10 speak about knowing right from wrong (v. 5) and about leading others in the right or wrong path (v. 10). Also, the word evil (Hb. ra‘) links v. 5 to v. 10. Finally, v. 6 says that a poor man can be morally superior to a “rich man,” and v. 11 says that a poor man can see through the pretension of a “rich man.” Taken together, this section shows that, for the society as a whole to be well off, each member must practice integrity, and that is especially true for its rulers. The three proverbs on the law (vv. 4, 7, 9) indicate that a healthy fear of the Lord, as reflected in people’s respect for the Torah, is the only thing that will enable people to maintain integrity.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:2 The many rulers may refer to the increasing number of officials in the bureaucracy, or to rapid changes of ruling dynasty (as in the northern kingdom of Israel), or to the breakup of central government with local lords dominating. Any of these can follow from the lack of moral integrity in the people, and especially in those charged with leading the land.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:5 In Proverbs, evil men are people committed to opposing God’s will. They do not understand justice and what it requires in a government or a society. Those who seek the LORD, in contrast, should have the most accurate grasp of justice.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:9 The law is torah (Hb.), God’s covenantal instruction, especially the books of Moses. On prayer as specifically prayer offered in public worship, see note on 15:8–9.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:13–14 Although the words the LORD (v. 14) are not stated explicitly in Hebrew, they are appropriate to the sense of the verse, in view of the piety described in v. 13. To fear the Lord (see note on 1:7) involves confessing and forsaking one’s sins, rather than concealing them and hardening one’s heart. Such a person receives mercy and is therefore truly happy.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:15–16 A wicked ruler is pictured as a powerful, destructive wild animal who feeds off of poor people rather than protecting and providing for them (v. 15). Such a ruler is a cruel oppressor who lacks the wisdom obligated by his position to hate unjust gain.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:17–18 These proverbs concern being delivered from trouble: v. 17 teaches that no one should assist a murderer who is a fugitive fleeing from justice, and v. 18 teaches that people of integrity will get the help they need. For v. 17, cf. Gen. 9:6.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:19–27 These proverbs all concern the desire to secure prosperity and favor for oneself. They speak of having plenty of bread (v. 19), of having blessings (v. 20), of doing wrong for a piece of bread (v. 21), of wealth and poverty (v. 22), of finding favor (v. 23), of someone who robs father and mother (v. 24), of the greedy man in contrast to the one who will be enriched (v. 25), of those who will be delivered (v. 26), and of those who do not want because they give to the poor (v. 27). Along the way, these verses condemn get-rich-quick schemes (vv. 19, 20; cf. 13:11), hastening after wealth (28:20, 22), accepting bribes (v. 21), seeking to get ahead by flattery (v. 23), wrongfully taking a parent’s money (v. 24), causing turmoil through greed (v. 25), and lacking charity (v. 27). The best way to prosperity and security is through hard work (v. 19), integrity and honesty (vv. 20, 21, 23, 24), trusting in God and in the principles that wisdom teaches (vv. 25, 26), and paradoxically, through generosity (v. 27). The greed that produces strife in v. 25 has a particular application to the robbery of parents in v. 24: when a person tries to snatch up all of his parents’ estate for himself, it inevitably produces strife in the family.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 28:28–29:2 Like 21:20–22:1 and 28:2–12, this short passage has an inclusio (literary “bookends”) on how a society thrives or suffers when, respectively, success comes to the righteous or to the wicked (28:28 and 29:2). Also, 28:28 ends with the righteous increase and 29:2 begins with when the righteous increase, indicating that the latter verse complements the former. Only one proverb (29:1) is between these two; it obviously means that people who obstinately refuse to turn from evil and folly will be ruined. Why is it placed here? It may serve to reassure the reader that eventually the wicked will fall. Or, the man who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck may stand for Israelite society as a whole; the whole population can be warned to repent and can suffer for not doing so.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:3–4 Verse 3 describes how a son may squander his inheritance, and v. 4 describes how a king can squander the kingdom that he inherited. The ruler who exacts gifts fosters a system of bribes and corruption, and so destroys his nation. (The alternative meaning in the esv footnote, “who taxes heavily,” has a similar sense; in either case the ruler demands large amounts of money, putting his own interests ahead of the good of the nation, with ruinous results.)
