《Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures – Proverbs (Vol. 1)》
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The Tongue Emphasized - This section emphasizes the tongue, which represents the decisions we make and the thoughts of our minds. Proverbs 10:10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. Proverbs 10:10 — "He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow" - Comments- The eye is often used figuratively in the Scriptures to represent the heart of man. Note: Deuteronomy 28:56, "The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her Song of Solomon , and toward her daughter," Psalm 31:9, "Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly." Proverbs 22:9, "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor." Proverbs 23:6, "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:" Jeremiah 13:17, "But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD"S flock is carried away captive." Matthew 20:15, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" Luke 11:34, "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness." (See Matthew 6:22-23) The Hebrew word for "wink" is ( קָרַץ) (H 7169). Strong says that it means "to pinch, to bite the lips, blink the eyes (as a gesture of malice), or (fully) to squeeze off (a piece of clay in order to mould a vessel from it)." It is used five times in the Old Testament. The author has been warned of the wink of the eye in Proverbs 6:13. On his journey in life, he can now quickly recognize this man as a wicked person.
David also spoke about the wink of the eye in the book of Psalm. Psalm 35:19, "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause." In addition to the three uses above, the other two uses are found in: Job 33:6, "Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. Proverbs 16:30, "He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass." We see another passage in the book of Job about the wink of the eye used in the context of a wicked person. Job 15:12-13, "Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?" The Hebrew word used in Job 15:12 is ( רָזַם) (H 7335), which means, "to twinkle the eye (in mockery)". This is the only place in the Old Testament where this Hebrew word is used. Thus, from the context of Psalm 35:19 and Job 15:12, we can see that this is a person whose heart is rejoicing over and mocking others, since the eye represents the heart. We see this idea clearly in Proverbs 30:17.
This same Hebrew sentence appears in Proverbs 10:8, ( וֶאֱוִיל שְׂפָתַ֗יִם יִלָּבֵט). It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word preceding this same phrase in Proverbs 10:8 ( מִצְוֹת) (H 4687), meaning "command" (Strong) is very similar to the one in Proverbs 10:10 ( עַצָּבֶת) (H 6094), meaning "a pain, wound" (Strong). At a glance, they look the same. The point is that a copyist may have mistakenly copied this phrase in Proverbs 10:8 into Proverbs 10:10, or vice versa because of the similarity of the preceding words. Within this context, one modern version takes the liberty to edit this translation to fit a more logical reading. BBE reads: Proverbs 10:8, "The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall." Proverbs 10:10, "He who makes signs with his eyes is a cause of trouble, but he who makes a man see his errors is a cause of peace." Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 10:11 — Word Study on "covereth" - Strong says the Hebrew word "covereth" ( כָּסָה) (H 3680) is a primitive root that means, "to plump, that Isaiah , fill up hollows, to cover." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 152times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "cover 135, hide 6, conceal 4, covering 2, overwhelmed 2, clad 1, closed 1, clothed 1." Proverbs 10:11 — "but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked" - Comments- Most translations support this reading. However, the Hebrew text can also read, "the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence." Note this interpretation in the JPS, "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; but the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence." Proverbs 10:11 — Comments- Using the KJV translation, the contrast would mean that the righteous man speaks words of living truths, able to make one's life more abundant, but the wicked man only knows how to speak violently about everyone, revealing his wickedness. Using the alternative translation, "but the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence," the contrast would be that the righteous freely and openly speaks words that bless others, while the wicked attempts to cover up and hide his violent heart and violent words. Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. Proverbs 10:12 — "but love covereth all sins" - Word Study on "covereth" - Strong says the Hebrew word "covereth" ( כָּסָה) (H 3680) is a primitive root that means, "to plump, that Isaiah , fill up hollows, to cover." