Proverbs 20:8-17 BSB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:8

Here is, 1. The character of a good governor: He is a king that deserves to be called so who sits in the throne, not as a throne of honour, to take his ease, and take state upon him, and oblige men to keep their distance, but as a throne of judgment, that he may do justice, give redress to the injured and punish the injurious, who makes his business his delight and loves no pleasure comparably to it, who does not devolve the whole care and trouble upon others, but takes cognizance of affairs... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:9

This question is not only a challenge to any man in the world to prove himself sinless, whatever he pretends, but a lamentation of the corruption of mankind, even that which remains in the best. Alas! Who can say, ?I am sinless?? Observe, 1. Who the persons are that are excluded from these pretensions?all, one as well as another. Here, in this imperfect state, no person whatsoever can pretend to be without sin. Adam could say so in innocency, and saints can say so in heaven, but none in this... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:10

See here, 1. The various arts of deceiving that men have, all which evils the love of money is the root of. In paying and receiving money, which was then commonly done by the scale, they had divers weights, an under-weight for what they paid and an over-weight for what they received; in delivering out and taking in goods they had divers measures, a scanty measure to sell by and a large measure to buy by. This was done wrong with plot and contrivance, and under colour of doing right. Under... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:11

The tree is known by its fruits, a man by his doings, even a young tree by its first fruits, a child by his childish things, whether his work be clean only, appearing good (the word is used Prov. 16:2), or whether it be right, that is, really good. This intimates, 1. That children will discover themselves. One may soon see what their temper is, and which way their inclination leads them, according as their constitution is. Children have not learned the art of dissembling and concealing their... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:12

Note, 1. God is the God of nature, and all the powers and faculties of nature are derived from him and depend upon him, and therefore are to be employed for him. It was he that formed the eye and planted the ear (Ps. 94:9), and the structure of both is admirable; and it is he that preserves to us the use of both; to his providence we owe it that our eyes are seeing eyes and our ears hearing ears. Hearing and seeing are the learning senses, and must particularly own God's goodness in them. 2.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:13

Note, 1. Those that indulge themselves in their ease may expect to want necessaries, which should have been gotten by honest labour. ?Therefore, though thou must sleep (nature requires it), yet love not sleep, as those do that hate business. Love not sleep for its own sake, but only as it fits for further work. Love not much sleep, but rather grudge the time that is spent in it, and wish thou couldst live without it, that thou mightest always be employed in some good exercise.? We must allow... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:14

See here 1. What arts men use to get a good bargain and to buy cheap. They not only cheapen carelessly, as if they had no need, no mind for the commodity, when perhaps they cannot go without it (there may be prudence in that), but they vilify and run down that which yet they know to be of value; they cry, ?It is naught, it is naught; it has this and the other fault, or perhaps may have; it is not good of the sort; and it is too dear; we can have better and cheaper elsewhere, or have bought... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:15

The lips of knowledge (a good understanding to guide the lips and a good elocution to diffuse the knowledge) are to be preferred far before gold, and pearl, and rubies; for, 1. They are more rare in themselves, more scarce and hard to be got. There is gold in many a man's pocket that has no grace in his heart. In Solomon's time there was plenty of gold (1 Kgs. 10:21) and abundance of rubies; every body wore them; they were to be bought in every town. But wisdom is a rare thing, a precious... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:16

Two sorts of persons are here spoken of that are ruining their own estates, and will be beggars shortly, and therefore are not to be trusted with any good security:?1. Those that will be bound for any body that will ask them, that entangle themselves in rash suretiship to oblige their idle companions; they will break at last, nay, they cannot hold out long; these waste by wholesale. 2. Those that are in league with abandoned women, that treat them, and court them, and keep company with them.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:17

Note, 1. Sin may possibly be pleasant in the commission: Bread of deceit, wealth gotten by fraud, by lying and oppression, may be sweet to a man, and the more sweet for its being ill-gotten, such pleasure does the carnal mind take in the success of its wicked projects. All the pleasures and profits of sin are bread of deceit. They are stolen, for they are forbidden fruit; and they will deceive men, for they are not what they promise. For a time, however, they are rolled under the tongue as a... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 20:17

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