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:5–6 The metaphor of the net and of ensnaring someone binds these two proverbs together. Each proverb is clear by itself; together they suggest that the man who seeks to ensnare others eventually ensnares himself (cf. 1:17–19).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:7 A wicked man does not understand such knowledge because he is not truly concerned for the poor, but for himself, and any professions of concern for the poor probably have ulterior motives (see 28:5).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:8–11 These four proverbs describe the rage, havoc, and violence that accompany evil and folly. Such men set a city aflame (v. 8), are abusive and rude in a dispute (v. 9), hate people of integrity (v. 10), and give full vent to every passion they feel (v. 11). The esv footnote for v. 10b, “but the upright seek his soul,” means that the upright are concerned to vindicate the hated blameless man.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:12–14 A king’s administration will fall apart if he gives heed to corrupt counselors (v. 12), but it will thrive if he is just to even the weakest in his kingdom (v. 14). The Davidic king should be the protector of his people and the paradigm of integrity. Between these two verses, v. 13 asserts that all men are equal before God and thus implies that God will judge even the king without any favoritism. To give light to the eyes (v. 13) means to give life (cf. 22:2).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:15–18 Verses 15 and 17 both insist that parents should teach their children, and vv. 16 and 18 both describe a society in upheaval. The chaos of a child out of control is comparable to the chaos of a people who have abandoned integrity and revelation. Verse 18 is notable in that it speaks of both prophetic vision and the law. The teachings of wisdom are not opposed to either the prophets or the Torah. As Proverbs endorses the fear of the Lord (1:7), so also it endorses divine revelation in the Scriptures.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:19–22 Verses 19 and 21 both advise maintaining discipline with those under authority, not through mere words, but also through negative and positive incentives of various kinds.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:23 Paradoxically, pride brings humiliation while humility brings honor.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:24 Companions of criminals cannot avoid getting mixed up in their crimes. The curse such a person hears is the call to testify in a criminal proceeding (see Lev. 5:1). But he dare not testify against his criminal friends, and so he brings the force of the curse on his own head.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:25–26 One who acts primarily out of a fear of man shows that he does not trust the LORD to preserve and protect him (v. 25). Similarly, one who seeks only the face of the king for justice (v. 26) manifests a lack of belief that it is ultimately God who works to bring it about (cf. 24:21a, where the order reflects the priority).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 29:27 The Hezekiah collection ends with a simple antithesis: righteousness and evil are detestable to one another. No one can serve both, and no one can be the companion of both righteous and evil people. Those who are faithful to God should not be surprised when they are hated by the wicked without any reason (cf. John 15:18–20, 25; 1 John 3:12–13).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:1–33 The Sayings of Agur. The identity of Agur, son of Jakeh, is unknown (the name occurs nowhere else in the Bible). One traditional Jewish interpretation argued that Agur is a nickname for Solomon, though the argument is based on fanciful interpretations of the names Agur and Jakeh. Some suggest he was a court counselor to Solomon, which is possible, but evidence for this is lacking. Another interpretation claims that the word translated as oracle (Hb. massa’) actually should be rendered as the proper name “Massa,” giving for v. 1, Agur son of Jakeh, “the man of Massa” (see esv footnote). If so, then it might refer to a tribe in northwest Arabia (the name appears in some Akkadian sources), and Agur could have been a Gentile. One motivation for this interpretation is the view that an “oracle” is unsuited to Proverbs, since it is common in the Prophets; but the word declares (v. 1) is also common in the Prophets (see also note on 29:15–18). When all factors are considered, the esv gives the best rendering of the Hebrew.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:1 The esv translation, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out, is achieved by means of a widely accepted pair of minor emendations to a difficult Hebrew text, slightly revising the division of two words and adjusting two vowels (on the assumption that a small copyist’s error led to the current Hb. text). The esv footnote renders the Masoretic text, which would suggest that Agur is addressing his words to Ithiel and Ucal (his sons?).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:2–6 I am too stupid to be a man. Wisdom texts often begin with a kind of advertisement in which the teacher proclaims that he is wise and therefore that his words ought to be heeded. Here, Agur does just the opposite: he confesses that he is not learned in wisdom (vv. 2–3). Agur then asks a series of rhetorical questions meant to indicate the limitations on human perception and achievement (v. 4). Like the questions of God in Job 38–39, these questions point to things that only God can do; silent reverence is the only proper human response.