Posted by Jeff Short on January 15, 2020 · Leave a Comment
He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.
– Proverbs 28:23
This saying contrasts the immediate with the long term. The general tenor of wisdom is to consider the long view more than the short run. The word for
rebuketh means give a corrective of some kind that could range from gentle to severe. It speaks of frankness as in Proverbs 27:5-6, which is preferable.
The contrast is with smoothness, or flattereth. Flattery is typically a cover for some ulterior motive (Proverbs 2:16; 7:5; 29:5). The thrust of the saying is not to the recipient of rebuke or flattery, but to the giver. Flattery may gain immediate favor, but it will not last (Proverbs 26:28).
Posted by Jeff Short on January 8, 2020 · Leave a Comment
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
– Proverbs 28:22
This saying continues the theme of greed from the previous one. The phrase
evil eye literally means bad of eye and is contrasted with the
bountiful eye, or good of eye in Proverbs 22:9. Here,
hasteth to be rich is a consequence of having an
evil eye. The evil eye is a recurring figure that refers to greed, covetousness, and stinginess. It is contrasted with kind generosity (Proverbs 22:9; 23:6).
The figure is first used in the books of the law in Deuteronomy 28:54-55. The wider context there are the curses upon Israel for covenant disobedience and the more immediate context is talking about famine conditions. The verses describe the severity of the judgments such that a tender man becomes hardened and stingy (evil eye) with his own wife and children in refusing to share food with them. Jesus also used this figure of greed and stinginess during his ministry (Matthew 6:23; 20:15; Mark 7:22; Luke 11:34).
Jesus spoke of the evil eye, which distorted a person’s ability to see reality clearly and the second phrase of the saying agrees with this. The stingy, greedy man is in a hurry to get rich and considereth not, or does not know, the consequences of poverty to come. On the one hand, wisdom has cried out in the streets a warning for the covetous in a hurry to be rich (Proverbs 10:22; 19:2; 20:21; 21:15). The evil eye is darkened and turned away from wisdom and so does not know or consider the end (Proverbs 7:23; 9:18).
Posted by Jeff Short on January 7, 2020 · Leave a Comment
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
– Proverbs 28:21
Verses 21-23 address greed in some form. This saying refers to the perversion of justice through bribes.
Respect of persons refers to discrimination on the basis of a person’s standing, whether ethnically, socially, etc. The miscarriage of justice can go in favor of a person or against them depending on their standing. Such injustice is consistently condemned in Proverbs, as well as in the law (Proverbs 18:5; 24:23; Exodus 23:2, 8; Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19).
A piece of bread is a slight temptation and so speaks to the power of unchecked greed within a covetous heart. As Kidner pointed out, this sin, or temptation to sin, is not only limited to public officials, but to teachers as well (Ezekiel 13:19).
Posted by Jeff Short on January 3, 2020 · Leave a Comment
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
– Proverbs 28:20
This saying continues the the theme of rewards for diligence and the condemnation of greed. The word for
faithful means steadfast, stable, reliable. Contextually, it refers to honest and diligent work. The rewards are multiplied
blessings. Read in the context of wisdom sayings and inferred from the meaning of
faithful, the rewards come over time so that patience in implicit in the first phrase as well.
The contrasting phrase contains an irony by speaking of the haste to be rich. The saying doesn’t contrast the diligent with the slothful, though many sayings do just that. The saying contrasts faithful work over time with a hurry to get rich. The former will be rewarded and the latter will be punished, for that is the indication of not be innocent. This saying accords with the general tenor of wisdom (Proverbs 13:11, 22-23; 20:21; 21:5, 25).
Posted by Jeff Short on December 24, 2019 · Leave a Comment
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
– Proverbs 28:19
Verses 19 and 20 are sayings related to the rewards for diligence. This saying relies on contrasts. Tilling land and pursuing vanity are contrasts in approach to work. Plenty of bread and plenty of poverty are contrasting parallels regarding the outcomes. Tilling the land refers to one who diligently attends to his work. Following vain persons refers to one who wastes time pursuing empty ideas and gains. This saying agrees with various sayings that teach the wisdom of diligence and the folly of slothfulness (Proverbs 12:11; 13:11; 14:4; 21:5, 25; 27:23-27).
Posted by Jeff Short on December 6, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
– Proverbs 28:18
The way of walking is a consistent theme in Proverbs, where there are only two ways—wisdom or folly. The word for
uprightly means complete, or whole. It is often contrasted with
perverse, as it is here (Proverbs 28:6; 10). The image of falling is common to one walking perversely. The thrust of the saying is the contrast between the safety of integrity and the certain fall of those who twist and distort the way of wisdom (Proverbs 2:8, 12-15, 20; 3:6, 23; 10:9, 25; 11:3-6).
Posted by Jeff Short on December 4, 2019 · Leave a Comment
A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
– Proverbs 28:17
The word for
violence is a form of the same word in translated
oppressor in verse 16. It typically refers to extortion, and here is coupled with
blood, so it refers to murder. Fleeing
to the pit refers to going to the grave and means that guilt overwhelms the murderer. The last line is difficult and has been interpreted variously. It most likely seems to be a warning against interfering with justice.
Posted by Jeff Short on December 3, 2019 · Leave a Comment
The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
– Proverbs 28:16
A prince is a ruler and wanting
understanding means he is a foolish ruler. He lacks the wisdom needed in ruling justly. The foolish ruler becomes an
oppressor, or tyrannical in his rule. The word for
oppressor refers to extortion. The second line forms an uneven parallel. The ruler that hates
covetousness has wisdom and it tends to life (Proverbs 15:28; 29:14). The word for
covetousness refers to unjust gain that might result from deceptive business practices, or in this case, tyrannical abuse of authority. The implication for the foolish ruler is their folly rejects wisdom and tends to death (Proverbs 8:36).
Posted by Jeff Short on November 19, 2019 · Leave a Comment
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
– Proverbs 28:15
The sayings in verses 15-16 continue the theme of wisdom to rulers. The saying compares a
wicked ruler to a
roaring lion and a
ranging bear. Wild and predatory animals provide descriptive analogies for various foolish human behaviors (Proverbs 19:12; 20:2; 30:29-31). The saying means a wicked ruler abuses power to prey on helpless, poor people. Wisdom teaches that God is a just judge who will execute justice for the poor (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5).
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Proverbs 28:23
Posted by Jeff Short on January 15, 2020 · Leave a Comment
He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.
This saying contrasts the immediate with the long term. The general tenor of wisdom is to consider the long view more than the short run. The word for rebuketh means give a corrective of some kind that could range from gentle to severe. It speaks of frankness as in Proverbs 27:5-6, which is preferable.– Proverbs 28:23
The contrast is with smoothness, or flattereth. Flattery is typically a cover for some ulterior motive (Proverbs 2:16; 7:5; 29:5). The thrust of the saying is not to the recipient of rebuke or flattery, but to the giver. Flattery may gain immediate favor, but it will not last (Proverbs 26:28).
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