Proverbs 17:1-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 17:11

Here is the sin and punishment of an evil man. 1. His sin. He is an evil man indeed that seeks all occasions to rebel against God, and the government God has set over him, and to contradict and quarrel with those about him. Quaerit jurgia?He picks quarrels; so some. There are some that are actuated by a spirit of opposition, that will contradict for contradiction-sake, that will go on frowardly in their wicked ways in spite of all restraint and check. A rebellious man seeks mischief (so some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:1

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith ,.... A small quantity of bread; a broken piece of bread, as the word F23 פת "frustrum", a פתת , "fregit", Gejerus. signifies; which has been long broken off, and become "dry" F24 חרבה "siccum frustum panis", Tigurine version; "cibi sicci" Junius & Tremellius; "brucella sicca", V. L. Mercerus, Piscator; "buccea sicca", Cocceuis; "frustum sicci, sc. cibi", Michaelis, "frustum siccae buccellae, Schultens, so Ben Melech. ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:2

A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame ,.... That does wicked and shameful actions: that is slothful, and will not attend to instruction or business; that is prodigal, wasteful, and luxurious, and causes shame to his parents, who blush at his conduct. Now a servant that behaves well and wisely in a family is observed and respected by his master, and he puts his wicked and extravagant son under him, makes him a tutor to him, and sets him to watch over him, and obliges... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:3

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold ,.... Refiners of silver have their fining pots, in which they purify the silver from the dross; and goldsmiths have their crucibles to melt and purify their gold, by which assays of the worth and value of it may be made; but the Lord trieth the hearts ; there is no vessel, as Gersom observes, in which they can be put and tried by creatures; a man does not know, nor can he thoroughly search and try his own heart, and much less the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:4

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips ,.... A man of an ill spirit, of a mischievous disposition, that delights in doing wickedness; he carefully attends to such as speak falsehood; he listens to lies and calumnies, loves to hear ill reports of persons, and takes pleasure in spreading them to the hurt of their characters; and men of bad hearts and lives give heed to seducing spirits, to false teachers, to inch as speak lies in hypocrisy, who sooth and harden them in their wickedness; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:5

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker ,.... He that mocks the poor for his poverty, Upbraids him with his mean appearance, scoffs at the clothes he wears or food he eats, such an one reproaches his Creator; or, as the Targum, "provokes his Creator to anger;' him who is his own Creator as well as the poor man's; him who made the poor man, both as a man and as a poor man; and who could have made him rich if he would, as well as the man that mocks at him; whose riches are not of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:6

Children's children are the crown of old men ,.... Ancient parents. Grandfathers with the Jews are called old men, as Buxtorf F4 In Lex. Talmud. col. 684. observes. A numerous progeny was reckoned a great blessing to a man; to have his table surrounded with children, as olive plants; to be encircled with a large family was a crown of glory F5 "Te felix natorum turba coronat", Claudian. de Raptu Prosperp. l. 1. v. 109. ; and to live to see children's children, a large number of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:7

Excellent speech becometh not a fool ,.... A wicked man. Eloquence, or a sublime grand way of speaking, a copiousness and fluency of expression, become not such; because hereby he may be capable of doing more mischief; or such a style is unsuitable to the subject of his discourse, which is nothing but folly and wickedness. The Gospel is excellent speech, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; it treats of excellent things; concerning the person, office, and grace of Christ, and salvation by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:8

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it ,.... Or "is a stone of grace" F8 אבן חן "lapsis gratiae", Montanus, Baynus, Michaelis. , the note of similitude being wanting. It is an ornament of grace, adorns the person that wears it, makes him look lovely and amiable; is very grateful and desirable in itself, attracts and dazzles the eyes, and fills the mind with pleasure; so is a gift in the eyes of him that has it, that is the owner of it; either that has it in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 17:9

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love ,.... He that hides the transgression of another, or of his friend, committed against himself or against another, which he is privy to; but the matter being made up, and the offence forgiven, he forgets it, and no more speaks of it to his friend, or upbraids him with it, nor spreads it among others: such a man shows that he loves his friend, and is desirous that love and friendship should be continued; and this is the way to continue it; and a... read more

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