Proverbs 17:1-11

1 ¹Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting^[a] with strife.

2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over ²a son who acts shamefully and ³will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3 ⁴The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, ⁵and the Lord tests hearts.

4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

5 Whoever mocks the poor ⁶insults his Maker; he who is ⁷glad at calamity will not go ⁸unpunished.

6 ⁹Grandchildren are ¹⁰the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

7 Fine speech is not ¹¹becoming to a fool; still less is ¹²false speech to a prince.

8 ¹³A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.

9 Whoever ¹⁴covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter ¹⁵separates close friends.

10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and ¹⁶a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Proverbs 17:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 7

This chapter gives an account of some buildings of Solomon for himself, 1Ki 7:1-12; and of other things for the use of the temple; of two pillars of brass, 1Ki 7:13-22; of the molten sea, 1Ki 7:23-26; and of ten bases, and ten layers on them, 1Ki 7:27-39; with other utensils and ornaments, 1Ki 7:40-51.

Cross References

• 1. 17:1 ch. 15:17
• 2. 17:2 ver. 21, 25; ch. 10:5; 19:26
• 3. 17:2 [2 Sam. 16:4]
• 4. 17:3 ch. 27:21
• 5. 17:3 1 Chr. 29:17; Ps. 26:2; Jer. 17:10; Mal. 3:3
• 6. 17:5 ch. 14:31; [Matt. 25:40, 45]
• 7. 17:5 Job 31:29; Obad. 12; [ch. 24:17]
• 8. 17:5 ch. 16:5
• 9. 17:6 Ps. 128:6; [Ps. 127:3, 4]
• 10. 17:6 ch. 16:31
• 11. 17:7 [ch. 19:10; 26:1]
• 12. 17:7 ch. 6:17
• 13. 17:8 ver. 23; ch. 18:16; 19:6; 21:14; [Ex. 23:8; Isa. 1:23; Amos 5:12]
• 14. 17:9 ch. 10:12
• 15. 17:9 ch. 16:28
• 16. 17:11 [1 Kgs. 2:29]

Footnotes

• [a] 17:1 Hebrew 'sacrifices'