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 152times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "cover 135, hide 6, conceal 4, covering 2, overwhelmed 2, clad 1, closed 1, clothed 1." Comments- Love covers sins, but hatred tries to expose it. Comments- Peter quotes Proverbs 10:12 b in 1 Peter 4:8 from the LXX. 1 Peter 4:8, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Proverbs 10:12 — Comments- A man who allows hatred to rule him will cause strife and contention, but one who lets love guide him will not stir up trouble when sin is committed against him or others. He uses wisdom from God in the situation. Therefore, we have the contrast of how the wicked man proclaims and aggravates an offence, while the righteous man looks for the opportunity to heal all offences. The word "all" in Proverbs 10:12 means that there is no wrong done against you that love cannot help you deal with. For example, the ministry of Corrie ten Boom illustrates a believer's ability to forgive even the worst of wrongdoing. She spent years in a Nazi concentration camp, yet she learned to forgive her German oppressors. 78] 78] Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place (New York: Random House, Inc, 1982). Proverbs 10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Proverbs 10:13 — "In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found" - Word Study on "understanding" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "perceive" ( בִּין) (H 995) means, "to perceive, to separate." Strong says it is a primitive root that means, "to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e. (generally) understand." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 170 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "understand 62, understanding 32, consider 22, prudent 8, perceive 7, regard 6, discern 3, instruct 3, misc 27." This Hebrew word is used 34times in the book of Proverbs. Word Study on "void" - Strong says the Hebrew word "void" ( חָסֵר) (H 2638) means, "lacking, hence, without." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 19 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "void 6, want 5, lack 4, fail 2, destitute 1, need 1." Proverbs 10:13 — "but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding" - Word Study on "understanding" - The second use of the word "understanding" in Proverbs 10:13 is the Hebrew word ( לֵב) (H 3820), which literally means, "heart" (Strong). The Enhanced Strong says it is used 593times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "heart 508, mind 12, midst 11, understanding 10, hearted 7, Wisdom of Solomon 6, comfortably 4, well 4, considered 2, friendly 2, kindly 2, stouthearted + 0472, care + 077602, misc 21." Comments- The phrase "void of understanding" literally means, "lacking of heart." But most translations translate the phrase as, "void of understanding". But others use a similar phrase: BBE, "without sense" NIV, "lacks judgment" YTL, "lacking understanding" Proverbs 10:13 — Comments- Wisdom is the product of a heart that seeks and receives instruction and understanding. In contrast, the rod of judgment is the product of a wicked heart that refuses instruction. A man who has no understanding will find chastisement and judgment in his life. In other words, he will have many problems in his life because he does not follow instructions. But the wise man will be recognized for his wisdom and not for his problems. Proverbs 10:14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14 — "Wise men lay up knowledge" - Word Study on "lay up" - Strong says the Hebrew word "lay up" ( צָפַן) (H 6845) means, "to hide, to hoard, to reserve," and figuratively, "to deny." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 33times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "hide 16, lay up 7, esteemed 1, lurk 1, hidden ones 1, privily 1, secret places 1, secret 1, misc 4." LXX, "hide" NIV, "store up" Proverbs 10:14 — "but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction" - Comments- Foolish people speak rashly with no guard on their mouth. Therefore, their words bring imminent problems and destruction. Proverbs 10:14 — Comments- We can see the contrast in the fact that the wise man guards his mouth, although he has a vast store of knowledge laid up. He waits for the appropriate time to speak and reveal his knowledge. In contrast, the foolish man brings problems in his life by speaking quickly and rashly. You can never predict what he will say. Proverbs 10:10-14 — Comments- Characteristics of the Wicked Prayer of Manasseh - In this passage we see some of the same characteristics of the wicked man that are found in Proverbs 6:12-15. Compare the wink of the eye, the mouth of violence, and the stirring up of strife. Proverbs 10:15 The rich man"s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Proverbs 10:15 — Comments- A rich man's wealth can bring him to ruin by trusting in riches and not in God ( 1 Timothy 6:17), and a poor man's poverty can bring him to ruin ( Proverbs 30:7-9). 1 Timothy 6:17, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;" Proverbs 30:7-9, "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." One possible contrast is to see how the rich man"s trust in his wealth will bring him to ruin, while the despair of the poor will cause him to not see the contentment that God can give anyone who lives a godly life. Wealth as well as poverty can destroy a person. A second possible contrast is to see how the rich man can use his wealth to deliver him from the problems that come with poverty, while the poor man has to live with the despairs of life that accompanies poverty.