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:4 The rhetorical question, What is his name, and what is his son’s name? is remarkable since the obvious answer is that God is the only one who moves between heaven and earth and who controls the wind and the waters. What, then, does the text mean by asking about his son? The Christian reader naturally thinks of the Son of God, but the purpose of the words here is simply to say that no mere human being (whether father or son) has done these things, and that God is “the Holy One” (v. 3) whose ways are high and exalted, infinitely greater than “the understanding of man” (v. 2).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:5–6 Every word of God proves true (cf. 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30). “Proves true” can also mean “refined” (cf. Ps. 12:6) or “well tried” (Ps. 119:140); the implication is that God’s words are a proven foundation for one’s life. The proverb’s emphasis on every “word” (Hb. ’imrah) underscores the truthfulness, trustworthiness, and reliability of the Bible, not just in its overall message but also of every detail. This verse supplies support for the doctrine of the “plenary” (full, complete) inspiration of Scripture, extending even to “every word.” Thus Prov. 30:6 warns against adding to God’s words. The whole of vv. 2–6 thus teaches that human wisdom is limited, that the wisest people recognize their ignorance, that truth resides in the word of God, and that no one should think he is able to enhance the wisdom that God has given.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:7–9 This is the only prayer in Proverbs. Agur asks for two things. It seems most likely that the first request is remove far from me falsehood and lying and that the second is give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me (cf. the petition for “daily bread,” Matt. 6:11). The first request probably implies both that he does not want to become a liar and that he does not want to have people lie to him and deceive him. The second request reflects the caution that Proverbs instills in the wise about trusting in wealth.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:10 This proverb warns against someone speaking lies (slander) specifically against a servant to the servant’s master, which could damage the servant’s position and livelihood. But in such a case the slanderer is warned against committing such an injustice because the servant is likely to utter a curse against the slanderer (that is, he would express a wish that judgment would fall on the slanderer). The fact that the slanderer would then be found guilty indicates that God hears and judges rightly.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:11–14 Here are four types of loathsome people: those who show no respect to parents (v. 11; cf. 20:20), those who are atrociously immoral but who refuse to admit it (30:12), those who are arrogant (v. 13), and those who plunder the poor (v. 14). All four proverbs begin with the same Hebrew word (dor, usually “generation”), which is translated as, There are those.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:15–16 This text contains two sayings involving numbers (v. 15a and vv. 15b–16). Both concern insatiable things, and together they give the number sequence 2, 3, 4. The first (v. 15a) indicates that the leech has two daughters named Give. The saying probably alludes to the two suckers on a leech’s body, and it may have been a common byword used to describe a selfish or demanding person. A frustrated mother may have said this when her children were clamoring for something. It is easy to see in what sense the four things of vv. 15b–16 are insatiable, but it is harder to guess at the point of the list. It may be that this was simply a byword used of any situation or task that has no end, and that it is here simply to say that life is full of such situations and tasks; in that case, Eccles. 1:3–7 is comparable.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:17 This is actually a curse rather than a simple proverb. Agur obviously regards respect for parents as supremely important (see v. 11).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:18–20 The numerical saying of vv. 18–19 is a riddle. What do these four things have in common, and why is the teacher amazed by them? Verse 20 is a clue to the meaning of the riddle; it is linked to v. 19 by the catchword way (Hb. derek). The adulteress … eats and wipes her mouth, and says she has done no wrong. Taking the words literally, what she says is true; eating is no sin. But eating here is symbolic of her life of adultery—wiping the mouth after eating suggests cleansing herself after illicit sex. She is of the opinion that after she has washed up, nothing remains of the sexual encounter and there are no moral ramifications to her behavior. In v. 19, the eagle, the serpent, and the ship leave no trail behind them (the serpent is on a large rock and not on sand, and the ship is a slow-moving sailboat). The relationship of a man and a virgin, if it is chaste, likewise leaves no observable change in either of them. An alternative interpretation of what the items in v. 19 have in common is that they all make apparently effortless, almost instinctive, progress toward a goal. These things happen, but the speaker finds them amazing and does not understand quite how they happen.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:21–23 The four persons described here are insufferable because they have been granted things they have no capacity to enjoy or handle wisely. A modern example would be a person who is promoted above his level of competence.