Proverbs 24

1 Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.

3 Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;

4 By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8 He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.

9 The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

13 My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place;

16 For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.

19 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked;

20 For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those given to change;

22 For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

23 These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24 He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him.

25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27 Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.

28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?

29 Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

30 I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;

31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.

32 When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:

33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;

34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

Proverbs 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Verses 1-2 Envy not sinners. And let not a desire ever come into thy mind, Oh that I could shake off restraints! ( 3-6 ) . Piety and prudence in outward affairs, both go together to complete a wise man. By knowledge the soul is filled with the graces and comforts of the spirit, those precious and pleasant riches. The spirit is strengthened for the spiritual work and the spiritual warfare, by true wisdom. ( 7-9 ) . A weak man thinks wisdom is too high for him, therefore he will take no pains for it. It is bad to do evil, but worse to devise it. Even the first risings of sin in the heart are sin, and must be repented of. Those that strive to make others hateful, make themselves so. Verse 10 . Under troubles we are apt to despair of relief. But be of good ( proverbs 24:11-12 ) know that his neighbour is in danger by any unjust proceeding, he is bound to do all in his power to deliver him. And what is it to suffer immortal souls to perish, when our persuasions and ( proverbs 24:13-14 ) quickened to the study of wisdom by considering both the pleasure and the profit of it. All men relish things that are sweet to the palate; but many have no relish for the things that are sweet to the purified soul, and that make us wise unto ( proverbs 24:15-16 ) do, by stumbling at some stone in his path; but gets up, and goes on his way with more care and speed. This is rather to be understood of falls into affliction, than falls into actual sin. ( proverbs 24:17-18 ) ( proverbs 24:19-20 ) ( proverbs 24:21-22 ) The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them that are given change. ( 23-26 ) . The wisdom God giveth, renders a man fit for his station. Every one who finds the benefit of the right answer, will be attached to him that gave it. Verse 27 . We must prefer necessaries before conveniences, and not go in debt. ( proverbs 24:28-29 ) ( 30-34 ) . See what a blessing the husbandman's calling is, and what a wilderness this earth would be without it. See what great difference there is in the management even of worldly affairs. Sloth and self-indulgence are the bane of all good. When we see fields overgrown with thorns and thistles, and the fences broken down, we see an emblem of the far more deplorable state of many souls. Every vile affection grows in men's hearts; yet they compose themselves to sleep. Let us show wisdom by doubling our diligence in every good thing.

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint and Vulgate read Do not deceive.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 12

This chapter relates Rehoboam's going to Shechem to be made king, and Jeroboam's return from Egypt, 1Ki 12:1,2, the people's request to Rehoboam to be eased of their taxes, as the condition of making him king, 1Ki 12:3,4, his answer to them, after three days, having had the advice both of the old and young men, which latter he followed, and gave in a rough answer, 1Ki 12:5-15, upon which ten tribes revolted from him, and two abode by him, 1Ki 12:16-20, wherefore he meditated a war against the ten tribes, but was forbid by the Lord to engage in it, 1Ki 12:21-24 and Jeroboam, in order to establish his kingdom, and preserve the people from a revolt to the house of David, because of the temple worship at Jerusalem, devised a scheme of idolatrous worship in his own territories, 1Ki 12:25-33.