Proverbs 24

1 Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them.

2 For destruction doth their heart meditate, And perverseness do their lips speak.

3 By wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding it establisheth itself.

4 And by knowledge the inner parts are filled, [With] all precious and pleasant wealth.

5 Mighty [is] the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,

6 For by plans thou makest for thyself war, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.

7 Wisdom [is] high for a fool, In the gate he openeth not his mouth.

8 Whoso is devising to do evil, Him they call a master of wicked thoughts.

9 The thought of folly [is] sin, And an abomination to man [is] a scorner.

10 Thou hast shewed thyself weak in a day of adversity, Straitened is thy power,

11 If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter -- thou keepest back.

12 When thou sayest, `Lo, we knew not this.' Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.

13 Eat my son, honey that [is] good, And the honeycomb -- sweet to thy palate.

14 So [is] the knowledge of wisdom to thy soul, If thou hast found that there is a posterity And thy hope is not cut off.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.

16 For seven [times] doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.

17 In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,

18 Lest Jehovah see, and [it be] evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.

19 Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,

20 For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

21 Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

22 For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both -- who knoweth!

23 These also are for the wise: -- To discern faces in judgment is not good.

24 Whoso is saying to the wicked, `Thou [art] righteous,' Peoples execrate him -- nations abhor him.

25 And to those reproving it is pleasant, And on them cometh a good blessing.

26 Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.

27 Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field -- go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.

28 Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.

29 Say not, `As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'

30 Near the field of a slothful man I passed by, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.

31 And lo, it hath gone up -- all of it -- thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.

32 And I see -- I -- I do set my heart, I have seen -- I have received instruction,

33 A little sleep -- a little slumber -- A little folding of the hands to lie down.

34 And thy poverty hath come [as] a traveller, And thy want as 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.

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.