Proverbs 30:10

10 "Do not slander a slave to his master. The slave will curse you, and you will be found guilty."

Proverbs 30:10 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 30:10

Accuse not a servant unto his master
Wrongly, rashly, and without any foundation, nor for any trifling thing; unless it be in a case of moment and importance, when his master's business is sadly neglected, or he is injured in his property by him: especially care should be taken not to calumniate a servant, to abuse him with the tongue, as the word F7 signifies; the circumstance he is in should be considered, as a servant; and how severe masters are apt to be towards them, and therefore little matters should be hid from them; and much less should they be aggravated, and least of all should falsehoods be told of them. So Doeg the Edomite accused David to Saul, and the Pharisees accused the disciples of Christ to their Master, ( 1 Samuel 22:9 ) ( Matthew 15:2 ) ; the apostle's advice is good, and agrees with Agur's, ( Romans 14:4 ) ; lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty;
or, "and thou shouldest sin" F8; that is, afterwards; and so the curse come upon thee he has wished for: or the sense is, lest he should curse thee before men, and hurt thy character and reputation; or imprecate a curse from the Lord, which he may suffer to come upon thee for sin. Aben Ezra interprets this of a servant, that flies from Heathen countries to the land of Israel, to be made a proselyte of; who should not be discovered, and returned to his old master.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Nvlt la) "ne crimineris lingua", Montanus.
F8 (tmvaw) "et delinquas", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "q. d. peccabis", Vatablus.

Proverbs 30:10 In-Context

8 Keep vanity and lies far away from me. Don't give me either poverty or riches. Feed me [only] the food I need,
9 or I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or I may become poor and steal and give the name of my God a bad reputation.
10 "Do not slander a slave to his master. The slave will curse you, and you will be found guilty."
11 A certain kind of person curses his father and does not bless his mother.
12 A certain kind of person thinks he is pure but is not washed from his own feces.
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