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:24–28 These creatures are weak and small but give important lessons. The lesson of the ants is in making provision for the future; the lesson of the rock badgers (the hyrax, an unclean herbivore, Lev. 11:5, that lives in crevices in the cliffs) is in taking care to have a place of refuge; the lesson of the locusts is cooperation; and the lesson of the lizard (unknown species, perhaps a kind of gecko) is that even the humblest creature can attain to the highest circles of society.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:29–31 The king is the main point here; the animals serve as comparisons. The lesson is that a king’s majesty is not in himself (in contrast to the animals) but in his subjects (see 14:28). Strutting rooster (30:31) is the best guess on the meaning of the obscure Hebrew (see esv footnote).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 30:32–33 Those given to obnoxious and conniving behavior would do well to become quiet and still, or they will soon be embroiled in conflict.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:1–9 The Sayings of King Lemuel. The word translated oracle in v. 1 is the same as the word for “oracle” in 30:1; and, as in 30:1, some have preferred to see it as the name for a place called Massa. The esv has followed the Masoretic text here; see note on 30:1–33 for more. No one knows who Lemuel was, or where he was king. Most suppose that he was not an Israelite (which is consistent with the fact that the words for son in 31:2 and kings in v. 3b have Aramaic spellings, and with the absence of the special name Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, from any of the sayings). The purpose of vv. 2–9 is to instruct in what the ideal human king ought to look like: he is judicious personally (vv. 3–4) so that he may attend well to protect others through justice (vv. 5, 9) and compassion (vv. 6–8). This description runs contrary to ordinary experience, now as in Bible times, where power is often pursued and used to the gain of the individual rather than for the sake of those being led. If Lemuel was in fact a ruler from outside Israel, then the call of these verses underscores the teaching of Proverbs that all rulers are called upon to rule justly and are judged accordingly (cf. the comments of Lady Wisdom in 8:14–16).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:3 That this proverb refers to mistresses (or a harem) rather than to monogamous marriage is obvious from the plural women rather than “a woman.” Having mistresses is a waste of a man’s strength (perhaps meaning his wealth, but, in the present context of a king, more likely his energy and vigor for ruling well).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:4–5 The calling of kings is to serve the well-being of their subjects, especially in protecting the rights of all the afflicted. They must never allow their judgment to be clouded by wine or strong drink.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:6–7 The strong drink would help those in bitter distress to forget their poverty. This is often taken to mean that the king should provide strong drink to those who are perishing or in misery for medicinal purposes, that is, to relieve their pain. But it could also mean that the king should invite these people to a banquet where they can have some innocent merriment and forget their troubles for a while.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:10–31 An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence. As the esv footnote to v. 10 explains, this wisdom poem is an acrostic, in which each verse begins with the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem begins and ends with mention of the woman’s “excellence” (vv. 10, 29–31). The probable intention of putting this together with the acrostic pattern is to show that this woman’s character runs the whole range of excellence. The woman is married (as expected in that culture), and she is devoted to the well-being of her household (vv. 11–13, 15, 17, 19, 21–22, 25, 27), to which she contributes by her participation in outside economic concerns (vv. 14, 16, 18, 24). At the same time she makes her home the center of ministry by giving generously to the poor (v. 20) and by instructing her children and household workers in true kindness (v. 26; neighbors may be included in this audience). So her husband and children enjoy their lot and honor her for her industry (vv. 11–12, 23, 28–29). This lofty portrait of excellence sets such a high standard that it can be depressing to godly women today until its purpose is understood. First, the woman embodies in all areas of life the full character of wisdom commended throughout this book. This shows that even though the concrete situations up to now have generally envisioned a cast of males, the teaching of the entire book is intended for all of God’s people (see the discussion of “concreteness” in Introduction: Literary Features). Second, as with other character types, this profile is an ideal: a particular example of full-scale virtue and wisdom toward which the faithful are willing to be molded (see Introduction: Character Types in Proverbs). It is not expected that any one woman will look exactly like this in every respect.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:10 An excellent wife who can find? reminds the reader that a good wife is from the Lord (see 12:4; 18:22; 19:14).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:12 does him good. The diligence of the good wife (vv. 13–19) is not for herself alone but also for her husband and household.