He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]
Or in "breaking shall be broken" F17, ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr. Henry observes that our Lord Jesus Christ became a surety for us when we were strangers, and he smarted for it, he was bruised and wounded for our sins; but then he knew our circumstances, and what the consequence would be, and became a surety on purpose to pay the whole debt and set us free; which he was capable of doing: without being broken or becoming a bankrupt himself; for he was not broken, nor did he fail, ( Isaiah 42:4 ) . Jarchi's note is,
``the wicked shall be broken, to whose heart idolatry is sweet;''and he that hateth suretyship is sure;
``and hates those that place their hope in God.''