Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Pr 20:1-30.

1. mocker--scorner. Such men are made by wine.

strong drink--made by spicing wine (compare

Isa 5:11, 22);

and it may include wine.

raging--or boisterous as a drunkard.

deceived--literally, "erring," or reeling.

2. (Compare

Pr 19:12).

Men who resist authority injure themselves

(Ro 13:2).

3. to cease from strife--or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.

fool . . . meddling--

(Pr 17:14).

4. shall . . . beg--literally, "ask" (in this sense,

Ps 109:10).

5. Counsel . . . water--that is, deeply hidden

(Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2).

The wise can discern well.

6. Boasters are unreliable.

goodness--or, "kind disposition."

7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children

(Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).

8. As in

Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15,

this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.

9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare

Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).

10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare

Pr 11:1; 16:11).

11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare

Mt 7:16).

12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do

(Ps 94:9).

13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth

(Pr 6:9; 10:11).

lest . . . poverty--literally, "be deprived of inheritance."

14. when . . . his way--implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.

15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare

Pr 3:14-16).

16. Take his garment--implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.

a strange woman--by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in

Pr 27:13,

is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.

17. Bread . . . sweet--either as unlawfully

(Pr 9:17)

or easily obtained.

mouth . . . gravel--well expresses the pain and grief given at last.

18. (Compare

Pr 15:22).

Be careful and considerate in important plans.

19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.

flattereth . . . lips--(compare Margin;

Pr 1:10).

meddle . . . him--literally, "join," or "associate with."

20. his lamp--(Compare

Pr 13:9; 24:20).

21. gotten hastily--contrary to God's providence

(Pr 28:20),

implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare

Pr 20:17).

22. (Compare

Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).

23. (Compare

Pr 20:10; 11:1).

24. Man's goings--literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."

a man--any common man.

understand--or, "perceive."

25. devoureth . . . holy--or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.

26. (Compare

Pr 20:8).

bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare

Am 1:3).

27. The spirit . . . Lord--Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare

Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).

28. (Compare

Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).

29. The glory of young men . . . the beauty of old men--Each age has its peculiar excellence

(Pr 16:31).

30. blueness--literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.

stripes . . . belly--So punishment provides healing of soul

(Pr 18:8),

by deterring from evil courses.