1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied: 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable. 4 Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness. 6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; 7 For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen. 8 Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? 9 Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; 10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined. 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. 12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. 13 Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters. 14 Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain. 15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone. 16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit. 17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you. 18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow. 19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint. 20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you. 23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance. 24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 25 As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country. 26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well. 27 It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory. 28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Commentary
Vs. 1-2 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied: 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
This section of the Book of Proverbs chapters 25-31 contains those Proverbs that king Hezekiah’s men copied, that came to us from God through king Solomon. Now regarding this Believers Bible Commentary notes: “There are 140 proverbs, corresponding to the numerical value of the letters in the Hebrew form of the name Hezekiah.”[1]
And so, to begin “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter…” For God not only gives knowledge and wisdom and understanding to mankind to understand His Works and Ways in creation, but He also in His Divine Providence and Wisdom conceals matters. For there are things that must belong to God alone, for He alone can understand them and direct them. That’s said, there is another half of the Proverb that says: “But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Thus, even though God conceals matters, it matters that we seek out what He has revealed or made known. For it is to a king’s glory to search out a matter, to find the truth of it, and that is what king Solomon did is his diligent search for our lives purposes which led to us receiving the Book of Ecclesiastes through him.
Vs. 3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
This proverb warns us not to think that we can understand what is in the heart of the king or nations ruler, U.S. President George Bush apparently did not know this when he said that he looked into the eyes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and later said that he saw into his heart and knew what kind of man he is. Again, a charming smile or warm and friendly greeting can be concealing a wicked heart or evil plans. Therefore, everything that they do or say must always be taken with a “grain of salt” for their true person, purposes, or intentions they seldom reveal to anyone. Billy Graham sadly found this out with his own experience with President Richard Nixon when what Nixon had done became clearly known to him, that he had used Billy Grahams respected person and "fame" for his own political advantages.
Vs. 4-5 4 Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.
Just as removing the dross or metal slag (i.e., the impurities) from silver causes it to be useful for the silversmith to make jewelry with, so too taking away the wicked from being before the king, causes his throne to be established in righteousness. For where the wicked are allowed to be and or give counsel their perverse judgement proceeds (Hab. 1:4).
Vs. 6-7 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; 7 For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
Here we are warned about exalting ourselves in the presence of the king, of seeking the seat and place of honor and privilege for ourselves, just as the Lord Jesus Christ warns us all about (see Luke 14:8-11). Therefore, it is always best to take a lowly seat, to be humble in the presence of others, and if you are “raised up” it will not be by your exalting yourself, for there is no glory in seeking one’s own glory (Pr. 25:27; 27:2 also 2 Cor. 10:12, 18), but rather it will be by the King of Kings who will exalt you in due time.
Vs. 8-10 8 Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? 9 Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; 10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined.
The warning here is that being hasty to go to court (rather then trying to settle one’s grievance first) may only backfire on you in the end! (vs. 8). For it is far better for you to try to settle your grievances with each other than to drag in third parties who may not see your side as you do. Indeed, when people do that, they often end up with their own reputations ruined as a slanderer, or as one who breaks confidence, or makes false accusations and assumptions about others.
Vs. 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
The beauty of a well-spoken word is highly desirable and cherished.
Vs. 12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
Just as a well-spoken word is beautiful to behold and hear, so too is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear, for by it one brings forth righteousness, justice, and change.
Vs. 13 Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
The faithful messenger refreshes the souls of those who send him because he bears their message or the message sent by him in a timely and tactfully way. Again he rightly conveys their message, and thus alleviates all their concerns.
Vs. 14 Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain.
Just as clouds and winds that bring no rain leave the dry and wearied people and land disappointed, so too do those who boast of giving much, but in reality deliver little or nothing.
Vs. 15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
There is a tactfulness necessary in bringing about change, in persuading a ruler, which often comes by long forbearance, and not by heated debates and forceful speech, but by patiently and gently making a case (consider 2 Kings 5:1-15 and how Naaman's servants moved him to change his mind).
Vs. 16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
This proverb is warning us about abuse and excesses. For even desirable things may become loathsome to us if we overindulge in them.
Vs. 17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
Though it is always good and desirable to have good relations with one’s neighbor, it is never good to be overbearing, for people need and want their own space, people want to live their own lives. Therefore respect your neighbors right to privacy and don’t over engage with them. Instead let them come to you if that is what they desire, instead of always going over there and interrupting their lives.
Vs. 18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
The damage that one does by bearing false witness against one’s neighbor is here likened to that as the crushing or devastating blows of a club, the cutting wounds of a sword, and the piercing wounds of a sharp arrow. No wonder God Himself condemns all such things.
Vs. 19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
You want to experience pain and suffering, then put your confidence or trust in an unfaithful man during times of trouble and you will, because they will always fail you. Character Matters!
Vs. 20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. Singing of songs to one who is of a heavy heart is about as comforting to them as taking away their garment in cold weather, or as pouring vinegar on soda, thus doing so only causes an overflowing of anger and frustration from them. Instead, “Weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn" (consider Ecc. 7:3).
Vs. 21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
Here the doing of good towards one’s enemy is likened to heaping coals of fire upon his head, that is their own conscience then becomes the means of their judgment/punishment and hopefully change. And so, when anyone chooses this course of action, rather than seeking personal vengeance, the Lord will reward them (consider 2 Kings 6:8-23).
Vs. 23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
Just as the north wind brings forth the rain, so too does a backbiting tongue (i.e., the one who maliciously gossips about others) always brings forth an angry countenance, for nobody likes to talked about behind their back! And in the church, this is one of the sins that will ruin a congregation’s unity and love and peace towards each other (Gal. 5:13-15).
Vs. 24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Once again, we are warned about the contentious woman/wife, who young man is not someone you want to marry, for when she is not stirring up trouble outside the home she will be constantly nagging you inside it (also see Prov. 19:13; 21:9, 19).
Vs. 25 As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.
Good news from a far country is as refreshing to one’s soul as cold water is to the weary soul. Now that Good News is the Lord Jesus Christ sent from God to suffer and die Crucifixion death in our place so that we might have remission of all our sins and everlasting life the moment we believe in Him (John 3:16)!
Vs. 26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
When a righteous man falters before the wicked, (i.e., capitulates or compromises his righteous values) to the desires or designs of the wicked, he and his testimony only becomes like a murky spring or a polluted well. Life giving water then ceases to flow from and though him.
Vs. 27 It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
Just as eating to much honey will turn one’s stomach, so too does the one who only seeks his own glory.
Vs. 28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
If one does not rule their own spirit then they will always be open and vulnerable to every kind of temptation and every sort of demonic attack!
[1]
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments
(A. Farstad, Ed.; p. 854). Thomas Nelson.
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