Proverbs 14:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 14:16

Note, 1. Holy fear is an excellent guard upon every holy thing, and against every thing that is unholy. It is wisdom to depart from evil, from the evil of sin, and thereby from all other evil; and therefore it is wisdom to fear, that is, to be jealous over ourselves with a godly jealousy, to keep up a dread of God's wrath, to be afraid of coming near the borders of sin or dallying with the beginnings of it. A wise man, for fear of harm, keeps out of harm's way, and starts back in a fright when... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 14:16

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil ,.... He fears God, and is careful not to offend him; wherefore he departs from sin, stands at a distance from it, abstains from all appearance of it; being influenced by the goodness and grace of God unto him, he fears the Lord and his goodness, and therefore avoids all occasions of sinning against him: his motive is not merely fear of punishment, as Jarchi, but a sense of goodness; and now, as it is through the influence of divine fear that men... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 14:16

A wise man feareth - He can never trust in himself, though he be satisfied from himself. He knows that his suffiency is of God; and he has that fear that causes him to depart from evil, which is a guardian to the love he feels. Love renders him cautious; the other makes him confident. His caution leads him from sin; his confidence leads him to God. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 14:8-19

The understanding of one's way I. THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE . ( Proverbs 14:8 .) To note, to observe, to take heed to one's way, is the characteristic of the man who is prudent for time and wise for eternity. And, on the contrary, the very principle of folly is self-deception—to be followed in turn by a terrible awakening to sobriety and recognition of the truth (comp. Psalms 7:15 ; Job 4:8 ). The right way is illustrated both positively and negatively. II. SOME PARTICULAR ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 14:16

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil ( Proverbs 22:3 ). In Proverbs 3:7 we had, "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil;" but here the idea is different. A wise man fears the evil that lurks in everything, and examines and ponders actions by the standard of religion, and is thus saved from many evils which arise from hastiness and inadvertence. The fool rageth, and is confident ( Proverbs 21:24 ; Proverbs 28:26 ). The fool easily falls into a rage, and has no control over... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 14:16

Proverbs 14:16. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil He trembles at God’s judgments when they are either inflicted or threatened; and shuns sin, which is the procuring cause of all calamities; but the fool rages Frets against God, or is enraged against his messengers who declare the threatening; or, as the Hebrew, מתעבר , should rather be translated here, transgresseth, or goeth on in sin constantly and resolutely; which is fitly opposed to departing from evil; as his being ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 14:1-35

Hidden feelings and motives (14:1-35)Wisdom builds, but folly destroys. People’s actions reveal their attitude to God (14:1-2). The wisdom of their speech and their commitment to hard work are among the things that determine whether they progress or come to ruin (3-5). Those who think they know everything can never become truly wise and therefore can never have right discernment in the moral issues of life (6-8).Good people may prosper and evil people may suffer loss, but outward appearances do... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 14:16

evil. Hebrew. ra a'. See App-44 . rageth = rusheth on. confident. Hebrew. batah. App-69 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 14:16

"A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently and is confident."Frankenberg and Toy give various readings here: "The wise man guards himself anxiously against evil, but the fool lightly takes part therein"; or, "The wise man is cautious and avoids misfortune, but the fool is arrogant and confident."[17] read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 14:16

16. (Compare Proverbs 3:7; Proverbs 28:14). rageth—acts proudly and conceitedly. read more

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