PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Proverbs
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 266,170 words · 546 reading sections
Proverbs 15:2
Proverbs 15:2 Ver. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright,.... As the heart of a wise and good man is filled with useful knowledge, civil, moral, spiritual, and evangelical; so he takes care to communicate it, at proper times and seasons, in proper places, and to proper persons; adapting it to their case and…
270 wordsSECTION 242Proverbs 15:3
Proverbs 15:3 Ver. 3. The eyes of the Lord [are] in every place,.... Which are expressive of his omniscience, of the full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge, which he has of all creatures and things; so that nothing is hid from him, but all open and manifest to him; as they are to Christ the essential Word, Heb 4…
459 wordsSECTION 243Proverbs 15:4
Proverbs 15:4 Ver. 4. A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life,.... A tongue that delivers out salutary instructions, wholesome advice and counsel; a "healing tongue" {w}, as it may be rendered, which pacifies contending parties, and heals the divisions between them; to have the benefit of such a man's company and conve…
240 wordsSECTION 244Proverbs 15:5
Proverbs 15:5 Ver. 5. A fool despiseth his father's instruction,.... They are fools that despise any instruction that is wise, good, and profitable; and especially a father's instruction, whose love, tender affection, and care, will not suffer him, knowingly, to give any but what is good and wholesome: wherefore to de…
223 wordsSECTION 245Proverbs 15:6
Proverbs 15:6 Ver. 6. In the house of the righteous [is] much treasure,.... God sometimes blesses the righteous with great riches, as he did Abraham; or, however, if they have but little, it is better than the riches of many wicked; because they have what they have with a blessing, and they are content with it: and th…
195 wordsSECTION 246Proverbs 15:7
Proverbs 15:7 Ver. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,.... Scatter it about for the benefit of others; they are communicative and diffusive of it unto others, that fruit may abound to their account: so the first ministers of the Gospel diffused the savour of the knowledge of Christ and his Gospel in every plac…
214 wordsSECTION 247Proverbs 15:8
Proverbs 15:8 Ver. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the Lord,.... Even those sacrifices which were of divine appointment under the former dispensation, when offered by wicked men, without faith in Christ, without any sense of sin, repentance for it, and reformation from it; when these were used as…
614 wordsSECTION 248Proverbs 15:9
Proverbs 15:9 Ver. 9. The way of the wicked [is] an abomination unto the Lord,.... The way his heart devises, which he chooses and delights in, in which he walks; nor will he leave it, nor can he be diverted from it, but by the powerful grace of God. This is a way not good, but evil, and so an abomination to the Lord;…
341 wordsSECTION 249Proverbs 15:10
Proverbs 15:10 Ver. 10. Correction [is] grievous unto him that forsaketh the way,.... The right way, the way of God; the way of his commandments: the Vulgate Latin version is, "the way of life"; the same with the way of righteousness, which apostates, having known and walked in, turn aside from; see 2Pe 2:15. And such…
268 wordsSECTION 250Proverbs 15:11
Proverbs 15:11 Ver. 11. Hell and destruction [are] before the Lord,.... Or "the grave" {a}, which is the pit of destruction; where bodies being put, putrefy, and are destroyed by worms: this is known by the Lord, even the grave of everyone from the beginning; the graves of Adam, Abel, Abraham; he knows where their dus…
300 wordsSECTION 251Proverbs 15:12
Proverbs 15:12 Ver. 12. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him,.... He that makes a jest of religion; scoffs at godliness and godly men; treats the Gospel and the ministers of it with contempt; makes a mock at good men, and all that is good; a pestilent fellow, as the Vulgate Latin version: such an one not only d…
255 wordsSECTION 252Proverbs 15:13
Proverbs 15:13 Ver. 13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance,.... Or, a "joyful heart" {c}; that is joyful in the God of its salvation; that rejoices in Christ Jesus; is filled with joy and peace through believing in him, in his person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; that has a comfortable view of his jus…
336 wordsSECTION 253Proverbs 15:14
Proverbs 15:14 Ver. 14. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge,.... He that has in his heart an understanding of divine and spiritual things, of the Gospel and of the truths of it, will seek earnestly and diligently in the use of proper means after more knowledge; as he will desire to know more of …
191 wordsSECTION 254Proverbs 15:15
Proverbs 15:15 Ver. 15. All the days of the afflicted [are] evil,.... And some are afflicted all their days, from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which they have no pleasure, but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says, "few and evil have the days of the years…
214 wordsSECTION 255Proverbs 15:16
Proverbs 15:16 Ver. 16. Better [is] little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Not that a "little" is better than "much" of that which is good, as the things of this world are in themselves; poverty is not better than riches, simply considered; but as these are attended with different …
