Proverbs 30:17 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 30:15-17

He had spoken before of those that devoured the poor (Prov. 30:14), and had spoken of them last, as the worst of all the four generations there mentioned; now here he speaks of their insatiableness in doing this. The temper that puts them upon it is made up of cruelty and covetousness. Now those are two daughters of the horse-leech, its genuine offspring, that still cry, ?Give, give, give more blood, give more money;? for the bloody are still blood-thirsty; being drunk with blood, they add... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

The eye that mocketh at his father ,.... At his advice, admonitions, and instructions; looks upon him with scorn and disdain, and treats him as a weak, silly, old man: here Agur returns to the first generation he had observed; and despiseth to obey his mother ; her orders and commands: or, "the obedience of his mother" F19 ליקהת אם "obediantiam matris", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis; "doctrinam", Vatablus, Tigurine... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:17

The eye that mocketh at his father - This seems to be spoken against those who curse their father, and do not bless their mother, Proverbs 30:11 . The ravens of the valley - Those which frequent the places where dead carcasses and offal are most likely to be found. The raven, the crow, the rook, the daw, the carrion crow, and the Cornish chough, appear to be all of the same genus. Some of them live on pulse and insects; others, the raven in particular, live on carrion. The young... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:1-33

Part VII. FIRST APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION , containing "the words of Agur." A short introduction, teaching that the Word of God is the source of wisdom ( Proverbs 30:1-6 ), is followed by apothegms on different subjects ( Proverbs 30:7-33 ). Cornelius a Lapide offers the following opinion concerning this appendix, which no one can hesitate to say is well founded, if he attempts to give it a spiritual interpretation, and to discern mysteries under the literal... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:11-31

contain six groups of four sentences each, each quaternion having a certain connection in language and concinnity of idea. First ( Proverbs 30:11-14 ) come four generations that are evil—four being taken as the symbol of universality. The sins herein specified had become so general that they affected the whole generation. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

This is an independent proverb, only connected with the preceding by being founded on an allusion to an animal. The eye that mocketh at his father. The eye is named as the mind's instrument for expressing scorn and insubordination; it is the index to the inner feeling; and look may be as sinful as action. And despiseth to obey his mother ; i . e . holds obedience to his mother to be a thing of no importance whatever. The word translated "to obey" ( ליקהת ) is rendered by St.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

The punishment of unfilial conduct I. THE DENUNCIATION IS IN FIGURATIVE FORM . II. ITS FULFILMENT LITERALLY HAD BEEN A MATTER OF ACTUAL OBSERVATION . III. THE GENERAL TRUTH MUST BE CARRIED INTO THE LIGHT OF CONSCIENCE . On the whole, as Bishop Butler soundly taught, the constitution of things tends to punish evil and reward good conduct.—J. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 30:17

Proverbs 30:17. The eye that mocketh at his father He that scorneth or derideth his parents, though it be but with a look or gesture, and much more when he breaks out into opprobrious words and actions; the ravens of the valley shall pick it out “They who are guilty of such an enormous ingratitude to their parents shall come to an infamous end, and their dead bodies shall be exposed for a prey to the ravens which frequent the brooks that run in the valleys, and to the young eagles,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:10-33

The wise sayings of Agur (30:10-33)It is wise not to be hasty in reporting a person for a supposed wrongdoing. Such action could rebound with harm to the talebearer if the person is innocent (10). The arrogant despise those whom they should respect, while considering that they themselves are not only blameless, but superior to their fellows. They are merciless in their treatment of those whom they should rather help (11-14).The expression ‘three things . . . and four’ in the proverbs that... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 30:17

despiseth to obey = despiseth obedience to. The ravens, &c. These birds of prey always begin with the eyes of a carcase. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 30:15-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:1-33

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:11-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:17

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 30:17

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:10-33

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 30:17

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