Proverbs 20:1-30 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Proverbs 20. We have still further traces in Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:24 of the sceptical spirit and the obstinate questionings of self characteristic of the later Greek period of Jewish thought.

Proverbs 20:6 a. RV is strained and the Heb. is difficult. Read (cf. Syr. and Lat.) Many a man is called kind.

Proverbs 20:8. winnoweth (mg.) is more literal than RV, and conveys better the idea of personal scrutiny (cf. the ideal king in Psalms 72 and Isaiah 11).

Proverbs 20:9. For the growing sense of personal sin as distinct from national responsibility and guilt cf. Job 14:4; Job 15:14; Psalms 51:5.

Proverbs 20:10 f. The LXX places Proverbs 20:10 after Proverbs 20:22; this makes it possible that even in Proverbs 20:11 is a continuation of Proverbs 20:9. The repetition of pure supports this.

Proverbs 20:12. cf. Exodus 4:11.

Proverbs 20:14. It is naught: lit. bad, bad, the buyer's depreciation of the object he is bargaining for.

Proverbs 20:15. Probably the three forms of precious possessions mentioned are all to be taken in apposition to lips of wisdom.

Proverbs 20:17 b. cf. Lamentations 3:16.

Proverbs 20:20. blackest darkness: lit. the pupil (of the eye) of darkness, so in Proverbs 7:9. For the thought cf. Proverbs 30:17. The reference is probably not to the legal penalty of the early codes (Exodus 21:17).

Proverbs 20:22. cf. Proverbs 24:29. The Jewish quietist attitude of non-resistance reflected in our Lord's saying in Matthew 5:39, grew up in the Hasid movement (Psalms 4:3 *) in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes.

Proverbs 20:24. cf. Jeremiah 10:23. The passage seems rather to reflect the growing sense of the antinomy between the belief in predestination and freewill.

Proverbs 20:25. Very doubtful; rashly to say and to make inquiry are both uncertain. The former may be supported from Job 6:3. The LXX probably conveys the general sense: It is a snare for a man hastily to consecrate any of his property, for after vowing comes repentance (cf. Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6).

Proverbs 20:26. cf. Proverbs 20:8 and Isaiah 28:27 f., where the processes of threshing are described.

Proverbs 20:27 stands alone in the OT in its expression of the Divine element in man as conscience.

Related Commentaries of Proverbs 20:1

Proverbs 20:1-30

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold;a therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness:b but a faithful man who can find?

7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 Divers weights,c and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

17 Bread of deceitd is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatterethe with his lips.

20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lampf shall be put out in obscure darkness.

21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a falseg balance is not good.

24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the candleh of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

30 The blueness of a wound cleansethi away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.