Proverbs 27:9

9 Oil and incense make the heart glad, and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.

Proverbs 27:9 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 27:9

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart
Meaning not the holy anointing oil for sacred use, or the perfume or incense offered on the altar of incense; but common oil or ointment used at entertainments, poured on the heads of the guests; and incense in censing of rooms, which were very delightful, pleased the senses, and so exhilarated the heart;

so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel;
so the sweet and pleasant words, the wise and cordial counsel of a man's friend, rejoice his heart; he takes it well, he is highly delighted with it; he receives it kindly, and pursues it to advantage: or "by counsel of soul" ^F3, such as relates to the welfare of the soul here and hereafter; such is the counsel Christ gives, to buy of him gold tried in the fire, white raiment eye salve; and such as the Scriptures give, which, with the saints, are the men of their counsel, as they were David's; and which ministers of the Gospel give, who are therefore like ointment and perfume, "a sweet savour of life unto life": some render the words, and they will bear it, "so the sweetness of a man's friend, more than the counsel of his soul" ^F4 or than his own; that is, the sweet counsel of a friend is better than his own, and more rejoices his heart, and gives him more pleasure than that does; and this way go the Jewish commentators.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (vpn tuem) "a consilio animae", Montanus; "propter consilium animae", Pagninus, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F4 "Magis quam consilium animae, sub. propriae", Vatablus, Baynus; "quam consilium proprium", Junius & Tremellius, Mercerus, Amama.

Proverbs 27:9 In-Context

7 Someone who is full refuses honey, but anything bitter tastes sweet to a hungry person.

8 Like a bird wandering from its nest, so is one who wanders from home.

9 Oil and incense make the heart glad, and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.

10 Don't desert your friend or a friend of your family; don't go to your relative's house when disaster strikes. Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad, so I can answer those who insult me.

Footnotes

• [a] Heb uncertain