Posted by Jeff Short on March 8, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A gracious woman retaineth honor: and strong men retain riches.
– Proverbs 11:16
The point of the contrast in this proverb is not to contrast men and women as such, but rather to provide a through-going contrast. Both lines present a contrast from start to finish. The word for
gracious points to kindness and charm. It can refer to objective beauty, but physical beauty is not meant, or at least not the emphasis here, as verse 22 later shows. To retain is to obtain and to keep. The point of the phrase is that
honor is obtained and kept through graciousness. The word for
strong means oppressive and tyrannical.
Riches can be obtained and kept by such means. The point of the contrast then becomes clear. Only
riches can be obtained that way. Such men will not retain
honor. The
gracious woman may or may not obtain wealth, but she will retain
honor.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 7, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure.
– Proverbs 11:15
Proverbs consistently warns against striking hands, or becoming a guarantor for another (Proverbs 6:1-5; 17:18). The general truism is that one who becomes surety will have trouble for it. The earlier counsel was to get out of it as soon as possible and here to hate it or avoid it. Keeping from it is way to be
sure, or confident and free from trouble.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 6, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
– Proverbs 11:14
The word for
counsel literally means steerage, and so direction or guidance. The fool is depicted as one who will neither seek nor receive counsel (Proverbs 1:7; 10:8; 12:15; 15:5). The end of their folly is falling. The word for
safety indicates a rescue or some deliverance. In this case, a
multitude of counselors rescues or delivers from the
fall in the first phrase. The proverb assumes the counselors to give wise counsel. The emphasis is the multitude, or abundance, which brings some different perspectives. The wisdom in this is echoed through Proverbs (Proverbs 15:22; 20:18; 24:6). No matter how knowledgeable a man is, he doesn’t know everything. Every man also has biases and blind spots. A multitude of counselors help to see what we don’t and help us to think through things from different angles.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 5, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
– Proverbs 11:13
Talebearing was forbidden in the law (Leviticus 19:16). The word refers to a gossip or slanderer. The word indicates one with malicious intent to deal in scandals (Proverbs 26:22). It isn’t merely carelessness that reveals secrets.
Secrets refer to private counsels and intimate knowledge that should not be openly revealed. Taking such a person into your confidence would be foolish because they will betray your confidence. The
faithful are trustworthy and do not betray a confidence.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 4, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
– Proverbs 11:12
To despise is to hold in contempt or as insignificant. We would say it is to look down on someone else. Considering the contrast, despising means gossiping, slandering, or even openly deriding one’s neighbor. It could include scorn and mockery, even when covered with a thin veneer (Proverbs 26:19). Conversely, the wise man will keep silence rather than speak such to his neighbor (Proverbs 10:19; 15:28; 17:27).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 3, 2017 · Leave a Comment
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
– Proverbs 11:11
The
blessing of the upright is contrasted with the
mouth of the wicked, and so the effects of their speech are contrasted as exaltation or overthrow. The upright have wisdom and speak accordingly, which exalts or raises their society. The wicked have folly and spew it out to the overthrow, or bringing down, of themselves and everyone they ensnare (Proverbs 14:34; 29:8).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 2, 2017 · Leave a Comment
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
– Proverbs 11:10
The prospering of the righteous and the perishing of the wicked both bring rejoicing to the city. Though imperfect and often fickle, many recognize and value justice. At the very least, they enjoy the benefits brought about through the righteous and wise (Proverbs 29:2; Ecclesiastes 9:15). Reference to the city here could indicate the contrast between the rule of the righteous and that of the wicked. Men are far less appreciative of wickedness and injustice when it is at their own expense.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
– Proverbs 11:9
The word for
hypocrite means to be soiled or defiled. It is a word for a godless person we might describe as a reprobate, blasphemer, etc. To destroy means to decay and to corrupt, or bring to ruin. The proverb describes those who use their speech to subvert others, like the heretics Paul warned about (Romans 16:17-18). The
just will be
delivered from such deception through
knowledge, or discernment. Such knowledge equips us to sort the things we hear and to tell whether they are truth and wisdom or not (Colossians 2:8).
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Posted by Jeff Short on February 28, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
– Proverbs 11:8
Interpretations of this proverb are varied. It is antithetical, though with a different twist than usual. The
trouble mentioned refers to straits or distress. The
righteous are delivered from trouble and the
wicked come into trouble. The twist in this proverb is that the wicked come into the trouble the righteous were delivered out of (Proverbs 28:10). It could refer to a plot of the wicked against the righteous that ultimately catches the wicked, like with Haman and Mordecai.
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Proverbs 11:16
Posted by Jeff Short on March 8, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A gracious woman retaineth honor: and strong men retain riches.
The point of the contrast in this proverb is not to contrast men and women as such, but rather to provide a through-going contrast. Both lines present a contrast from start to finish. The word for gracious points to kindness and charm. It can refer to objective beauty, but physical beauty is not meant, or at least not the emphasis here, as verse 22 later shows. To retain is to obtain and to keep. The point of the phrase is that honor is obtained and kept through graciousness. The word for strong means oppressive and tyrannical. Riches can be obtained and kept by such means. The point of the contrast then becomes clear. Only riches can be obtained that way. Such men will not retain honor. The gracious woman may or may not obtain wealth, but she will retain honor.– Proverbs 11:16
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