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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 22:11

Here is, 1. The qualification of an accomplished, a complete gentleman, that is fit to be employed in public business. He must be an honest man, a man that loves pureness of heart and hates all impurity, not only pure from all fleshly lusts, but from all deceit and dissimulation, from all selfishness and sinister designs, that takes care to approve himself a man of sincerity, is just and fair from principle, and delights in nothing more than in keeping his own conscience clean and void of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:1

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches ,.... The word "good" is not in the text, but is rightly supplied, as it is by the Targum, Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin versions; for it is not any name that is more eligible than riches; nor is it a need name among any sort of persons; for to have a good name with some turns to a man's reproach rather than to his credit; but a good name among good men, a name in the house of God, which is better than sons and daughters; a new name,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:2

The rich and poor meet together ,.... In an hostile way, as some; they rush upon one another; the rich despise the poor, and the poor envy the rich; they cannot speak well one of another, as the Arabic version; or they are dependent on one another, they cannot do without each other; as in the natural body one member cannot say to another, I have no need of thee; so, in the body politic, the rich and the poor cannot say they have no need of one another; the rich stand in need of the poor to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:3

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself ,.... A wise man, whose eyes are in his head, who looks about him and before him, and is cautious and careful of his conduct and behaviour; he foresees the evil of sin he is liable to be drawn into by such and such company, snares, and temptations; and therefore he keeps from them, and abstains from all appearance of evil, or what would lead him to it; and he foresees the evil of punishment, or the judgments of God that are coming on for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:4

By humility and the fear of the Lord ,.... Some render it, "the reward of humility, which is the fear of the Lord" F18 עקב ענוה יראת יהוה "praemium mansuetudinis, quae est reverentia Jehovae", Schultens; "merces humilitatis timor Domini", Baynus; "praemium humilitatis est timor Domini": Tigurine version; so Vatablus, Mercerus, Cocceius. ; so the Targum; an humble man is blessed with it. Jarchi's note is, "because of humility, the fear of the Lord comes;' humility leads... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:5

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward ,.... Who walks contrary to the will and law of God; such a man meets with troubles, which are as thorns, grieving and distressing to him; and is taken in snares, and brought into difficulties, out of which he is not easily extricated; the thorns of affliction, and the snares of Satan: by the one his way is hedged up, and in the other his feet are taken; he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them ; he that is concerned for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go ,.... As Abraham trained up his children, and those born in his house, in the way of the Lord, in the paths of justice and judgment; which are the ways in which they should go, and which will be to their profit and advantage; see Genesis 14:14 ; and which is the duty of parents and masters in all ages, and under the present Gospel dispensation, even to bring such who are under their care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Ephesians 6:4 ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:7

The rich ruleth over the poor ,.... Usurps a dominion over them, and exercises it in a rigorous, oppressive, and tyrannical manner; otherwise they are generally the rich that rule, and if they rule well, in a lawful, gentle, and righteous manner, it is commendable; and the borrower is servant to the lender ; being under obligation to him, he is forced to be subject to him, and comply with his humours, and do and say as he would have him; it was a happiness promised to the Israelites,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:8

He that soweth iniquity F21 So, "serere fallaciam", in Plauti Poenulo, l. 1. v. 67. shall reap vanity ,.... He that practises sin, and is frequent in the commission of it; indulges to it in a profuse way, as the sower plentifully scatters his seed; such shall reaper possess nothing but sin and wickedness; for, what a man sows, that shall he reap; he shall eat the fruit of his doings, and have the reward of his works; see Job 4:8 ; or "nothing" F23 און "inanitatem ac nihilum",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:9

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed ,.... Or "a good eye" F25 טוב עין "bonus oculus", Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius; "bonus oculo", Junilus & Tremellius, Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis, Schultens. ; who looks about him for proper objects to do good unto; looks pleasantly on them, and deals out cheerfully and bountifully to them; he shall be blessed with an increase of temporal good things, with spiritual blessings, and with eternal glory and happiness; when he does what... read more

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