Proverbs 21:1 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

Note, 1. Even the hearts of men are in God's hand, and not only their goings, as he had said, Prov. 20:24. God can change men's minds, can, by a powerful insensible operation under their spirits, turn them from that which they seemed most intent upon, and incline them to that which they seemed most averse to, as the husbandman, by canals and gutters, turns the water through his grounds as he pleases, which does not alter the nature of the water, nor put any force upon it, any more than God's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water ,.... The heart of every king, and all that is in it, his thoughts, counsels, purposes, and designs; the hearts of bad kings, as Pharaoh, whom the Lord hardened and softened at pleasure; the antichristian kings, into whose hearts he put it to give their kingdoms to the beast, Revelation 17:17 ; the hearts of good kings, as David, Solomon, Cyrus, and others: and if the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord, which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord - The Lord is the only ruler of princes. He alone can govern and direct their counsels. But there is an allusion here to the Eastern method of watering their lands. Several canals are dug from one stream; and by opening a particular sluice, the husbandman can direct a stream to whatever part he please: so the king's heart, wherever it turns; i.e., to whomsoever he is disposed to show favor. As the land is enriched with the streams employed in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. We are to think of the little channels used for irrigation. As these are altogether under the gardener's control, so the heart of the king, who might seem to have no superior, is directed by God. He turneth it whithersoever he will. By hidden influences and providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his government so as to carry out his designs, to spread around joy and plenty. The system of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

Human power and Divine direction The course of human affairs impresses, we might perhaps say oppresses, us with the thought— I. HOW MUCH POWER IS IN ONE MAN 'S HAND . We shall always have kings amongst us—of one kind or another. They may not bear that name; they may not occupy the precise social position indicated by the word; but there will always be men who will exercise such distinguished power and hold such eminent position that they will be "as kings," if they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-3

The providence and government of God I. THE DIVINE CONTROL OF HUMAN PURPOSES . ( Proverbs 21:1 .) As the streams of water are led by canals and trenches through the land, that it may be refreshed and fructified, so are the thoughts and counsels of the ruler, if wise and true, a means of strength and blessing to the people. And all such wise counsels are of God. He forms and turns the purposes of the heart, as the potter with the clay. To Cyrus he says, "I have called thee by... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 21:1

Proverbs 21:1. The king’s heart His very inward purposes and inclinations, which seem to be most in a man’s own power, and out of the reach of all other beings; and much more his tongue, and hand, and all his outward actions; are in the hand of the Lord Subject to the influence, control, and government of the great Lord of all. As the rivers of water Which husbandmen, or gardeners, can draw by little channels into the adjacent grounds, as they please. He names kings, not to exclude... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-31

God at work in people’s lives (21:1-31)As God directs the course along which a stream flows, so he guides the decisions of national rulers according to his plan (21:1). God knows people’s motives and he will not accept their sacrifices if their thoughts and actions are wrong (2-4). Prosperity that comes through diligence is a fitting reward, but prosperity that comes through greed, lying and violence is a deadly trap (5-8). Some people make life unpleasant for those who live in the same house,... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 21:1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 . the rivers of water. Hebrew. palgey mayim = the divisions of water [in a garden], from palag, to divide (Genesis 10:25 ). The name given to the small channels which divide up an Eastern (walled) garden for purposes of irrigation. See note on "rivers", Psalms 1:3 . There is an Ellipsis in the second clause, and the verb must be supplied thus: The king's heart [is] in the hand of Jehovah, As the palgey mayim [are in the hand of the gardener]. See App-74 . ... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1

Proverbs 21:1"The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will."Here again we have a statement concerning monarchs, the truth of which depends, absolutely, upon the character of the monarch. It is impossible to believe, for example, that God turned the heart of Solomon in the direction of building pagan temples for many of his scandalous collection of wives and concubines. Yet, it is also true that the power of God is sufficient to cause any... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 21:1

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-31

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 21:1

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1

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