Proverbs 20:21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:21

Note, 1. It is possible that an estate may be suddenly raised. There are those that will be rich, by right or wrong, who make no conscience of what they say or do if they can but get money by it, who, when it is in their power, will cheat their own father, and who sordidly spare and hoard up what they get, grudging themselves and their families food convenient and thinking all lost but what they buy land with or put out to interest. By such ways as these a man may grow rich, may grow very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning ,.... Of a man's setting out in the world in trade and business; and which sometimes is got lawfully, and this must be excepted from this proverb; but generally what is got hastily and in a short time is got unlawfully, and so does not prosper. Some Jewish interpreters, as Gersom, understand it of an inheritance which comes to persons from their friends, without any labour or industry of theirs; and which they are not careful to keep,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance - gotten hastily - Gotten by speculation; by lucky hits; not in the fair progressive way of traffic, in which money has its natural increase. All such inheritances are short-lived; God's blessing is not in them, because they are not the produce of industry; and they lead to idleness, pride, fraud and knavery. A speculation in trade is a pubiic nuisance and curse. How many honest men have been ruined by such! read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 20:20-23

Smitten sins I. HATRED TO PARENTS . ( Proverbs 20:20 .) 1 . It is unnatural beyond most vices, like hating the hand that lifts food to the mouth. 2 . It is disobedience to a primary Divine command. 3 . It incurs the Divine curse and the darkest doom. II. THE VICE OF GRASPING . ( Proverbs 20:21 .) It springs from excessive, irregular, disordered desire, and generally from an ill-led life. We must wait upon God's order; must distinguish the necessary from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning —or, which in the beginning, is obtained in haste— but the end thereof shall not be blessed; or, its end shall not be blessed. The Khetib gives מְבֹהֶלֶת , which (comp. Zechariah 11:8 ) may mean "detested," but this gives no sense; it is better, with the Keri, to replace kheth with he, and read מְבֹהֶלֶת ( meboheleth ) , "hastened," "hastily acquired". The maxim, taken in connection with the preceding verse, may... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 20:21

Proverbs 20:21. An inheritance may be gotten hastily An estate is sometimes soon gained, even in the very beginning of a man’s labours for it: in which case, it may be presumed that some indirect and unrighteous means have been used for the getting of it, because riches are very seldom given by God, or gotten by men, without men’s diligence. But this, as well as many other proverbs, are to be understood of the common course of things, which may admit of many exceptions. For sometimes... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 20:1-30

Honesty (20:1-30)Wise people will not become drunkards, will not needlessly anger those in authority, will avoid quarrelling and will work to support themselves (20:1-4). They will also have the ability to draw out the deepest feelings and intentions of those with whom they deal (5). Many people boast of their loyalty but few practise it. To live honestly is the best way to guarantee a good future for one’s children (6-7). A king learns by experience to discern between right and wrong in cases... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 20:21

blessed = happy. See note on Proverbs 3:13 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 20:21

"An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed."As it stands, this is ambiguous. Toy understood it to say that, "The heir does not wait to receive his inheritance in the due course of nature, obtaining it prematurely by foul means; no blessing, the proverb declares will attend property so acquired."[15] Deane applied it also to, "The prodigal in the parable who demanded and received his inheritance,"[16] squandered it in the far country and at... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 20:21

21. gotten hastily—contrary to God's providence (Proverbs 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Proverbs 28:20- :). read more

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