Proverbs 19 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 19

19:1   Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2   Desire¹ without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3   When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
    his heart rages against the LORD.
4   Wealth brings many new friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5   A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
6   Many seek the favor of a generous man,²
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7   All a poor man’s brothers hate him;
    how much more do his friends go far from him!
  He pursues them with words, but does not have them.³
8   Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will discover good.
9   A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will perish.
10   It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11   Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12   A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13   A foolish son is ruin to his father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14   House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15   Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
    and an idle person will suffer hunger.
16   Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
17   Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,
    and he will repay him for his deed.
18   Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on putting him to death.
19   A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
    for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20   Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21   Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
22   What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar.
23   The fear of the LORD leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests satisfied;
    he will not be visited by harm.
24   The sluggard buries his hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25   Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
    reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26   He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27   Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28   A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29   Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
    and beating for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

[1] 19:2 Or A soul
[2] 19:6 Or of a noble
[3] 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain

Commentary

v1: Poverty with integrity is preferred above unbelief, even where it is accompanied by riches, see 15.16-17; 17.1. The godly man has a simple life, seeking to avoid the interests and desires of the world.

v2: Zeal without knowledge, Rom 10.2; zeal must be directed by truth.

v3: A man suffers for his personal folly, since he has raged against the Lord.

v4: Benefit of wealth, see 10.15; 14.20; here a rich man makes and keeps many friends.

v5: The seriousness of lying lips; he will be punished.

v6-7: Experience indicates that money brings friends, while poverty brings loneliness. Many seek rich friends, hoping to receive something from them. For the poor, a gift can help stave off hunger or injusice. See my note on Proverbs 17.8.

Whilst it is clear that riches bring advantages in this life, Proverbs does not unreservedly commend the ownership of money. Indeed, spiritual wisdom, the fear of the Lord, is given top priority.

v8: Much more important than riches; wisdom and understanding are commended without qualification. We will clearly benefit from such desire.

v9: Repeating v5; the liar will not go free, he will perish. Outside are liars, see Rev 21.8, 28; 22.15. The Lord particularly hates untruth and deceit; the Greek word PSEUDOS, lie or falsehood, includes much more that a spoken untruth; see Is 44.20, where idolatry and lies are linked, also Jer 10.14.

Hebrew words; KAZAB, used 7 times in Proverbs, and 33 times in the O.T., meaning 'not true;' also SHEQER (noun) and SHAQAR (verb), used especially in Jeremiah, and used 36 times in the O.T., meaning 'deceit.'

v10: The fool, who cannot earn or keep riches, has no place in luxury. The slave, having no authority, has no place on a throne.

v11: Discretion and wisdom; self-control means we are slow to anger, we do not jump to conclusions, we do not speak without thought; we consider the facts, and the feelings of others, see 16.32. It is an attitude of forgiveness that overlooks a transgression.

v12: A king has authority. It is therefore better to seek his favour, than endure his rage.

v13: A man may find ruin in his son or his wife.

v14: The excellence of having a godly wife, "from the Lord," also 18.22. She is more valuable than houses and wealth.

v15: Idleness leads to hunger. This is certainly true in a spiritual sense; it is essential to make an effort to get to know God, see also v24.

v16: Listen to wise counsel. The one who neglects his own ways will die.

v17: Generosity is commended, and is rewarded by the Lord, Ps 41.1.

v18: Discipline avoids death; to neglect discipline will lead a son to death and ruin.

v19: See v11; one whose temper is hot or quick, will fall again, not learning to control his temper.

v20: Be teachable, and malleable, willing to learn and to change.

v21: Man has imagination and dreams, bringing plans and ideas, but all must be subject to the will of God. His plans alone will always be fulfilled.

v22: We like to receive kindness, and we should show kindness also.

v23: The fear of the Lord is the route to life and contentment.

v24: The lazy man cannot feed himself. He lacks the motivation of even his basic needs.

v25: The benefit of rebuke; but a mocker needs a greater rebuke, so that the simple will learn. The wise learn more readily.

v26: A son bringing disgrace, who attacks his parents.

v27: The way of knowledge demands a consistent commitment to listening and learning.

v28: Speaking evil corrupts the mind, and invites evil.

v29: Those who are mockers and fools will suffer punishment.