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:13 seeks wool and flax. She is skilled in working with textiles to provide for the clothing needs of her household.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:14 Trading ships is a poetic analogy; she does not literally sail the seas. She goes out of her way to secure fine food for her family.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:15 By providing for her household and her maidens before the day begins, the “excellent wife” (v. 10) multiplies the effectiveness of her work, because her planning enables everyone else in her household to be productive throughout the day. She does not lie in bed and wait for servants to attend to her.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:16 She is not confined to the home but is engaged in business. This verse demonstrates remarkable financial independence for a woman in the ancient world: she herself considers a field (indicating wise judgment) and buys it (indicating control of a substantial amount of money).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:18 Profitable indicates that she is able to realize economic gain from the diligence of her labor, which she uses to purchase a field (v. 16) and provide for her household (v. 15). Her lamp does not go out at night. See v. 15, “She rises while it is yet night”; if the verses are taken to a literal extreme, they would imply that she never sleeps at all! But surely that is not true, nor is it intended (see Ps. 127:2). Rather, this is an idealized picture of a woman who is diligent to complete her work both in the morning and in the evening.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:19 A distaff is a staff with a fork at the end that holds flax or wool that has yet to be spun, from which thread is drawn when a person is spinning thread or yarn on a spinning wheel. A spindle is a rod with tapered ends on which thread is wound once it has been spun by hand. The point of this and several other verses is the remarkable range of manual, commercial, administrative, and interpersonal skills at which this woman demonstrates excellence.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:20 Active concern for the poor is a cardinal virtue of all wisdom literature.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:21 Her careful preparation of necessary clothing in advance means that she is not afraid of sudden changes in weather, for they will not catch her unprepared.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:22 Fine linen and purple indicates clothing of beauty and considerable expense, appropriate visual indications of the excellence of her work and character.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:23 Gates were the center of civic and economic life in an Israelite city, where the leading men gathered. The wife’s excellent work and noble character have contributed significantly to her husband’s success and reputation when he sits among the elders of the land.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:24 Making linen garments and sashes, which she sells to the merchant, indicates skill in creating clothing of beauty and value. Such activity exemplifies a high degree of entrepreneurial skill and responsibility in making financial decisions and undertaking commercial activity (cf. note on v. 16).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:25 Strength and dignity are so much a part of her character and conduct that they seem to be almost like her clothing. She laughs at the future, in contrast with being worried or fearful about it.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:26 Although Proverbs has often used men as concrete examples of wisdom, the proverbs apply equally well to women, and the wisdom that God teaches in Proverbs can be well understood by both men and women (cf. note on 1:8).
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household focuses on this woman’s diligence in caring for her home and her children and servants. Her rejection of idleness embodies one of the chief virtues of Proverbs.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:28–29 In a loving family, the members recognize the value of each other. Here the children and husband offer their praise. Verse 29 gives the words of the husband, or perhaps of both husband and children. Excellently recalls “excellent” in v. 10.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:30 The mention of a woman who fears the LORD at the end of this long list of excellent qualities brings back the theme of the book of Proverbs stated in 1:7 (see note). It reminds readers that this woman excels in her fear of the Lord, and therefore that she is a model of the character traits and wisdom taught throughout the book’s 31 chapters. The appearance of this woman’s fear of the Lord at the end of this list is also a reminder that this quality is more important than even great skill and talent, and is foundational to the wise and right use of all activities and skills. A godly woman may well have outward charm and beauty, but these are of secondary importance to her godliness.
PROVERBS—NOTE ON 31:31 Although it is the husband, and not the excellent wife, who sits among the elders (v. 23), the wife’s works are known and appreciated in the gates, and therefore throughout the town. Give her of the fruit of her hands means that she should be given some personal reward for her excellent work. let her works praise her. The excellent character and work of such a woman calls for public honor.