Proverbs 20 Bible Commentary

Pr 20:1-30.

1. mocker--scorner. Such men are made by wine.
strong drink--made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11, 22); and it may include wine.
raging--or boisterous as a drunkard.
deceived--literally, "erring," or reeling.

2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).

3. to cease from strife--or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.
fool . . . meddling-- (Pr 17:14).

4. shall . . . beg--literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).

5. Counsel . . . water--that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.

6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness--or, "kind disposition."

7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).

8. As in Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.

9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).

10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1; 16:11).

11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).

12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).

13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth (Pr 6:9; 10:11).
lest . . . poverty--literally, "be deprived of inheritance."

14. when . . . his way--implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.

15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).

16. Take his garment--implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
a strange woman--by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in Pr 27:13, is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.

17. Bread . . . sweet--either as unlawfully (Pr 9:17) or easily obtained.
mouth . . . gravel--well expresses the pain and grief given at last.

18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.

19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth . . . lips--(compare Margin; Pr 1:10).
meddle . . . him--literally, "join," or "associate with."

20. his lamp--(Compare Pr 13:9; 24:20).

21. gotten hastily--contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).

22. (Compare Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).

23. (Compare Pr 20:10; 11:1).

24. Man's goings--literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man--any common man.
understand--or, "perceive."

25. devoureth . . . holy--or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.

26. (Compare Pr 20:8).
bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Am 1:3).

27. The spirit . . . Lord--Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).

28. (Compare Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).

29. The glory of young men . . . the beauty of old men--Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).

30. blueness--literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.
stripes . . . belly--So punishment provides healing of soul (Pr 18:8), by deterring from evil courses.