Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 14
Overview:
1 A
Woman who has
No fear of
God, who is wilful and wasteful,
and indulges her ease, will as certainly ruin her family, as if
she plucked her
House down. 2. Here are
Grace and
Sin in their
true colours. Those that despise
God's precepts and promises,
despise
God and all his power and
Mercy. 3. Pride grows from
that root of bitterness which is in the
Heart. The root must be
plucked up, or we cannot conquer this
Branch. The prudent words
of
Wise men get them out of difficulties. 4. There can be
No
advantage without something which, though of little moment, will
affright the indolent. 5. A conscientious
Witness will not
dare to represent anything otherwise than according to his
knowledge. 6. A scorner treats Divine things with contempt. He
that feels his ignorance and unworthiness will search the
Scriptures in a humble
Spirit. 7. We discover a wicked
Man if
there is
No savour of
Piety in his discourse. 8. We are
travellers, whose concern is, not to spy out wonders, but to get
to their
Journey's
End; to understand the rules we are to walk
By, also the ends we are to walk toward. The bad
Man cheats
himself, and goes
On in his mistake. 9. Foolish and profane
men consider
Sin a mere trifle, to be made
Light of rather than
mourned over. Fools mock at the
Sin-Offering; but those that
make
Light of
Sin, make
Light of
Christ. 10. We do not know
what stings of
Conscience, or consuming passions,
Torment the
prosperous sinner. Nor does the world know the peace of mind a
serious
Christian enjoys, even in poverty and sickness. 11.
Sin ruins many great families; whilst
Righteousness often raises
and strengthens even mean families. 12. The ways of
carelessness, of worldliness, and of sensuality, seem right to
those that walk in them; but self-deceivers prove
self-destroyers. See the vanity of
Carnal mirth. 14. Of all
sinners backsliders will have the most terror when they reflect
On their own ways. 15. Eager readiness to believe what others
say, has ever proved mischievous. The whole world was thus
ruined at first. The
Man who is spiritually
Wise, depends
On the
Saviour alone for acceptance. He is watchful against the enemies
of his
Salvation,
By taking heed to
God's
Word. 16. Holy fear
guards against every thing unholy. 17. An angry
Man is to be
pitied as
Well as blamed; but the revengeful is more hateful.
18. Sin is the shame of sinners; but
Wisdom is the honour of
the
Wise. 19. Even bad men acknowledge the excellency of
God's
people. 20. Friendship in the world is governed
By
self-interest. It is good to have
God our Friend; he will not
Desert us. 21. To despise a
Man for his employment or
appearance is a
Sin. 22. How wisely those consult their own
interest, who not only do good, but devise it! 23. Labour of
the head, or of the
Hand, will turn to some good account. But if
men's religion runs all out in talk and noise, they will come to
nothing. 24. The riches of men of
Wisdom and
Piety enlarge
their usefulness. 25. An upright
Man will venture the
displeasure of the greatest, to bring
Truth to
Light. 26,27.
Those who fear the
Lord So as to obey and serve him, have a
strong ground of confidence, and will be preserved. Let us seek
to this
Fountain of
Life, that we may escape the snares of
Death. 28. Let all that wish
Well to the kingdom of
Christ, do
what they can, that many may be added to his
Church. 29. A
mild, patient
Man is one that learns of
Christ, who is
Wisdom
itself. Unbridled
Passion is folly made known. 30. An upright,
contented, and benevolent mind, tends to health. 31. To
oppress the
Poor is to reproach our Creator. 32. The wicked
Man has his soul forced from him; he dies in his sins, under the
guilt and power of them. But godly men, though they have pain
and some dread of
Death, have the blessed
Hope, which
God, who
cannot
Lie, has given them. 33.
Wisdom possesses the
Heart,
and thus regulates the affections and tempers. 34.
Piety and
Holiness always promote industry, sobriety, and honesty. 35.
The great
King who reigns over
Heaven and
Earth, will reward
Faithful servants who honour his
Gospel By the proper discharge
of the duties of their stations: he despises not the services of
the lowest.