Proverbs 15:27

27 He whose desires are fixed on profit is a cause of trouble to his family; but he who has no desire for offerings will have life.

Proverbs 15:27 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 15:27

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house
Or "that covets a covetousness" F20, an evil one, as in ( Habakkuk 2:9 ) ; that seeks riches by unlawful means, that gathers the mammon of falsehood, or unrighteousness, as the Targum; he entails a curse and brings ruin and destruction upon his family; the Septuagint and Arabic versions are, he "destroys himself"; or "his own soul", as the Syriac version; it may be understood of a man that is over anxious and eager to be rich, and hurries on business, and gives his servants no proper time for food and rest; (See Gill on Proverbs 11:29); but he that hateth gifts shall live;
that rejects them with abhorrence, when offered to bribe him to pervert judgment, or to do an unjust thing; otherwise gifts may be lawfully received from one friend by another; the sin is when they are given and taken for the sake of doing what is base and sinful; and a man that shakes his hand from receiving gifts on such a basis, he and his family shall prosper and increase in worldly things; and, doing this from a right principle of grace, shall live comfortably in a spiritual sense, and thrive and flourish in his soul, and live an eternal life hereafter; see ( Psalms 16:5 Psalms 16:6 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (eub euwb) "appetens concupiscentiam", Montanus; "qui avaritiam inhiat" Tigurine version; "concupiscens concupiscentiam", Vatablus.

Proverbs 15:27 In-Context

25 The house of the man of pride will be uprooted by the Lord, but he will make safe the heritage of the widow.
26 Evil designs are disgusting to the Lord, but the words of the clean-hearted are pleasing.
27 He whose desires are fixed on profit is a cause of trouble to his family; but he who has no desire for offerings will have life.
28 The heart of the upright gives thought to his answer; but from the mouth of the evil-doer comes a stream of evil things.
29 The Lord is far from sinners, but his ear is open to the prayer of the upright.
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