Posted by Jeff Short on January 5, 2018 · Leave a Comment
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
– Proverbs 20:21
The word for
inheritance means just that, and the word for
hastily means in a hurry. Many infer some unscrupulous method of gain, and Proverbs does speak to that (Proverbs 13:11; 28:8). The emphasis in this proverb seems to be on the haste, “Easy come; easy go.” What is gained quickly can be lost quickly, and often is (Proverbs 28:20, 22). What is gained quickly is gained without also gaining wisdom. Wisdom does not come quickly. Though wisdom is accessible to the simple (Proverbs 9:4, 16), it’s not just lying about but rather is stored up for those who seek it (Proverbs 2:1-7). To acquire wisdom you must watch daily at wisdom’s gates (Proverbs 8:34), receive instruction and correction (Proverbs 3:11; 9:9; 10:8; 13:10; 17:10), and understand its value enough to be willing to pay a high price for it (Proverbs 17:16; 23:23). You also have to turn from your wisdom in order to acquire true wisdom (Proverbs 3:7; 26:12). To exhaust yourself to gain wealth is to be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 23:4). So this inheritance is not
blessed because it is gained by vanity in a hurry.
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 4, 2018 · Leave a Comment
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
– Proverbs 20:20
Incorrigible children were worthy of death by the law (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). The law demanded the honoring of parents by children, as also in the New Testament (Ephesians 6:1-3). We infer from the law that honor is due to parents first because of their office and not their person. The modern, western ideal is to judge whether the person is worthy of honor or not. That is not in question in law. Children can bring shame to their parents by laziness (Proverbs 10:5), pride (Proverbs 11:2), failing to live up to their teaching (Proverbs 17:2), and squandering their wealth (Proverbs 19:26). Children may also sin more seriously by despising, mocking, and cursing their parents (Proverbs 15:20; 20:20; 30:11, 17). The consequence is serious in the image of their
lamp being
put out in obscure darkness. This imagery is used elsewhere to speak of judgment and death for those who refuse wisdom (Proverbs 13:9; 24:20).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 3, 2018 · Leave a Comment
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
– Proverbs 20:19
The word for
talebearer means slanderer, or informer. The word for
secrets means counsels, or closed deliberations. The talebearer uncovers such things that should be kept private. Sometimes the talebearer’s work is malicious and sometimes merely careless. Regardless, the work of talebearers does damage (Proverbs 18:8; 26:20-22). The word for
flattereth means to open. This describes a person who is overly talkative, tells all they know, etc. Because they have no control over their mouth, they disclose private news to a public audience. The word for
meddle means to braid, or intermix. Wisdom teaches to avoid such a person who is not trustworthy (Proverbs 20:16).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 2, 2018 · Leave a Comment
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
– Proverbs 20:18
The word for
counsel means advice and the word for
advice literally means steerage, and therefore, guidance. Elsewhere, the Scripture shows the importance of good counsel in going to war (2 Samuel 15:32-37; 16:15-17:23). The image of going to
war, or battle, though not in the purview of ordinary people, illustrates the importance of the principle. The pattern suggested by the proverb is to make plans by seeking sound advice and wise guidance, and then to go to battle (Proverbs 15:22; 24:6; 25:8). The life or death nature of going to war highlights the importance of counsel proportionate to the importance of the decision. So the more important the decision, the more important it is to have good counsel. Contrast this with the fool who has no patience or relish for advice (Proverbs 1:7; 10:8; 12:15; 15:5).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 1, 2018 · Leave a Comment
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
– Proverbs 20:17
The
bread of deceit is any acquired by fraudulent means. It is akin to the “bread of wickedness” and “wine of violence” (Proverbs 4:17). Initially, the taste is
sweet but there is no lasting satisfaction with it. Stolen bread fills the mouth with
gravel rather than the stomach with nourishment. It is both unprofitable and damaging in the long run (Proverbs 10:2). Feasting on stolen bread brings us nearer death than we realize (Proverbs 9:17-18).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 1, 2018 · Leave a Comment
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
– Proverbs 20:16
