Posted by Jeff Short on April 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better then he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
– Proverbs 12:9
This is one of the proverbs that deals with reality versus appearances.
Despised here refers to someone of mean standing in the community. They have humility of circumstances. The fact they have a
servant illustrates they have some means, though modest, through honest work and gain. To be
better means to be better off, or in a better state than another. In this case, the first is better than the one who boasts and promotes himself to be seen as wealthy, powerful, etc. when he is poor in reality. Jesus spoke of this sort of humility when he taught that we should let another honor us if honor is indeed due us rather than taking honor to ourselves (Luke 14:8-11).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 31, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
– Proverbs 12:8
The word for
wisdom means intelligence or good sense. It indicates clear thinking as opposed to the
perverse, or crooked, mind. Wisdom here sees things as they are and makes prudent assessments. Wisdom is therefore
commended or celebrated.
Perverse thinking fails in analyzing reality and the resulting counsels are wrong. So they are
despised, or held in contempt.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 30, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.
– Proverbs 12:7
This proverb refers to the
wicked being cut off (Proverbs 2:22). Wisdom teaches there is no stability or longevity in the folly of wickedness. Contrariwise, the
righteous will be established and their expectation not ashamed (Proverbs 2:21).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 29, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
– Proverbs 12:6
To
lie in wait for blood is to set a trap. The
words of the wicked are here distinguished from their plans. Their very speech is a snare as well as their schemes (Proverbs 1:11-19). The
mouth of the upright is contrasted because their words deliver from snares and nets (Proverbs 10:13, 21, 32). The tension in this proverb is over the instruction of the simple. Will the wicked lure them, or will they learn wisdom at the mouth of the upright? The thought of deliverance here is akin to winning souls in Proverbs 11:30.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 28, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
– Proverbs 12:5
The principle in this proverbs was expressed by Jesus in terms of a tree bearing fruit only according to its type (Matthew 7:17-19). The word for
thoughts means plans or intentions. The intentions of the
righteous are the fruit they produce, which fruit is
right. The word for
counsels literally means steerage and indicates guidance or advice. These are the fruit produced by the
wicked and, therefore, they are
deceit, or treachery. Kidner observed that we ignore this proverb when we elect leaders based “on the strength of their promises rather than their principles.”
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 27, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
– Proverbs 12:4
The word for
virtuous means strength, ability, resource, and efficiency. Today we would think of virtuous as meaning of high moral fiber, but the word in this proverb is fuller and richer in meaning. She is not a prudish woman but she is a woman of substance, intelligence, and accomplishment. A virtuous woman is described more fully in Proverbs 31:10-25. Such a woman is a
crown to her husband. She is not only an adornment, but she is ennobling to him. She is an inspiration and complement that raises him to new height. The contrasted thought is of a woman that makes
ashamed. This word indicates being put to shame, embarrassed, and disappointed. Such a woman is foolish, lazy, and contentious (Proverbs 14:1; 19:13-14; 21:9, 19; 27:15-16). Such a woman is not a crown but rather like a decaying disease,
rottenness in his bones. Rather than bringing her husband to greater heights as a man of substance, she reduces him and eats away at his strength and ambition. She breaks him down like termites eating away at the house structure until the roof sags and eventually caves in.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 26, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
– Proverbs 12:3
A root anchors and stabilizes the tree. Having a good root means flourishing in fruit and strength to withstand storms and so to endure. There is no such root in
wickedness. The word for
established means to stand upright. Righteousness, on the contrary, will establish a man that he
not be moved (Proverbs 10:25).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 25, 2017 · Leave a Comment
A good man obtaineth favor of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
– Proverbs 12:2
The
good man is contrasted with the
man of wicked devices. The word for
wicked devices means a plan or scheme. God often subjects such to their own plans (Proverbs 1:31). The word for
good is good in the greatest sense, so all kinds of good. The word for
favor refers to delight and goodwill. Elsewhere, the one who finds wisdom receives the goodwill of the Lord (Proverbs 8:35).
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 24, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Chapter 12 continues the major section of the Proverbs, “The proverbs of Solomon,” which starts with chapter 10 and goes through chapter 22. There is no obvious topical arrangement of the proverbs, but several subjects have been addressed more than once to this point. Chapter 12 will add some proverbs to these subjects and cover a few more.
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
– Proverbs 12:1
The contrast in this proverb is between love and hate. Instruction and reproof parallel, with the first meaning discipline or training and the second meaning correction, even chastisement. To acquire and grow in wisdom, we must receive correction (Proverbs 9:7-8; 13:18). Hating instruction and correction will be the last lament of the fool as he is finally brought to shame and ruin (Proverbs 5:11-13). The word for brutish means an animal like a cow. When it is used of people, it means stupidity of the highest order (Psalm 32:9; 92:6). An animal has no reasoning capacity and doesn’t know what is best for it. A person who despises the correction of wisdom is just like a brute beast.
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Proverbs 12:9
Posted by Jeff Short on April 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better then he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
This is one of the proverbs that deals with reality versus appearances. Despised here refers to someone of mean standing in the community. They have humility of circumstances. The fact they have a servant illustrates they have some means, though modest, through honest work and gain. To be better means to be better off, or in a better state than another. In this case, the first is better than the one who boasts and promotes himself to be seen as wealthy, powerful, etc. when he is poor in reality. Jesus spoke of this sort of humility when he taught that we should let another honor us if honor is indeed due us rather than taking honor to ourselves (Luke 14:8-11).– Proverbs 12:9
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