Proverbs 20

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 Proverbs 27:13 , is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.

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

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

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

20. his lamp--(Compare Proverbs 13:9 , 24:20 ).

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

22. (Compare Psalms 27:14 , Romans 12:17-19 ).

23. (Compare Proverbs 20:10 , Proverbs 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 Proverbs 20:8 ).
bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Amos 1:3 ).

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

28. (Compare Proverbs 3:3 , Proverbs 16:6 Proverbs 16:12 ).

29. The glory of young men . . . the beauty of old men--Each age has its peculiar excellence ( Proverbs 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 ( Proverbs 18:8 ), by deterring from evil courses.