Proverbs 21:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:16

Here is, 1. The sinner upon his ramble: He wanders out of the way of understanding, and when once he has left that good way he wanders endlessly. The way of religion is the way of understanding; those that are not truly pious are not truly intelligent; those that wander out of this way break the hedge which God has set, and follow the conduct of the world and the flesh; and they go astray like lost sheep. 2. The sinner at his rest, or rather his ruin: He shall remain (quiescet?he shall rest,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:16

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding ,.... The way of getting understanding, the good ways and word of God; that wanders from the house of God, the assembly of the saints, where the Gospel is preached, and the ordinances are administered; that, instead of attending on them, where he might gain the understanding of divine and spiritual things, wanders about in the fields, gets into bad company, walks with them in their ways, and turns to his own, as a sheep that goes astray:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:16

The man once enlightened, that wandereth out of the way of understanding, in which he had walked, shall remain - have a permanent residence - in the congregation of the dead; רפאים rephaim , the lost; either separate spirits in general, or rather the assembly of separate spirits, which had fallen from primitive rectitude; and shall not be restored to the Divine favor; particularly those sinners who were destroyed by the deluge. This passage intimates that those called rephaim are in a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:14-17

Lights and shades of the earthly scene I. THE POWER OF GIFTS . ( Proverbs 21:14 .) They are neither good nor evil in themselves, but may be employed for good or evil ends. Let us make a good use of this text. We learn that gifts should be quiet, unobtrusive, unobserved ; and the same is true of all acts of kindness which are real gilts from the heart. They should neither irritate pride nor depress independence. By such little attentions and marks at love, how much evil may... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:16

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding . (For הַשְׂכֵּל , "understanding," see note on Proverbs 1:3 .) He who forsakes the way of wisdom, the path of virtue, the religious life, and thus becomes in proverbial language "a fool," he shall remain ( rest, dwell ) in the congregation of the dead ; in coetu gigantum commorabitur. "The dead" is, in the Hebrew, rephaim, for which see note on Proverbs 2:18 . The denunciation means primarily that the sinner shall... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 21:16

Proverbs 21:16. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding That forsaketh the rule of God’s word, and walketh after his own lusts; shall remain in the congregation of the dead Shall, without repentance, be condemned to eternal death and destruction; Hebrew, בקהל רפאים , In the congregation of the Rephaim; his lot shall be among those wicked souls hereafter, namely, in the depths of Sheol; or the lowest and most wretched parts of it, where the lewd and dissolute go,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-31

God at work in people’s lives (21:1-31)As God directs the course along which a stream flows, so he guides the decisions of national rulers according to his plan (21:1). God knows people’s motives and he will not accept their sacrifices if their thoughts and actions are wrong (2-4). Prosperity that comes through diligence is a fitting reward, but prosperity that comes through greed, lying and violence is a deadly trap (5-8). Some people make life unpleasant for those who live in the same house,... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 21:16

man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 . congregation = assembly. dead = the Rephaim, who have no resurrection. See note on "deceased" and "dead" in Isaiah 26:14 , Isaiah 26:19 , and App-25 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 21:16

"The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead."The man that wanders out of the way of understanding is the man who rejects his obligation to love and obey the Creator. The assembly of the dead is a reference, first of all, to that cessation of mortality to which all men are appointed; and, secondly, it is that ultimate assembly of that incorrigibly wicked company to which the King shall say, "Depart ... I never knew you." Another rendition: "The... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 21:16

Proverbs 21:16. The man that wandereth, &c.— He who deviates from the way of religion, shall remain in the congregation of the Rephaim: His lot shall be among those wicked souls hereafter; i.e. in the depths of sheol [hell], or the lowermost or most wretched parts of it; where the lewd and dissolute go, as he hath told us, chap. Proverbs 9:18. See Peters on Job, p. 363. read more

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