Proverbs 17 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 17

17:1   Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting¹ with strife.
2   A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3   The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and the LORD tests hearts.
4   An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5   Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
    he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6   Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
7   Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a prince.
8   A bribe is like a magic² stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
9   Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10   A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
11   An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12   Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    rather than a fool in his folly.
13   If anyone returns evil for good,
    evil will not depart from his house.
14   The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15   He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
16   Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
17   A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
18   One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19   Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
20   A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21   He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
22   A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23   The wicked accepts a bribe in secret³
    to pervert the ways of justice.
24   The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25   A foolish son is a grief to his father
    and bitterness to her who bore him.
26   To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27   Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28   Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Footnotes

[1] 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
[2] 17:8 Or precious
[3] 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom

Commentary

v1: See also 16.19; the wise man sees the blessing of true peace, even in poverty. Riches are not to be despised, but where they bring strife, then poverty is better.

v2: The servant can advance himself, and receive inheritance, John 15.15.

v3: The Lord tests the heart, even as precious metal is heated to be purified. He takes us through experiences to purify our affections and desires.

v4-5: The desires of the wicked man, for evil, not for good. He loves falsehood, spite, he mocks the poor, he passes on evil words, and rejoices at the calamity of others. His desires are self-promoting, he is in the downward spiral of sin (Rom 1.20-32).

v6: Children are a gift from the Lord, and so to see one's grandchildren, and subsequent generations is a great blessing, Gen 50.22-23.

v7: Sometimes our observation does not match the reality; eloquent lips on a fool (margin), but equally lying lips on a ruler.

v8: A bribe does have an effect, changing men's decisions. We do see that evil does 'work,' bringing about its own ends.

v9: The whisperer, speaking in secret;

brings up disputes that were resolved;
recalls wrongs with criticism;
forgets reasons for praise;

no wonder he separates the best of friends, see 16.28.

The wise man will cover the transgressions of another, avoiding bringing shame or embarrassment to others.

v10: A wise man receives and values correction.

v11: The evil man seeks only rebellion, because his heart is full of rebellion; he deserves judgment without mercy.

v12: Although a fool may not necessarily be violent, he brings trouble to those he meets.

v13: A man sows what he reaps, so sowing evil brings a harvest of evil.

v14: The fool prefers strife, and that can be difficult to stop once started.

v15: His morality is corrupt and perverse, contrasting with God's perfect standard of righteousness.

v16: Money without wisdom is a waste.

v17: True friendship is a strength in times of adversity; it is consistent through all of life.

v18: Lacking judgment, a fool becomes surety for another, at cost to himself. A wise man weighs up the options before committing himself.

v19: The fool loves sin and arguments; he has no standards of behaviour.

v20: The perverse heart, which produces a perverse tongue, and also self-deception; he thinks his words and attitudes are acceptable.

v21: Contrast v6, and 15.20; the folly of a son is a grief to his father.

v22: A cheerful heart, often expressed through cheerful words, brings strength to the bones, see 18.14. The word "cheerful" is also bright, or rejoicing.

v23: The evil man accepts a bribe and perverts justice.

v24: A discerning man takes note of what he sees, he sees with spiritual eyes.

v25: See v21, the foolish son has a bad effect upon his father.

v26: Contrast v10, to punish the righteous is different from rebuke or reproof. Unjust punishment is a damaging thing.

v27-28: Restraint and self-control, characteristics of a godly man. The fool, who is normally rash and quick-tempered, appears wise by his silence. Job 13.5; we must carefully weigh up both silence and words, see 18.17.