Proverbs 15:27

27 He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 15:27 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 15:27

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house
Or "that covets a covetousness" ^F20, an evil one, as in ( Habakkuk 2:9 ) ; that seeks riches by unlawful means, that gathers the mammon of falsehood, or unrighteousness, as the Targum; he entails a curse and brings ruin and destruction upon his family; the Septuagint and Arabic versions are, he "destroys himself"; or "his own soul", as the Syriac version; it may be understood of a man that is over anxious and eager to be rich, and hurries on business, and gives his servants no proper time for food and rest; (See Gill on Proverbs 11:29); but he that hateth gifts shall live;
that rejects them with abhorrence, when offered to bribe him to pervert judgment, or to do an unjust thing; otherwise gifts may be lawfully received from one friend by another; the sin is when they are given and taken for the sake of doing what is base and sinful; and a man that shakes his hand from receiving gifts on such a basis, he and his family shall prosper and increase in worldly things; and, doing this from a right principle of grace, shall live comfortably in a spiritual sense, and thrive and flourish in his soul, and live an eternal life hereafter; see ( Psalms 16:5 Psalms 16:6 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (eub euwb) "appetens concupiscentiam", Montanus; "qui avaritiam inhiat" Tigurine version; "concupiscens concupiscentiam", Vatablus.

Proverbs 15:27 In-Context

25 Yahweh will uproot the house of the proud, But he will keep the widow's borders intact.

26 Yahweh detests the thoughts of the wicked, But the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.

27 He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous weighs answers, But the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

29 Yahweh is far from the wicked, But he hears the prayer of the righteous.