Mishle 24

1 4 Be not thou envious of anshei ra’ah, neither desire to be with them.

2 For their lev plotteth violence, and their sfatayim (lips) talk of amal (trouble).

3 Through chochmah is a bais built, and by tevunah (understanding) it is established.

4 And by da’as shall the chadarim (chambers, rooms) be filled with all precious and pleasant hon (riches, wealth).

5 A gever chacham is strong; indeed, an ish da’as (man of knowledge) increaseth ko’ach.

6 For by tachbulot (guidance) thou shalt wage thy milchamah (war), and in a multitude of yo’etz (counselors) there is teshu’ah (victory, safety).

7 Chochmah is too lofty for a fool; he openeth not his peh (mouth) at the sha’ar.

8 He that plotteth to do evil shall be called a ba’al mezimmot (master of schemes).

9 The scheme of folly is chattat (sin), and the scoffer is a to’evah to adam (man).

10 If thou faint in the yom tzarah, thy strength is small.

11 Save those who are drawn away toward mavet, and hold back those stumbling toward slaughter.

12 If thou sayest, See, we knew it not, doth not He that weigheth the levavot consider it? And He that is guard over thy nefesh, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every adam according to his works?

13 Beni (my son), eat thou devash, because it is tov; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;

14 So shall the knowledge of chochmah be unto thy nefesh; when thou hast found it, then there shall be an acharit (latter end, future), and thy tikvah (hope) shall not be cut off.

15 Lay not in wait, O rasha, against the naveh (dwelling) of the tzaddik; assault not his resting place;

16 For a tzaddik falleth sheva (seven times), and riseth up again, but the resha’im are overthrown in ra’ah.

17 Gloat not when thine oyev falleth, and let not thine lev rejoice when he stumbleth,

18 Lest Hashem see it, and it is rah in His eyes, and He turn away His wrath from him.

19 Fret not thyself because of ra’im, neither be thou envious of the resha’im,

20 For there shall be no acharit (latter end, future) to the rah; the ner (light) of the resha’im shall be put out.

21 Beni (my son), fear thou Hashem and the Melech, and do not associate with them that are otherwise disposed.

22 For their calamity shall arise suddenly; and who hath da’as of ruin those two [i.e., Hashem and the Melech] can bring?

23 These things also belong to chachamim: it is not tov to show partiality in mishpat.

24 He that saith unto the rashah, Thou are tzaddik, him shall the people curse, nations shall detest him;

25 But to them that rebuke the wicked, it is well, and birkat tov shall come upon them.

26 He that giveth an answer that is nakhon (right, correct), giveth a kiss on the sfatayim.

27 Set in order thy outside work, and make ready for thyself in the sadeh; then afterwards build thine bais.

28 Be not an ed (witness) against thy re’a without cause, and deceive not with thy sfatayim (lips).

29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the ish according to his work.

30 I went by the sadeh of the ish atzel (sluggard, lazy one), and went past the kerem (vineyard) of the adam chasar lev (the man void of lev [of understanding]),

31 And, hinei, it was all grown over with thorns, and charullim (nettles) had covered the surface thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well in my lev; I looked upon it, and received musar.

33 Yet a little shenot (slumber), a little sleep, a little folding of the yadayim to rest;

34 So shall thy poverty come like a prowler; and thy want like an ish mogen (armed warrior).

Mishle 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.

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.