Pledges and sureties have to do with lending. The word for
surety means to braid, or intermix. It connotes being mixed in a transaction. We can think of it as cosigning a loan, where one person contractually obligates himself to pay the loan of another if he defaults on it. The law did not forbid suretyship, but wisdom warned against it, particularly in the case of becoming surety for a stranger (Proverbs 6:1; 11:15). The word for
pledge means to wind tightly, or to bind. The word refers to collateral that is given to secure a loan. Pledges were not required, but were permissible by the law and heavily regulated when it concerned lending to the poor (Exodus 22:25-27; Deuteronomy 24:6-17). The point of the proverb is that a man who would become surety for a stranger or mingle with strange women is not to be trusted, or considered reliable. If you lend to such, take a security from him, or otherwise you expose yourself to great risk.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 31, 2017 · Leave a Comment
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
– Proverbs 20:15
The word for
multitude means abundance and makes the supply of rubies sound more like that of sedimentary rocks. Both
gold and
rubies are relatively rare and highly valued. However,
lips of knowledge, one who speaks wisdom, is rarer and more valuable. The word for
knowledge means skill and discernment. It is one of the words used to describe wisdom in Proverbs. One who has wisdom speaks and spreads knowledge (Proverbs 15:7). Such wisdom is rarer and more valuable than adornments of gold and rubies (Proverbs 3:15; 8:11; 16:16).
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 30, 2017 · Leave a Comment
It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
– Proverbs 20:14
The general tenor of Proverbs teaches to weigh speech carefully and look beyond the face value of what is said. The line may seem fine between shrewdness in dealings and deception, but the line certainly exists. This proverb presents a sample transaction where the buyer talks down the value of what he wants to purchase. The word for
naught means bad, or of little worth, in this context. The buyer appraises the object at little worth in order to drive down the price. The contrast is after the purchase when he
boasteth, or makes a show of what he has. The object has suddenly become much more valuable, and he clever because he got it, “for a song.” While many traders love the thrill of negotiation and getting a good deal, we must remember there is a line between shrewd and deceptive. The line crossed is the same as a diverse weight and false balance (Proverbs 11:1; 16:11; 20:10, 23).
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 29, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
– Proverbs 20:13
Loving sleep is a feature of the sluggard, who is hinged to his bed (Proverbs 26:14). Oversleeping is an image of laziness and of missed opportunity. It brings shame and results in poverty (Proverbs 10:5; 19:15). The imperative,
open thine eyes, performs double duty in this proverb. It is contrasted with loving sleep and so images alert action (Proverbs 6:9-11). Open eyes, or seeing eyes, also speaks of discernment and understanding. The second duty is telling the sluggard to wise up. The warnings are an opportunity for the sluggard to hear and receive wisdom and forsake the folly of laziness for the wisdom of diligence and hard work (Proverbs 24:30-34).
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Proverbs 20:21
Posted by Jeff Short on January 5, 2018 · Leave a Comment
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
The word for inheritance means just that, and the word for hastily means in a hurry. Many infer some unscrupulous method of gain, and Proverbs does speak to that (Proverbs 13:11; 28:8). The emphasis in this proverb seems to be on the haste, “Easy come; easy go.” What is gained quickly can be lost quickly, and often is (Proverbs 28:20, 22). What is gained quickly is gained without also gaining wisdom. Wisdom does not come quickly. Though wisdom is accessible to the simple (Proverbs 9:4, 16), it’s not just lying about but rather is stored up for those who seek it (Proverbs 2:1-7). To acquire wisdom you must watch daily at wisdom’s gates (Proverbs 8:34), receive instruction and correction (Proverbs 3:11; 9:9; 10:8; 13:10; 17:10), and understand its value enough to be willing to pay a high price for it (Proverbs 17:16; 23:23). You also have to turn from your wisdom in order to acquire true wisdom (Proverbs 3:7; 26:12). To exhaust yourself to gain wealth is to be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 23:4). So this inheritance is not blessed because it is gained by vanity in a hurry.– Proverbs 20:21
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Filed under 20, Proverbs, Short Comments · Tagged with Commentary, Haste, Proverbs, RIches