Verses 23-28
The Counsel Of A Wise Man Is Carefully Considered, And Is Therefore A Joy And Useful. It Results In Men Finding Perpetual Life In Contrast With The Devastations Coming On The Unrighteous (Proverbs 15:23-28 ).
This subsection can be seen as contained within the inclusio of Proverbs 15:23; Proverbs 15:28, which contrast the mouth of the righteous (Proverbs 15:23) with that of the unrighteous (Proverbs 15:28), with Proverbs 15:23 also referring to the response of the mouth of the righteous, and Proverbs 15:28 referring to the response of the righteous man’s heart. Thus the mouth of the righteous causes joy (Proverbs 15:23), whilst the mouth of the unrighteous pours out evil things (Proverbs 15:28). Furthermore the mouth of the righteous causes joy (Proverbs 15:23) because the heart of the righteous thinks carefully before it answers (Proverbs 15:28). And it causes joy because ‘pleasant words are pure’ (Proverbs 15:26).
The consequence of what is described is that the righteous enjoy life beyond the grave (Proverbs 15:24), and will live (Proverbs 15:27), whilst the unrighteous will have their house rooted up (Proverbs 15:25), and will bring trouble on their own house (Proverbs 15:27) because their schemes are an abomination to YHWH (Proverbs 15:26).
The subsection is constructed chiastically as follows:
A A man has joy in the ANSWER of his MOUTH, and a word in due season, how good it is (Proverbs 15:23).
B To the wise the way of LIFE goes upward, that he may depart from Sheol beneath (Proverbs 15:24).
C YHWH will root up the house of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow (Proverbs 15:25).
C Evil devices are an abomination to YHWH, but pleasant words are pure (Proverbs 15:26)
B He who is greedy of gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will LIVE (Proverbs 15:27).
A The heart of the righteous studies (thinks carefully) to ANSWER, but the MOUTH of the wicked pours out evil things (Proverbs 15:28).
Note that in A there is reference to the mouth (of the righteous) and its product (joy), whilst in the parallel we find reference to the mouth of the unrighteous and its product (evil things). In B there is reference to ‘life’ and in the parallel to ‘living’. In C and its parallel there is a reference to YHWH and His attitude towards pride and evil devices.
‘A man has joy in the answer of his mouth,
And a word in due season, how good it is!’
One again an emphasis is laid on the importance of what men say. ‘A man’ (any man) has joy in the response that comes from the mouth of a wise counsellor (‘his mouth’ referring back to the wise counsellors of Proverbs 15:22; compare also Proverbs 15:28). And this is because a word in season, a word given at the right time, is so valuable. It is especially so when it enables him to ensure the bringing about of (it establishes) his aims (Proverbs 15:22).
The reference to joy connects back verbally with Proverbs 15:20 (the glad father) and 21 (the joyful folly of the fool). The ‘answer of his mouth’ parallels the ‘carefully thought out response’ of the righteous man’s heart in Proverbs 15:28, in other words the response of a wise counsellor.
‘To the wise the way of life goes upward,
That he may depart from Sheol beneath.’
There has been constant reference in the Book of Proverbs to ‘life’ as the destiny of the wise in contrast with ‘death’ as the destiny of the foolish. Here the significance of that is made clear. The righteous is on the upward way of life, and will therefore avoid permanent residence in the grave world. This is a clear reference to the hope of a future life (see introduction), something confirmed by the constant warnings that the grave world awaits the foolish (Proverbs 5:5; Proverbs 7:27; Proverbs 9:18). If Sheol (the grave world) permanently awaits both wise and foolish what is the point of the warnings to the foolish, for the same fate awaits both? The warnings thus suggest that there is something better for the righteous (compare Proverbs 14:27; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 17:15; Psalms 23:6). This would give new meaning to the words in Ecclesiastes 12:7, ‘and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to the God Who gave it’
‘YHWH will root up the house of the proud,
But he will establish the border of the widow.’
In contrast to the glorious hope of the wise (Proverbs 15:24) is the destiny of ‘the proud’ (the worthless man - Proverbs 6:17). For pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). In Proverbs 16:19 the proud are those who seek spoil, in contrast with those who are lowly in spirit. Here we learn that their self-sufficiency will be taken away from them. Their house will be rooted up by YHWH. Their very security will be destroyed. In contrast is His concern for the weak and helpless, the lowly in spirit (Proverbs 16:19), as represented by the widow. Though evil men might move the boundary marks of her land surreptitiously in order to gradually take it over, seen as a heinous crime (Proverbs 22:28; Deuteronomy 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:17; Hosea 5:10) YHWH will restore them and establish them, ensuring the protection of her rights. Such protection of the rights of the needy by YHWH is regularly spoken of in the Torah (Exodus 22:21-24; Deuteronomy 10:18; Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14; Deuteronomy 24:17; Deuteronomy 24:19-21; Deuteronomy 26:12-13; Deuteronomy 27:19). Righteousness will in the end prevail.
‘Evil devices are an abomination to YHWH,
But pleasant words are pure (to him).’
What is described in Proverbs 15:25 will occur because evil plots and schemes are an abomination to YHWH. In the end, therefore, He will deal with them as such. But in contrast to the evil schemes of the unrighteous are the pleasant and honest words of the righteous. They are acceptable to Him because they are pure in His eyes. They are the words which bring joy to those who benefit by them (Proverbs 15:23). They are the carefully thought out words of the righteous (Proverbs 15:28).
‘He who is greedy of gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.’
The one who is greedy of gain is illustrated by the boundary mover of Proverbs 15:25. But the term covers any dishonest method of obtaining wealth (compare Proverbs 1:11 ff.), including in context the offering of bribes (gifts given in order to influences another, or obtain benefit for oneself). Compare Proverbs 19:6; Proverbs 21:14. This was something forbidden to Israelites (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19) and thoroughly disapproved of (Psalms 15:5; Ecclesiastes 7:7; Isaiah 1:23). By using such methods a man may obtain short term wealth, but he ‘troubles his own house’. He brings catastrophe on it, as both Ahab and Achan (Joshua 7:0), the ‘troublers’, did on Israel. Such a man will necessarily ‘inherit the wind’ (Proverbs 11:29).
In contrast to the dishonest man is the honest one. He hates both the receiving and the offering of bribes. And because he does so he will ‘live’. He will enjoy the wholesome and fruitful life described in Proverbs 3:16-18. And he will enjoy the future life that is described in Proverbs 15:24
‘The heart of the righteous studies (thinks carefully) to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.’
The subsection closes with a contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous. Before he speaks the righteous man thinks carefully in his heart. He studies in his heart what he is going to say before he says it. Thus when he does speak his words bring him joy (Proverbs 15:23). He ensures that what he will say will do good and not harm, will help men rather than hindering them (see Proverbs 15:2). He is ‘slow to speak’ (James 1:19), cautious in his words (compare Proverbs 11:13). But in contrast the unrighteous man ‘pours out evil things’ without thought. He has no self-control and no feelings for others. He cannot be trusted to keep a confidence. He regularly hurts people by what he says.
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