Proverbs 19

1 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

2 Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD.

4 Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives— how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.^[a]

8 The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.

18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.

19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

22 What a person desires is unfailing love^[b] ; better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

29 Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Verse 1 A poor man who fears God, is more honourable and happy, than a man without wisdom and grace, however rich or advanced in rank. Verse 2 . What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet. Verse 3 . Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God. Verse 4 . Here we may see how strong is men's love of money. Verse 5 . Those that tell lies in discourse, are in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-witness. Verse 6 . We are without excuse if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are fruits of his bounty. Verse 7 . Christ was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. It encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrows of poverty. Verse 8 . Those only love their souls aright that get true wisdom. Verse 9 . Lying is a damning, destroying sin. Verse 10 . A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God's free-men. Verse 11 . He attains the most true glory who endeavours most steadily to overcome evil with good. Verse 12 . Christ is a King, whose wrath against his enemies will be as the roaring of a lion, and his favour to his people as the refreshing dew. Verse 13 . It shows the vanity of the world, that we are liable to the greatest griefs where we promise ourselves the greatest comfort. Verse 14 . A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than house and riches. Verse 15 . A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the present life and that which is to come. Verse 16 . If we keep God's word, God's word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. We abuse the doctrine of free grace, if we think that it does away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live at random must die. This truth is clearly taught in words enough to alarm the stoutest sinner. Verse 17 . God has chosen the poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. Verse 18 . When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves. Verse 19 . The spared and spoiled child is likely to become a man of great wrath. Verse 20 . Those that would be wise in their latter end, must be taught and ruled when young. Verse 21 . What should we desire, but that all our purposes may agree with God's holy will? Verse 22 . It is far better to have a heart to do good, and want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a heart to it. Verse 23 . Those that live in the fear of God, shall get safety, satisfaction, and true and complete happiness. Verse 24 . Indolence, when indulged, so grows upon people, that they have no heart to do the most needful things for themselves. Verse 25 . A gentle rebuke goes farthest with a man of understanding. Verse 26 . The young man who wastes his father's substance, or makes his aged mother destitute, is hateful, and will come to disgrace. Verse 27 . It is the wisdom of young men to dread hearing such talk as puts loose and evil principles into the mind. Verse 28 . Those are the worst of sinners, who are glad of an opportunity to sin. Verse 29 . The unbelief of man shall not make God's threatenings of no effect. Christ himself, when bearing sins not his own, was not spared. Justice and judgment took hold of our blessed Surety; and will God spare obstinate sinners?

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 28:6
• 2. Proverbs 29:20
• 3. Psalms 14:1; Proverbs 9:13; Proverbs 24:9; Isaiah 32:6
• 4. James 1:13-15
• 5. ver 7; Proverbs 14:20
• 6. S Exodus 23:1
• 7. S Psalms 56:7
• 8. ver 9; S Deuteronomy 19:19; Proverbs 21:28
• 9. Proverbs 29:26
• 10. S Proverbs 17:8; S Proverbs 18:16
• 11. Proverbs 10:15
• 12. S ver 4; Psalms 38:11
• 13. S Proverbs 16:20
• 14. S ver 5; S Deuteronomy 19:19
• 15. Proverbs 26:1
• 16. Proverbs 30:21-23; Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
• 17. S 2 Kings 5:12; Proverbs 16:32
• 18. Proverbs 20:2
• 19. S Psalms 133:3
• 20. S Esther 1:12; S Esther 7:7; Psalms 72:5-6; Proverbs 16:14-15
• 21. S Proverbs 10:1
• 22. S Esther 1:18; Proverbs 21:9
• 23. 2 Corinthians 12:14
• 24. S Proverbs 18:22
• 25. S Proverbs 6:9; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 20:13
• 26. S Proverbs 16:17; Luke 10:28; S Romans 10:5
• 27. S Deuteronomy 24:14
• 28. S Deuteronomy 24:19; Proverbs 14:21; Proverbs 22:9; S Matthew 10:42; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
• 29. S Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 23:13-14
• 30. Proverbs 4:1
• 31. S Proverbs 12:15
• 32. Psalms 33:11; Proverbs 16:9; Proverbs 20:24; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 14:24,27; Isaiah 31:2; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 48:14; Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 44:29; Lamentations 3:37
• 33. S Job 4:7; S Proverbs 10:27; Psalms 25:13; Proverbs 12:21; 1 Timothy 4:8
• 34. Proverbs 26:15
• 35. S Psalms 141:5
• 36. S Proverbs 9:9; Proverbs 21:11
• 37. Proverbs 28:24
• 38. S Proverbs 1:8
• 39. S Job 15:16
• 40. S Deuteronomy 25:2; Proverbs 26:3

Footnotes

• [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
• [b]. Or "Greed is a person’s shame"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of the introduction of the ark into the temple, 1Ki 8:1-9 of the glory of the Lord filling it, 1Ki 8:10,11 of a speech Solomon made to the people concerning the building of the temple, and how he came to be engaged in it, 1Ki 8:12-21, of a prayer of his he put up on this occasion, requesting, that what supplications soever were made at any time, or on any account, by Israelites or strangers, might be accepted by the Lord, 1Ki 8:22-53, and of his blessing the people of Israel at the close of it, with some useful exhortations, 1Ki 8:54-61, and of the great number of sacrifices offered up by him, and the feast he made for the people, upon which he dismissed them, 1Ki 8:62-66.