79] John Gill, Proverbs , in John Gill's Expositor, in e-Sword, v 777 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on Proverbs 10:17. Proverbs 10:17 — Comments- The contrast in Proverbs 10:17 is seen in that the man who receives instructions will be able to follow the path that leads to a fulfilled life. But the person that rejects corrections will always be erring from this path. Within the context of the book of Proverbs , we keep instruction pursuing the virtues of wisdom first. As we pursue these virtues, we will find ourselves on the path of wisdom. Proverbs 10:16-17 — Scripture References- Note a similar verse: Galatians 6:8, "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Proverbs 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. Proverbs 10:18 — Comments- A fool is not able to manage proper conduct. If he conceals his hatred with silence or with lies, he is a fool. If he reveals his hatred with slanderous lips, he is still the fool. Either way, whether he speaks or keeps silent, the hatred in his heart makes him a fool. The fool is a person who has not dealt with his anger. We all experience anger, but, unlike a righteous person who removes anger from him, a fool harbors this anger until it develops into a deep-seated anger. The Scriptures tell us that anger resides in the bosom of a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:9, "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19 — Comments- The contrast in Proverbs 10:19 is clearly seen. A person that speaks carelessly and often reveals a foolish and sinful heart, but the person who speaks carefully and sparingly reveals a wise heart. Proverbs 10:19 — Scripture References- Note similar verses: Ecclesiastes 5:3, "For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool"s voice is known by multitude of words." James 1:19, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" James 3:2, "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect Prayer of Manasseh , and able also to bridle the whole body." Proverbs 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. Proverbs 10:20 — "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" - Comments- God"s Words are also called choice silver ( Psalm 12:6). Psalm 12:6, "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Proverbs 10:20 — Comments- The value of a man is not measured by his material wealth, but by the virtues of the heart. Even the poorest of men can offer something valuable with their words, but the wicked heart cannot speak anything of value. Proverbs 10:20 — Scripture References- Note a similar verse: Luke 6:45, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. Proverbs 10:21 — Comments- A righteous man can bring blessings to many people, but a fool cannot even provide for himself. A fool cannot even bring a blessing to himself. Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22 — "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich" - Comments- Kenneth Copeland teaches that "the blessing is the source of the wealth of the believer…You're not blessed because you're rich. You're rich because you're blessed." 80] He contrasts the riches of the ungodly mentioned in Psalm 73:12, which brings sorrow, to the wealth that God's blessings bring, which brings joy. The blessing of the Lord is made available under the new covenant in Christ's work of redemption. Every New Testament believer has the ability to partake of this blessing. This is stated in Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" 80] Kenneth Copeland, "Kenneth Copeland Ministries Newsletter," June 2008 (Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Fort Worth, Texas). Psalm 73:12, "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." Proverbs 10:22 — "and he addeth no sorrow with it" - Comments- There is much sorrow in the pursuit of this world"s goods when that pursuit is placed above the pursuit of the things of God. Note: Joshua 6:18, "And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it." Proverbs 20:21, "An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed." Proverbs 28:22, "He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." 2 Kings 5:26-27, "And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." James 5:1-2, "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten." This phrase can also be translated, "toil addeth nothing to it." The BBE, "The blessing of the Lord gives wealth: hard work makes it no greater." This translation means that it is God alone who gives to man blessings the rewards of his labours. However, this translation is rarely accepted. Proverbs 10:22 — Comments- The blessings of God are not obtained by gathering, hoarding up and having it lost and spoiled. The blessings of God begin from within, in the heart of man. As he learns to trust in God, He can entrust a faithful man with all things to enjoy. Then the man is able to well manage these blessings so that they do not obstruct his walk with the Lord. 1 Timothy 6:17, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;" Illustration: God entrusted Abraham with great riches: Genesis 24:35, "And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses." Illustration: God was also able to entrust Isaac with riches: Genesis 26:12, "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him." However, contentment is God"s greatest blessing, beyond material blessings. 1 Timothy 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." Paul learned this great truth in his ministry. Philippians 4:11, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I Amos , therewith to be content." In contrast, the blessings of this world are temporal and are accompanied with snares, lusts and sorrows. Note: 1 Timothy 6:9-10, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Moths, rust, and thieves also accompany this world"s goods. Note: Matthew 6:19-20, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" Proverbs 10:22 — Comments- All good things come from God. Note: Deuteronomy 8:18, "But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Proverbs 8:21, "That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures." James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." When we pursue the virtues of wisdom first, God will bring us His divine blessings. If we gain material prosperity without seeking God first, the pressures and stress from getting these blessings will bring much sorrow. Paul teaches us to pursue godliness with contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, in Proverbs 30:7-9 give us the proper balance to receiving God's blessings. He asked for neither riches nor poverty, but rather contentment when he says, "feed me with food convenient for me". This attitude will keep us on the path of receiving God's blessings. If we are not content, but rather seek this world's goods above the Lord, this path will bring us sorrow. But God's blessing will always enrich our lives. Proverbs 10:23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. Proverbs 10:23 — "It is as sport to a fool to do mischief" - Word Study on "sport" - Strong says the Hebrew word "sport" ( שְׂחוֹק) or ( שְׂחׂק) (H 7814) means "laughter," and it comes from the root verb ( שָׂחַק) (H 7832), which means, "to laugh, to play." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 15 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "laughter 6, derision 5, laughing 1, mock 1, laugh to scorn 1, sport 1." Comments- The name "Isaac," which means "laughter," is derived from this root word. Download 3.1 Mb. Share with your friends:
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