1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. 3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. 4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. 5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. 8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. 9 He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. 11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. 14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 16 A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. 17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. 18 Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart. 19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord. 23 The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly. 24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Commentary
Vs. 1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
Isolating oneself from the counsels of others
is a grave error for those in the leadership, for decisions made like that,
made without regarding the counsel of others, often leads to ill-conceived
decisions with far reaching negative consequences. King David once fell victim
to such an error when he commanded Joab to number the people, something which
was only previously done at the command of God by Moses so as to know the
number of people who came out of Egypt (Num. 1:1-2:34); then after their
sojourn there God again commanded Moses along with and Eleazar the priest (for
Aaron was then dead) to number the people again who survived, and who were
coming out of the wilderness, so as to accurately divide the land of Canaan
amongst them (Num. 26:1-64), and thus this was never to be done for such a
frivolous reason so as to glory in the size of one’s own army, as David thought
to do, and which he was counseled against not to do, for the wrath of God fell
on them for this (see 2 Samuel 24:1-25; 1 Chr. 21:1-30).
Vs. 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
Rather than shutting his mouth and listening and considering was is spoken to him, and thus begin learning, a fool only delights in expressing himself, even if no one else does.
Vs. 3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach.
When wickedness comes so does contempt for it, and thus dishonor brings with it the reproach of others. In the news now there is a Canadian military commander accused of gross sexual misconduct, and so this once revered officer is now bearing the shame and reproach of his wicked deeds.
Vs. 4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
That the words of mans mouth are deep waters, often concealing who and what he is. In contrast wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook, just like every true believer whom the Holy Spirit pours forth rivers of living waters out of, thus in this context you don’t have to go to great depths to find out who and what they are. For they’re words reveal the life of Christ and bring the life of Christ wherever they are.
Vs. 5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
Showing partiality, or favor, to the wicked, simply because they hold a trusted office or position, or for any reason, is only an affront to all that is just and right and sound in the sight of the Lord (consider 1 Tim. 5:20). Similarly, to overthrow the righteous in judgment, to deny them justice, is again only an affront to all that God calls justice, equity, and moral soundness.
Vs. 6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows.
A fool’s mouth always leads them into contentions and strife with others, even over the simplest of matters, and when things get heated, as they always do with them, they immediately call for blows, for a fight, never a pause for reflection and understanding. Zero to a hundred is the temperament of a fool.
Vs. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Because the fool’s mouth is nothing but a cesspool of foolishness, filthiness, pride and folly it leads them to their own destruction, just as their lips snare their own souls, keeping them back from the Gospel of salvation by their vilely rejecting it.
Vs. 8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.
People who love to feed on gossip only enjoy it for a moment, for the gossip that they love to feed on always has an inner working that corrupts their own hearts and souls.
Vs. 9 He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
Being slothful is one’s work is only to align oneself with a great destroyer, and is all that is opposed to what is Godly and true. For shotty workmanship always brings about ruin and calamity to whatever one works on. This is most apparent in the construction trades where shotty workmanship can easily cost double to repair once its is identified. Not to mention the risk to life and limb when critical foundations, structures, and systems are involved.
Vs. 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.
The Lord’s Name is a strong a tower, a fortress of defense from the enemy of our souls, therefore in times of temptations and trouble the righteous run to it, call upon it, and are safe, safely secured in Christ because we trust and believe in Him.
Vs. 11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.
The rich man thinks his wealth is a fortress to him, that it will keep him secure from anything and everything. However, the Scripture teaches otherwise (consider Psalm 49:1-20; 52:6-7; Ezekiel 16:49-50; 28:16; Mark 8:36; Rev. 18:1-20 etc.).
Vs. 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.
Haughtiness or pride always blinds one’s own eyes to error of their way, or the peril immediately before them, that is why it always precedes destruction. Conversely honor is always preceded by humility.
Vs. 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
Here we learn it is better to listen patiently then to blurt out opinions and answers without knowing all the facts.
Vs. 14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
People can endure great physical infirmities and such, but few if any can bear a broken heart.
Vs. 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
The heart of the prudent person is always acquiring more knowledge, always learning new things, just as their ears are always attentive to wise instruction.
Vs. 16 A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.
Bearing gifts buys influence, (or bearing gifts opens doors), and brings one before influential and powerful people. Sadly this is how our political system works.
Vs. 17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
When someone pleads their cause or case they’re words always seem convincing, that is until someone near to them, who knows the matter well, begins to examine them, then the whole truth becomes clear.
Vs. 18 Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart.
In O.T. times the casting of lots was the way for believers to know the mind or will of the Lord, and so disputes amongst people were often settled this way, as common people did not have access to the Urim and Thummim (Num. 28:21) which the high priest could consult. In the N.T. believers have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit by which God’s Will can be ascertained by ourselves for ourselves, for we who believe in Jesus all have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
Vs. 19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
Getting reconciliation between offended brothers (or family members) is a hard arduous road, here the Word of God compares it to trying to conquer (i.e., “win”) a strong and well fortified city. Because people put up fortified walls and barriers in their hearts when they have been offended, mistreated, abused, or hurt. In the same vein then is contentions that the Word of God compares to the bars of castle by which people fortify their hearts against another.
Vs. 20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
What a person speaks is what they themselves will feed on, thus cursing and bitterness and wrath always brings its own poison and sourness that will fill one’s own person and life, just as loving and kind and generous speech brings much nourishment, refreshment and life, not only to others, but also nourishes one’s own person and life.
Vs. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
That death and life reside in the power of the tongue, i.e., the words that we speak which is why we must always strive to use our tongues for words of life, for the right use of the Words of Christ. For once again we are warned that how we speak will determine just what we eat, whether life or death.
Vs. 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.
Any notion that marriage to a woman for a man, especially for a Godly man in the N.T. era, is forbidden, or unholy, or unsound is apostasy (consider Heb. 13:4; 1 Tim, 4:1-3; 1 Cor. 6:9).
Vs. 23 The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly.
Here we see the pleadings of the poor being roughly responded to by the rich. Now this is not how Christians should ever act towards those in need. For we are to defend the cause of the widow, the orphan, the stranger (i.e., immigrant), the poor.
Vs. 24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Having friends by default means that one must be friendly or hospitable, because nobody befriends a cruel or mean person for long. That said there are also those close most cherished friends who stick with you through thick and thin, even closer than a brother.
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