Proverbs 6:1-5

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 6:2

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth ,.... Got into a snare out of which an escape is not easy; art no longer free, and thine own man, but under obligation to pay the debt if required; by the verbal agreement made and confirmed by striking hands, and this before witnesses; thou art taken with the words of thy mouth ; as in a net, and held fast therein and thereby, and cannot get loose without paying the debt, if the debtor does not, or without the leave of the creditor. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 6:3

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself ,.... Take the following advice, as the best that can be given in such circumstances, in order to be freed from such an obligation, or to be safe and easy under it; when thou art come into the hand of thy friend ; or, "because or seeing thou art fallen into the hand of thy friend,' as the Targum; or "though thou art,' &c.; as Aben Ezra; which may be understood either of the creditor to whom a man is bound, or of the debtor for whom he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 6:4

Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Until the above things are done; which denotes of what consequence and importance they are; and that persons in such circumstances should not be careless, dilatory, and unconcerned; but should use great diligence, and leave no stone unturned, or method untried, to extricate themselves; see Psalm 132:4 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 6:5

Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter ,.... As such a creature, which is very swift, when it is got into the hand of the hunter, will strive and struggle to get out; so should a man try all ways and means to get out of his suretyship engagements, especially when he finds himself liable to danger by it; this he should do "immediately" and "out of hand" F7 מיד "statim", De Dieu; "subito", Noldius, p. 859. No. 1630. "ilico, repente", so some in Eliae Tishbi, p. 143. ,... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 6:3

Do this - deliver thyself - Continue to press him for whom thou art become surety, to pay his creditor; give him no rest till he do it, else thou mayest fully expect to be left to pay the debt. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 6:5

Deliver thyself as a roe - צבי tsebi , the antelope. If thou art got into the snare, get out if thou possibly canst; make every struggle and excertion, as the antelope taken in the net, and the bird taken in the snare would, in order to get free from thy captivity. 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

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