PROVERBS 11

 

 

 

1 ¶ A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

 

• Pr 20:23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
• Lev 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
• Once again we see the command to be men and women of honesty and integrity. Dishonest business dealings or practices are an abomination to The Lord.
• Ro 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
•  2Co 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

 

 

 

2 ¶ When pride cometh, then cometh shame (disgrace): but with the lowly is wisdom.

 

• The word for pride here means “to boil or run over”, indicating an overwhelmingly arrogant attitude or behaviour.
• We see the contrast with pride and lowliness, haughtiness with humilty.
• Pr 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
• Pr 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
• Pr 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
• With the humble (lowly) is wisdom.
• Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
• 1 Peter 5.5 Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

 

 

 

3 ¶ The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness (crookedness) of transgressors shall destroy them.

 

• Integrity- moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. An honest man's principles are fixed, therefore his way is plain.
• Integrity and uprightness is contrasted with perverseness and crookedness.
• Godly character is more valuable than riches.
• Pr 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
• Pr 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

 

 

 

4 ¶ Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

 

• Riches cannot purchase the remission of sins, nor but an escape in the day of judgment and the wrath of God.
• Mt 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
• Pr 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.
• Of course the righteousness of The Lord Jesus Christ is what delivers a soul from eternal death and separation from God.

 

 

 

5 ¶ The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

 

6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness (lit. taken captive by their lusts).

 

• Righteousness, or as it is meant in this context, righteous living directs our steps on right paths (vs 5) and delivers us from evil (vs. 6)
• On the other hand, when we walk in the ways of unrighteousness, it will eventually catch up to us and cause a great fall.
• We reap what we sow, whether it is righteousness or wickedness.

 

 

 

7 ¶ When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

 

• There is no hope at all for the wicked person. Isa 57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
• When a godly man dies, all his fears vanish; but when a wicked man dies, his hopes vanish. Matthew Henry

 

 

 

8 ¶ The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

 

• Mordecai, Daniel and the 3 Hebrew children were delivered out of trouble and those that troubled them were destroyed.

 

 

 

9 ¶ An hypocrite (ESV godless man) with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered (from the infection of the hypocrite's evil counsel).

 

• Once again we see how words can destroy other people. The definition of the hypocrite here is a deceiver who pretends friendship, but privately is an enemy.

 

 

 

10 ¶ When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

 

• Re 19:1-7 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

 

 

 

11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked (their curses, complaints and evil counsels).

 

• Righteous men are the best defense of a city, and wicked men it’s most imminent peril.
• Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

 

 

 

12 ¶ He that is void of wisdom despiseth (belittles, gossips about, slanders) his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace (keeps silence).

 

• True self-knowledge makes us forbearing in speaking of the faults of others.  The man who busies himself in publishing his neighbor's failings, thereby proclaims his own folly. FBN
• Once again we see the wisdom of withholding our words instead of spreading criticism about our neighbors.
• Pr 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

 

 

 

13 A talebearer (the walking busybody) revealeth secrets (things confided in him or her): but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

 

·      Le 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

 

·      A talebearer in this context is a person who is a peddler of information that has been privately entrusted to him or her in order to deliberately ruin their reputation. Many a relationship has been damaged when confidences were made known unto others.

 

·      I would only say that there are some times when for the sake or protecting other people or the body of Christ, confidential information needs to ne brought into the light.

 

·      A faithful spirit conceals a matter. Be careful who you pass on personal, private things to.

 

 

 

14 ¶ Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

 

·      Pr 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

 

·      Pr 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

 

·      Provided that the counsel is biblical that finds it’s origin in wisdom that is from above. Bad counsel can destroy you.

 

 

 

15 ¶ He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

 

• He who co-sign loans for people he doesn’t know or people ho are not responsible is not exercising wisdom.
• Pr 22:26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts 22:27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

 

Let us consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in becoming Surety even for enemies.

 

• Heb 7.22 Jesus made a surety of a better testament. He became sin for us Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

 

 

 

16 ¶ A gracious woman (lit. a woman of grace) retaineth honour (reputation): and strong men retain riches.

 

• Gracious woman- Abagail, Esther, the women that anointed the feet of Jesus with the alabaster box.

 

 

 

17 ¶ The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

 

• Mt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
• On the other hand, Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
• Please note that being merciful is contrasted with being cruel.

 

 

 

18 ¶ The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

 

·      Wickedness is deceitful because it never delivers what it promises. The wages of sin is always death. Sin always costs you more than you thought it would and takes you further into despair than you anticipated.

 

·      Once again we se the principle of sowing and reaping.

 

 

 

19 ¶ As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. Lit. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.

 

·      Pr 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

 

 

 

20 ¶ They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD:

 

·      God calls a forward or perverse heart an abomination. A forward heart is just as much an abomination as is sexual perversion, and that is because the heart is the origin of every evil though, word and deed.

 

but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

 

·      Pr 15.18 the prayer of the upright is his delight.

 

·      Ps 11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

 

 

 

21 ¶ Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished (though every combination and effort to escape punishment be resorted to): but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

 

• Joining together in sin shall not protect the sinners.

 

 

 

22 ¶ As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

 

• Beauty in a woman destitute of good breeding and modest carriage, is as becoming as a gold ring on the snout of a swine. Adam Clarke
• Beauty is abused by those who have not discretion or modesty with it. Matthew Henry
• Pr 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
• 1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

 

 

 

23 ¶ The desire of the righteous is only good:

 

• Ps 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

 

but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

 

• The wicked can look for nothing but God's vengeance.

 

 

 

24 ¶ There is that scattereth (give liberally), and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth (miser, stingy) more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

 

25 ¶ The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 

• Lu 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
• 2Co 9:6-14 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work
• The principle here is that generosity, by God’s blessing secures increase, while stinginess leads to poverty. You can never out give God. It is more blessed to give, than to receive.

 

 

 

26 ¶ He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

 

• The worst extortioner is he who takes advantage of a public calamity to fill his own coffers at the expense of the poor. FBN
• Blessing shall be granted to those who help those who are in need.

 

 

 

27 ¶ He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

 

• Es 7:10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
• Ps 9:15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

 

 

 

28 ¶ He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

 

·      Lu 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

 

·      1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

 

The righteous man-

 

·      Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

 

·      Ps 92:12-14 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

 

God does not condemn people who are wealthy, nor command them to give them away, but to be good stewards.

 

 

 

29 ¶ He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

 

• The person who mismanages his house will see all that he has blown away.

 

 

 

30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

• He that winneth souls is wise was a slogan used at a Baptist church that I attended when I first came to Christ. The verse speaks of bringing others to a true knowledge of The Lord.
• Mt 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
• Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

 

 

 

31 ¶ Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

 

The Septuagint, Syrian, and Arabic read this verse as follows: "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" And this St. Peter quotes literatim,

 

• 1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?