Proverbs 14 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 14

14:1   The wisest of women builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2   Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
    but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3   By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,¹
    but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4   Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5   A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies.
6   A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
    but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7   Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8   The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9   Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.²
10   The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
11   The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12   There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.³
13   Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and the end of joy may be grief.
14   The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15   The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16   One who is wise is cautious⁴ and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
17   A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
18   The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19   The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20   The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    but the rich has many friends.
21   Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22   Do they not go astray who devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet⁵ steadfast love and faithfulness.
23   In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24   The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
25   A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26   In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
    and his children will have a refuge.
27   The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
    that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28   In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
29   Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30   A tranquil⁶ heart gives life to the flesh,
    but envy⁷ makes the bones rot.
31   Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
    but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32   The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
    but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33   Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.⁸
34   Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
35   A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

Footnotes

[1] 14:3 Or In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride
[2] 14:9 Hebrew but among the upright is acceptance
[3] 14:12 Hebrew ways of death
[4] 14:16 Or fears [the Lord]
[5] 14:22 Or show
[6] 14:30 Or healing
[7] 14:30 Or jealousy
[8] 14:33 Or Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in the midst of fools

Commentary

v1: A life of wisdom or folly have their own consequences.

v2: An upright walk commended.

v3: Again, there are clear consequences of wisdom and of folly. What is true in life (v1) also follows with our words.

v4: The strength of an ox, a dirty trough; the result is much increase.

v5-7: A man's words reveal his heart. The fool is made known by his ignorant words. Having identified the fool, we can avoid having fellowship with him, 12.26; 13.0.

v8: The wise man considers his own ways; the foolish man, taking no thought, is deceived.

v9: Sin and its effects must be put right; repentance, confession, restitution are all marks of a godly man.

v10: The depth of heart-felt experiences, whether in bitterness or joy.

v11: The house, the place of apparent security and safety. This is useless to the wicked man; but the mere tent of the upright will prosper.

v12: The carnal man only goes the way that seems right. Like the backslider (v14) he is filled with his own ways; he gets what he really wanted. The spiritual man sees the unseen, and is rewarded from God (Gal 6.7-8).

v13: This life rarely brings joy without grief, for trouble is part of life. We must be realistic about all human life.

v14: As elsewhere, there is a reward for all men, whether faithless or faithful.

v15-19: Caution is commended; much damage is caused by believing something quickly, by saying something quickly, or doing something quickly, see also v29. The spiritual man carefully considers what he hears, what he says, what he does; he obeys God's standards (v16), not trusting in his own wisdom.

v20: See 10.15; money, being a sign of God's blessing, encourages friendship. This leaves the poor alone. Consider too 13.23, that the poor may be there because of the injustice of another. Thus the injustice of life may become more real.

v21: Ps 41.1; show mercy to others, including those who have little money, see also v31.

v22: Thoughts and plans to do good; this is what God has for us, Eph 2.10.

v23: Words have to be followed by actions, James 2.16; we may speak wonderful words, but the command is to put them into action.

v24: Folly is self-perpetuating, it can never lead to wisdom. We understand that such folly relates to unbelief; this can never lead to true faith, unless God gives it.

v25: The great value of a true witness, 11.28. This is another verse fulfilled in Christ, the true and faithful witness, who has delivered many from death to life.

v26: The secure fortress of the Lord, for our children too.

v27: The fear of the Lord delivers us from death.

v28: A leader must have followers.

v29: As in v15-19, patience and caution is commended.

v30: Bad inner attitudes rot the body; there are physical effects of spiritual realities.

v31: What is our attitude to the poor? We are commanded to be kind to the poor.

v32: Through the hardest of experiences, the godly find their strength in God.

v33: We do not force our opinions on others, for wisdom must rest quietly in the heart. Even the way we share spiritual wisdom must itself be gracious and humble.

v34: In the O.T. we find that God deals with nations as well as individuals. He will judge or bless according to their righteousness.

v35: A servant may be wise, and he will earn the commendation of his master. See Matt 21.33-45, where Jesus spoke the parable of the talents, which reflects the truth noted here.