Proverbs 22

1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

4 By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.

5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

11 He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

13 The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!"

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

19 So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you.

20 Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

23 For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;

27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

Verse 1 We should be more careful to do that by which we may get and keep a good name, than to raise or add unto a great estate. Verse 2 . Divine Providence has so ordered it, that some are rich, and others poor, but all are guilty before God; and at the throne of God's grace the poor are as welcome as the rich. Verse 3 . Faith foresees the evil coming upon sinners, and looks to Jesus Christ as the sure refuge from the storm. Verse 4 . Where the fear of God is, there will be humility. And much is to be enjoyed by it; spiritual riches, and eternal life at last. Verse 5 . The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous. But the way of duty is safe and easy. Verse 6 . Train children, not in the way they would go, that of their corrupt hearts, but in the way they should go; in which, if you love them, you would have them go. As soon as possible every child should be led to the knowledge of the Saviour. Verse 7 . This shows how important it is for every man to keep out of debt. As to the things of this life, there is a difference between the rich and the poor; but let the poor remember, it is the Lord that made the difference. Verse 8 . The power which many abuse, will soon fail them. Verse 9 . He that seeks to relieve the wants and miseries of others shall be blessed. Verse 10 . Profane scoffers and revilers disturb the peace. Verse 11 . God will be the Friend of a man in whose spirit there is no guile; this honour have all the saints. Verse 12 . God turns the counsels and designs of treacherous men to their own confusion. Verse 13 . The slothful man talks of a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the devil, that roaring lion within, and from his own slothfulness, which kills him. Verse 14 . The vile sin of licentiousness commonly besots the mind beyond recovery. Verse 15 . Sin is foolishness, it is in the heart, there is an inward inclination to sin: children bring it into the world with them; and it cleaves close to the soul. We all need to be corrected by our heavenly Father. Verse 16 . We are but stewards, and must distribute what God intrusts to our care, according to his will. ( 17-21 ) . To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down, and the heart applied by faith and love. To live a life of delight in God and dependence on him, is the foundation of all practical religion. The way to know the certainty of the ( proverbs 22:22-23 ) that robs and oppresses the poor, does so at his peril. And if ( proverbs 22:24-25 ) hearts have so much tinder in them, that it is dangerous to have to do with those that throw about the sparks of their passion. ( proverbs 22:26-27 ) those are not so, who, by folly or other carelessness, waste what they have. Verse 28 . We are taught not to trespass on another man's right. And it is hard to find a truly industrious man. Such a man will rise. Seest thou a man diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel. Let us then be diligent in God's work.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 10

This chapter contains an account of the queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon to her great satisfaction, 1Ki 10:1-13, of Solomon's merchandise and riches, and the magnificence of his court, 1Ki 10:14-23, of the rich presents sent to him, and of the purchase of chariots and horses, and other things, he made, 1Ki 10:24-29.