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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5

It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion; and this is one good rule, To avoid suretiship, because by it poverty and ruin are often brought into families, which take away that comfort in relations which he had recommended in the foregoing chapter. 1. We must look upon suretiship as a snare and decline it accordingly, Ps. 6:1, 2. ?It is dangerous enough for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 6:1

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend ,.... To another; hast engaged thyself by promise or bond, or both, to pay a debt for him, if he is not able, or if required; or hast laid thyself under obligation to any, to see the debt of another paid; if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger ; or "to" him F2 לזר "extraneo", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Baynus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Cocceius, Schultens. ; whom thou knowest not, and to whom thou owest... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 6:1

If thou be surety for thy friend - לרעך lereacha , for thy neighbor; i.e., any person. If thou pledge thyself in behalf of another, thou takest the burden off him, and placest it on thine own shoulders; and when he knows he has got one to stand between him and the demands of law and justice, he will feel little responsibility; his spirit of exertion will become crippled, and listlessness as to the event will be the consequence. His own character will suffer little; his property nothing,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1

The contents of this section are not to be taken so much as an absolute unqualified prohibition of suretyship as counsel directed against the inconsiderate and rash undertaking of such an obligation. There were some occasions on which becoming surety for another was demanded by the laws of charity and prudence, and when it was not inconsistent with the humane precepts of the Mosaic Law as enunciated in Le Proverbs 19:19 . In other passages of our book the writer of the Proverbs lays down... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5

9. Ninth admonitory discourse. Warning against suretyship. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5

The surety Our Christian charity may naturally be shocked at the selfishness apparently inculcated by the frequent warnings against giving security for others that are scattered up and down the Book of Proverbs. They have done more than anything else to lead people to regard the standard of morality of the Proverbs as low and worldly. Let us consider the subject from various points of view. I. THE STANDARD OF MORALITY OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS IS LOWER THAN THAT ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5

The perils of suretyship Here we have - I. A FEATURE OF ANCIENT LIFE . The warnings against incurring this responsibility are very frequent in this book ( Proverbs 11:15 ; Proverbs 17:18 ; Proverbs 20:16 ; Proverbs 22:26 ). For the bail was treated like the insolvent debtor ( 2 Kings 4:1 ; Matthew 18:25 ). He was subject to distraint or to be sold into slavery. Ben-Sira (29, 18, seq. ) says, "Suretyship hath destroyed many that were doing well, and swallowed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5

Answering for others; danger and deliverance There are times when we are invited and are bound to answer for other people—it may be with our word, or it may be with our bond. We have all been indebted to the kindnesses of our friends in this direction, and that which we have received from our fellows we should be ready to give to them in return. But it is a matter in which it is very easy to go much too far; in which carelessness is wrong and even criminal; in which, therefore wise counsel... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-35

The sixth chapter embraces four distinct discourses, each of which is a warning. The subjects treated of are The continuity of the subject treated of in the preceding chapter appears to be somewhat abruptly interrupted to make way for the insertion of three discourses on subjects which apparently have little connection with what precedes and what follows. Their unlooked for and unexpected appearance has led Hitzig to regard them as interpolations, but it has been conclusively pointed out... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 6:1-2

Proverbs 6:1-2. My son, if thou be surety for, or to, thy friend Namely, rashly and unadvisedly, without considering for whom, or how the thou dost oblige thyself, or how thou shalt discharge the debt if occasion require it: otherwise suretiship, in some cases, may be not only lawful, but an act of justice and charity; if thou hast stricken thy hand Obliged thyself by giving thy hand, or joining thy hand with another man’s, as the custom then was in such cases; (of which, see Job 17:3,... read more

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