Proverbs 22:11-12 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

Here is, 1. The qualification of an accomplished, a complete gentleman, that is fit to be employed in public business. He must be an honest man, a man that loves pureness of heart and hates all impurity, not only pure from all fleshly lusts, but from all deceit and dissimulation, from all selfishness and sinister designs, that takes care to approve himself a man of sincerity, is just and fair from principle, and delights in nothing more than in keeping his own conscience clean and void of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

Here is, 1. The special care God takes to preserve knowledge, that is, to keep up religion in the world by keeping up among men the knowledge of himself and of good and evil, notwithstanding the corruption of mankind, and the artifices of Satan to blind men's minds and keep them in ignorance. It is a wonderful instance of the power and goodness of the eyes of the Lord, that is, his watchful providence. He preserves men of knowledge, wise and good men (2 Chron. 16:9), particularly faithful... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

He that loveth pureness of heart ,.... Though man's heart is naturally impure, and all that is in it, the thoughts, affections, mind, conscience, understanding, and will; yet there is such a thing as pureness of heart; as where the grace of God is; where there it pure love to God, Christ, and to holy and heavenly things and persons; where there is pure and unfeigned faith in Christ, and a purifying hope of eternal life by him; where the Holy Spirit dwells as a sanctifier, and Christ dwells... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge ,.... That is, the providence of God, whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth; these preserve the knowledge of himself, even among the Heathens in some measure; for what may be known of God is manifest in them, and showed to them: more particularly his providence has preserved the Scriptures, the means of knowledge, which men would have destroyed; and preserves men of knowledge, as Aben Ezra interprets it, the ministers of the word, the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 22:11

He that loveth pureness of heart - Who aims to be what God would have him to be - the King of kings shall be his Friend. There is no class of men that value uprightness more than kings; as none stand so much in need of it in their servants. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 22:12

The eyes of the Lord - (the Divine providence) preserve knowledge - This providence has been wonderfully manifested in preserving the sacred oracles, and in preserving many ancient authors, which have been of great use to the civil interests of man. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:1-16

The theme of the earlier part of the chapter may be said to be the good name: the blessings in the possession of it, and the conditions for the acquirement of it—partly negatively, partly positively, described. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:6-12

Means to the preservation of the good name I. EARLY TRAINING . ( Proverbs 22:6 .) The young twig must be early bent. Experience teaches us that nothing in the world is so mighty for good or evil as custom; and therefore, says Lord Bacon, "since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let man by all means endeavour to obtain good customs. Custom is most perfect when it beginneth in young years; this we call education, which is in effect but an early custom. The tongue is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

He that loveth pureness of heart ; he who strives to be pure m heart ( Matthew 5:8 ), free from guile, lust, cupidity, vice of every kind. The next clause carries on the description of the perfect character, and is best translated. And hath grace of lips, the king is his friend. He who is not only virtuous and upright, but has the gift of graciousness of speech, winning manner in conversation, such a man wilt attach the king to him by the closest bonds of friendship. We have had... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge . The expression, "preserve knowledge," is found at Proverbs 5:2 (where see note) in the sense of "keep," "retain," and, taken by itself, it might here signify that the Lord alone possesses knowledge, and alone imparts it to his servants ( 1 Samuel 2:3 ); but as in the following clause a person, the transgressor, is spoken of, it is natural to expect a similar expression in the former. The Revised Version is correct in rendering the abstract... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 22:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 22:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:1-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:6-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 22:12

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