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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:14

He may be said to boast of a false gift, 1. Who pretends to have received or given that which he never had, which he never gave, makes a noise of his great accomplishments and his good services, but it is all false; he is not what he pretends to be. Or, 2. Who promises what he will give and what he will do, but performs nothing, who raises people's expectations of the mighty things he will do for his country, for his friends, what noble legacies he will leave, but either he has not wherewithal... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:14

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift ,.... Of his charity and alms deeds; bragging of great things he does this way, when he does nothing; or who is very vain in making large promises of what he will give, when he does not perform; either not having it in his heart, or in the power of his hands, to give what he promises; Satan like, who offered to give all the kingdoms of this world to Christ, if he would worship him, when nothing of it belonged unto him, or was in his power to give: and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 25:14

A false gift - שקר מתת mattath shaker , a lying gift, one promised, but never bestowed. "Whoso maketh greate boastes, and giveth nothing;" Coverdale. So the Vulgate : "Vir gloriosus, et promissa non complens ;" "A bragging man, who does not fulfill his promises," is like clouds which appear to be laden with vapor, and like the wind which, though it blow from a rainy quarter, brings no moistness with it. So the vain boaster; he is big with promise, but performs nothing. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 25:11-15

Similitudes of moral beauty and goodness I. THE APT WORD . Compared to "golden apples in silver frames." Carved work adorning the ceilings of rooms is perhaps alluded to. The beauty of the groined sets off the worth of the object. Just so the good word is set off by the seasonableness of the moment of its utterance ( 1 Peter 4:11 ). The apt word is "a word upon wheels, not lotted or dragged, but rolling smoothly along like chariot wheels." Our Lord's discourses ( e . g . on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 25:14

The Hebrew is, Clouds and wind without rain—he that boasteth himself in a gift of falsehood (see on Proverbs 25:11 ). The proverb is concerned with promises disappointed. Clouds and wind are generally in the East the precursors of heavy rain, as we read in 1 Kings 18:45 , "In a little while the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain." After such phenomena, which, according to current meteorological observation, gave every hope of a refreshing shower in the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 25:14

Proverbs 25:14. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift Falsely pretends that he hath given, or will give, a valuable gift; or who raises high expectations by promising much, and then deceives them by performing little or nothing; is like clouds and wind without rain Is like empty clouds carried about with wind, and not affording that rain which by their appearance they promise. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:1-28

25:1-29:27 MORE PROVERBS OF SOLOMONRelations with others (25:1-28)God has no obligation to explain to anyone the reasons for his actions. A king, however, has a duty to his people to investigate the causes of events that affect them, though he need not reveal to them his deepest thoughts (25:1-3). Some advisers to the king may be ungodly or treacherous, and should be removed if the king is to rule righteously (4-5). It is better to wait to be invited to a higher rank than to be boastfully... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 25:14

false = pretended. Illustrations: Zedekiah(1 Kings 22:11 ); Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:1-4 ); Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24-31 ); false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ). wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 25:14

"As clouds and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely."We may have here the origin of the common designation of such a braggart as "windy" or as "an old wind bag." read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 25:14

Proverbs 25:14. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift— Or, pretends he will give a valuable gift, and disappoints the expectation, is like clouds and wind without rain. See 1 Kings 18:45. read more

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