Proverbs 25:16-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:16

Here, 1. We are allowed a sober and moderate use of the delights of sense: Hast thou found honey? It is not forbidden fruit to thee, as it was to Jonathan; thou mayest eat of it with thanksgiving to God, who, having created things grateful to our senses, has given us leave to make use of them. Eat as much as is sufficient, and no more. Enough is as good as a feast. 2. We are cautioned to take heed of excess. We must use all pleasures as we do honey, with a check upon our appetite, lest we take... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:17

Here he mentions another pleasure which we must not take too much of, that of visiting our friends, the former for fear of surfeiting ourselves, this for fear of surfeiting our neighbour. 1. It is a piece of civility to visit our neighbours sometimes, to show our respect to them and concern for them, and to cultivate and improve mutual acquaintance and love, and that we may have both the satisfaction and advantage of their conversation. 2. It is wisdom, as well as good manners, not to be... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:18

Here, 1. The sin condemned is bearing false witness against our neighbour, either in judgment or in common conversation, contrary to the law of the ninth commandment. 2. That which it is here condemned for is the mischievousness of it; it is in its power to ruin not only men's reputation, but their lives, estates, families, all that is dear to them. A false testimony is every thing that is dangerous; it is a maul (or club to knock a man's brains out with), a flail, which there is no fence... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:19

1. The confidence of an unfaithful man (so some read it) will be like a broken tooth; his policy, his power, his interest, all that which he trusted in to support him in his wickedness, will fail him in time of trouble, Ps. 52:7. 2. Confidence in an unfaithful man (so we read it), in a man whom we thought trusty and therefore depended on, but who proves otherwise; it proves not only unserviceable, but painful and vexatious, like a broken tooth, or a foot out of joint, which, when we put any... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 25:20

1. The absurdity here censured is singing songs to a heavy heart. Those that are in great sorrow are to be comforted by sympathizing with them, condoling with them, and concurring in their lamentation. If we take that method, the moving of our lips may assuage their grief (Job 16:5); but we take a wrong course with them if we think to relieve them by being merry with them, and endeavouring to make them merry; for it adds to their grief to see their friends so little concerned for them; it puts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:16

Hast thou found honey ?.... Of which there was great plenty in Judea; and was to be found in fields and woods, 1 Samuel 14:25 ; eat so much as is sufficient for thee ; to satisfy appetite, without overcharging the stomach; what may be conducive to health, and no more; lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it ; that is, overfilled; filled to a loathing of it, so as to cause a casting of it up this is not merely to be understood in a literal sense; something more is intended, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:17

Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house ,.... Not but that it is commendable to be neighbourly and friendly, or for one neighbour to visit another; but then it should not be very frequent; a man should not be always or often at his neighbour's house. So the words may be rendered, "make thy foot precious" or "rare at thy neighbour's house" F13 חקר "rarum fac", Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis, Cocceius; Heb. "praetiosum fac", Piscator. ; be seldom there; lest he be weary... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:18

A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour ,.... In whose house he has often been, and whom he has frequently visited; and, observing what was done there, not only discovers and tells abroad the secrets of his family, but even things which are false; yea, in a court of judicature, appears a witness against him, and swears falsely to his hurt and prejudice. Such a man is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow ; that is, to his neighbour, against whom he bears false witness;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:19

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble ,.... It is not good to put confidence in any man, not in princes, nor in the best of men; much less in an unfaithful, prevaricating, and treacherous man; and especially in a time of distress and trouble, depending on his help and assistance, which is leaning on a broken reed, and trusting to a broken staff. Or, "the confidence of an unfaithful man in time of trouble" F15 מבטח בוגד "fiducia praevaricatoris", Pagninus, Montanus,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 25:20

As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather ,.... Either takes it off of himself, or another person, when it would be rather more proper to put another garment on, and so is exposed to the injury of cold weather; and as vinegar upon nitre : nitre was found in Egypt, beyond Memphis, as Strabo says F16 Geograph. l. 17. p. 552. ; there were two mines of nitre, which produced much, and thence it was called the Nitriotic Nome: others say, nitre has its name from Nitria, a town... read more

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