Proverbs 21:4-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:4

This may be taken as showing us, 1. The marks of a wicked man. He that has a high look and a proud heart, that carries himself insolently and scornfully towards both God and man, and that is always ploughing and plotting, designing and devising some mischief or other, is indeed a wicked man. The light of the wicked is sin. Sin is the pride, the ambition, the glory and joy, and the business of wicked men. 2. The miseries of wicked man. His raised expectations, his high designs, and most... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:5

Here is, 1. The way to be rich. If we would live plentifully and comfortably in the world, we must be diligent in our business, and not shrink from the toil and trouble of it, but prosecute it closely, improving all advantages and opportunities for it, and doing what we do with all our might; yet we must not be hasty in it, nor hurry ourselves and others with it, but keep doing fair and softly, which, we say, goes far in a day. With diligence there must be contrivance. The thoughts of the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:6

This shows the folly of those that hope to enrich themselves by dishonest practices, by oppressing and over-reaching those with whom they deal, by false-witness-bearing, or by fraudulent contracts, of those that make no scruples of lying when there is any thing to be got by it. They may perhaps heap up treasures by these means, that which they make their treasure; but, 1. They will not meet with the satisfaction they expect. It is a vanity tossed to and fro; it will be disappointment and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:4

An high look, and a proud heart ,.... The former is a sign of the latter, and commonly go together, and are both abominable to the Lord; see Psalm 101:5 . A man that looks above others, and with disdain upon them, shows that pride reigns in him, and swells his mind with a vain opinion of himself; this may be observed in every self-righteous man; the parable of the Pharisee and publican is a comment upon it; sometimes there may be a proud heart under a disguise of humility; but the pride of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:5

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness ,.... A man that is thoughtful and studious, and wisely forms schemes in his mind, and diligently pursues them; the issue of it is, generally speaking, prosperity and plenty: such a man is usually thriving and flourishing; and this holds good in things spiritual, as well as in things temporal, Matthew 25:29 ; but of everyone that is hasty only to want ; that is in haste to be rich, and is resolved to be so, right or wrong, he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:6

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue ,.... By telling lies in trade; by bearing false witness in a court of judicature; or by preaching false doctrines in the church of God: is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death : such treasures, though ever so great, are like any light thing, smoke or vapour, straw, stubble, chaff, or a feather, tossed about the wind; which is expressive of the instability uncertainty of riches ill gotten; they do not last long, but are taken... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:4

A high look - The evidence of pride, self-conceit, and vanity. A proud heart, from which the high look, etc., come. And the ploughing - נר ner , lucerna, the lamp, the prosperity and posterity of the wicked; is sin - it is evil in the seed, and evil in the root evil in the branch, and evil in the fruit. They are full of sin themselves, and what they do is sinful. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:6

Of them that seek death - Instead of מבקשי mebakshey , "them that seek," several MSS., some ancient editions, with Symmachus, the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Arabic, have מקשי mokeshey , the snares. He who gets treasures by a lying tongue, pursues vanity into the snares of death. Our common translation may be as good. But he who, by the snares of his tongue, endeavors to buy and sell to the best advantage, is pursuing what is empty in itself; and he is ensnared by death, while he is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:4

An high look and a proud heart; Vulgate, exaltatio oculorum est dilatatio cordis , "The lifting up of the eyes is a swelling of the heart." But it is best to make the whole verse one idea, as in the Authorized Version. The lifting of the eyes is a term implying pride, as shown in supercilious looks, as if other people were of inferior clay and not worthy of notice. So we have "haughty eyes" in Proverbs 6:17 (where see note); and in Proverbs 30:13 we read, "There is a generation, oh how... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:4-9

A family of vices There is a kinship between all vices as between all virtues. All sins spring from a disturbance of our true relations to God, as all virtues rest upon the deep consciousness of that relation. I. THE SIN OF PRIDE . ( Proverbs 21:4 .) Its aspect— the lofty eyes, the haughty glance—and its principle in the heart are struck by the Divine rebuke. The meaning of the second clause is not quite clear; probably it is, "The light of the wicked is only sin," i.e. ... read more

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