Proverbs 21:5

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Proverbs 21:5

v. 5. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; because they are industrious and thrifty, they have success; but of every one that is hasty, only to want; for haste, that is, rashness, lack of proper planning, makes waste. read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Proverbs 21:1-31

ζ) Admonition to integrity, patience, and obedient submission to God’s gracious guidanceChap. 211 Like streams of water is the heart of a king in Jehovah’s hand;he turneth it whithersoever he will.2 Every way of man is right in his own eyes,but Jehovah trieth hearts.3 To do justice and judgmentis more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the light of the wicked is (nought but) sin.5 The counsels of the diligent (tend) only to... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 21:1-31

Verse Proverbs 21:4. The "lamp" of a man's life is his spirit. Where that is exalted and manifests itself in the high look and the proud heart, there is sin. All of which is to say that for a man to follow a self-centered desire without recognition of guidance from God is of the essence of sin. Verse Proverbs 21:18. This proverb could have been written only by a man who had learned the important lesson of taking in broad expanses in his outlook. He declares the supremacy of right in the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:1-31

Proverbs Of Solomon Part 2 (Proverbs 15:22 to Proverbs 22:16 ). At this point there is a sudden switch from proverbs which contrast one thing with another, which have been predominant since Proverbs 10:1, to proverbs where the second clause adds something to the first. Whilst we still find some contrasting proverbs, especially at the beginning, they are not so common. This may suggest a deliberate intention by Solomon to separate his proverbs into two parts. Furthermore such a change at this... read more

Arthur Peake

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

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 21:5

The diligent, who carefully and industriously prosecutes what he hath wisely contrived and resolved. That is hasty; who manageth his affairs rashly, without due consideration. Only to want; is likely to bring himself to poverty. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Proverbs 21:5-7

CRITICAL NOTES.—Proverbs 21:5. Thoughts, rather the counsels, the calculatings. Proverbs 21:6. Vanity tossed to and fro. Rather a fleeting breath. The Hebrew word hebel, here translated vanity, means rapour. Proverbs 21:7. Robbery, or violence, rapacity. Proverbs 21:8. Zöckler translates the first clause of this verse, “Crooked is the way of the guilty man.” Fausset remarks that the Hebrew word ish (man) expresses a man once good; froward implies his perversity, by having left the good way.... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-31

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

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 21:1-31

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

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Proverbs 21:5

Proverbs 21:5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness.DiligenceDiligence, while it is opposed to laziness, is opposed also to rashness--to premature and inconsiderate haste. The diligent man first plans and then acts. He proceeds thoughtfully and systematically. Diligence can effect little, unless accompanied with careful forethought. Diligence means steady perseverance in execution. The projects of the attentive, plodding, persevering man, who begins in earnest and goes on to... read more

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