Proud and haughty scorner is his name; instead of that respect and glory which he seeks by such courses, he shall be branded with the title and imputation of an arrogant and scornful person, which is most contemptible and hateful to mankind. Who dealeth in proud wrath; who in the conduct of his affairs and dealings in the world is not governed by reason and justice, but by his own pride and passions. read more
Killeth him; either, 1. Tormenteth him almost to death, whilst he passionately desires that which he sees he shall not enjoy, and will not take pains to procure. Or, 2. Exposeth him to extreme want, and so to death, or to such wicked courses, for the supply of his wants, as bring him to an untimely death. read more
He coveteth; the slothful man, mentioned in the last verse. But because the verses in this book are for the most part independent one upon another, this clause is and may be otherwise rendered, There is that coveteth, &c.; or, the wicked (which may be understood from the opposition of the righteous in the next clause) coveteth, &c. All the day long; spends his whole time in vain and lazy desires, but will not labour to get any thing, either to use himself, or to give to others. The... read more
CRITICAL NOTES.—Proverbs 21:24. Proud wrath, literally “wrath of pride,” or overflowings of haughtiness. MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 21:24A NAME OF DEGREESI. Many terms are needed to set forth the complete character of the wicked man. A complicated machine has many parts, each of which has a different action and performs a different work, and each of which has its distinctive name. But the whole make up one machine, the name of which includes all the parts. So is it with a wicked man. He is... read more
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 21:25-26THE SWORD OF THE SLUGGARDI. A sluggard cannot help desiring the results of toil. It is natural and lawful for men to value bodily health and comfort, and all those blessings which are the ordinary fruits of industry—they are good things which God gives His creatures to enjoy, but they are not His only gifts nor His best gifts. But they are the main objects of the sluggard’s desire, for an inordinate and exclusive love of them has made him a slothful man. If... read more
DISCOURSE: 803DESIRE IS NOTHING WITHOUT LABOURProverbs 21:25. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.IT is the duty of a minister to “comfort the Lord’s people,” and on no account to “make the heart of the righteous sad.” Our blessed Lord “brake not the bruised reed, nor quenched the smoking flax:” and in this respect all who minister in his name must follow his example, never “despising the day of small things,” but “carrying the lambs in their bosom, and gently... read more
Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Proverbs 21:1-31 .Proverbs 21:1-31 , Solomon declares:The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will ( Proverbs 21:1 ).The word "rivers of water" is in the Hebrew "as the water courses." Now in the land of Israel, they had made many sluices for the water by which they could direct the water from the river to their farm areas. And these sluices were, of course, to turn the water to bring it to a desired... read more
Proverbs 21:1 . The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. The allusion is probably to the water-meads and the ditches in the corn fields, which irrigate the lands by a diversion of the streams. This doctrine asserts the providence of God over the nations, and over the church. God commissioned the king of Assyria to punish the Jews for idolatry. Isaiah 10:5. How remarkably was the heart of Cyrus, of Darius, and of Artaxerxes... read more
Proverbs 21:25The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.SlothSolomon attaches to it several evils.I. Suicide. “The desire of the slothful killeth him.” The man who is too lazy to move his limbs or open his eyes is too lazy to have a “desire.” These desires kill him. There are several things that tend to kill such a man.1. Ennui. This is what Byron calls “that awful yawn which sleep cannot abate.” In all life there is not a more crushing power than lassitude. It... read more
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Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1-31
Proverbs 21:1 . watercourses: not the natural brooks and wadys of Palestine, but the artificial irrigation canals of Egypt or Babylonia, which could be diverted in any direction at will. Proverbs 21:4 . Apparently two unconnected lines belonging to different couplets. A connexion can be established only by forced exegesis. The Heb. is lit. “ lofty of look and arrogant of heart, the tillage of the wicked is sin.” RV “ lamp” for “ tillage” depends on a different pointing, but does not improve... read more