515 wordsSECTION 256Proverbs 15:17
Proverbs 15:17 Ver. 17. Better [is] a dinner of herbs, where love is,.... What Plautus {i} calls "asperam et terrestrem caenam", "a harsh and earthly supper", made of what grows out of the earth; which is got without much cost or care, and dressed with little trouble; a traveller's dinner, as the word {k} signifies, a…
5,185 wordsSECTION 257Proverbs 16:1
Proverbs 16:1 Ver. 1. The preparations of the heart in man,.... The sense of these words, according to our version, depends upon the next clause, and the meaning of the whole is, that a man can neither think nor speak without God: the "orderings" or "marshallings of the heart" {a}, as it may be rendered; that is, of t…
588 wordsSECTION 258Proverbs 16:2
Proverbs 16:2 Ver. 2. All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes,.... All right and well, not only some, but all, having a high opinion of himself; for this is to be understood of a self-righteous man, who is pure in his own eyes, though not cleansed from his filthiness, and so fancies every way he walks in, an…
319 wordsSECTION 259Proverbs 16:3
Proverbs 16:3 Ver. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord,.... Natural, civil, or religious; seek to him for strength and assistance in all, and leave the success of all with him: or "roll thy works on" or "unto the Lord" {b}; devolve all upon him, cast all care upon him and his providence for supply, support, and sustenan…
353 wordsSECTION 260Proverbs 16:4
Proverbs 16:4 Ver. 4. The Lord hath made all [things] for himself,.... This is true of the Lord with respect to the creation of all things by him. All things are made by him, the heaven, earth, and sea; and all that are in them, angels, men, beasts, birds, fishes, and all creatures: and these are made for himself, and…
820 wordsSECTION 261Proverbs 16:5
Proverbs 16:5 Ver. 5. Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the Lord,.... Though he may dissemble his pride, and not discover it in his looks, by his words and gestures; yet the Lord sees and knows the heart, the naughtiness of it, and the pride that is in it: and only a proud look, but a proud hea…
319 wordsSECTION 262Proverbs 16:6
Proverbs 16:6 Ver. 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged,.... Or "expiated" {d}, and atoned for: not by the mercy and truth of men; not by alms deeds or showing mercy to the poor; nor by speaking truth and keeping promises, and doing justice between man and man; for, though these are duties to be performed, they wi…
257 wordsSECTION 263Proverbs 16:7
Proverbs 16:7 Ver. 7. When a man's ways please the Lord,.... As they do when a man walks according to the rule of his word; when he walks as he has Christ for an example; when he walks after the Spirit, and not after the flesh; when he walks by faith, and does all he does in faith; without which it is impossible to pl…
121 wordsSECTION 264Proverbs 16:8
Proverbs 16:8 Ver. 8. Better [is] a little with righteousness,.... Gotten in a righteous way, held by a righteous claim, used in a righteous manner, attended with a life of righteousness and holiness; and also along with an interest in the righteousness of Christ, which renders acceptable unto God, yields peace and co…
196 wordsSECTION 265Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs 16:9 Ver. 9. A man's heart deviseth his way,.... This is to be understood, not of a wicked man, in whose heart is frowardness, and who devises mischief and evil imaginations continually, Pr 6:14; for such are an abomination to the Lord; nor will he direct their goings, or prosper and succeed them in their way…
199 wordsSECTION 266Proverbs 16:10
Proverbs 16:10 Ver. 10. A divine sentence [is] in the lips of the king,.... Or "divination" {f}, as the word signifies; or what is like to divination, as Aben Ezra and Gersom interpret it {g}. What be says is as an oracle, and should be strictly true. Some understand it of the sagacity and penetration of kings, as was…
358 wordsSECTION 267Proverbs 16:11
Proverbs 16:11 Ver. 11. A just weight and balance [are] the Lord's,.... These are of his devising; what he has put into the heart, of men to contrive and make use of, for the benefit of mankind, for the keeping and maintaining truth and justice in commercial affairs; these are of his appointing, commanding, and approv…
166 wordsSECTION 268Proverbs 16:12
Proverbs 16:12 Ver. 12. [It is] an abomination to kings to commit wickedness,.... The Targum is, "the abomination of kings are they that work wickedness.'' It should be an abomination to kings to commit wickedness themselves, and those that do it should be abhorred by them, or they should show their resentment at it…
168 wordsSECTION 269Proverbs 16:13
Proverbs 16:13 Ver. 13. Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings,.... Such that speak truth and righteousness, and advise to the administration of justice and judgment, and to do that which is most for their own true honour and the people's good, are, or ought to be, highly valued and esteemed by kings: but the contr…
188 wordsSECTION 270Proverbs 16:14
Proverbs 16:14 Ver. 14. The wrath of a king [is as] messengers of death,.... Or, "angels of death", as the Targum. As the wrath of Ahasuerus was to Haman; when it is either discovered in the countenance of a king, or expressed by his words, or signified by a messenger; it sometimes has been immediate death to a person…
203 wordsSECTION 271Proverbs 16:15
Proverbs 16:15 Ver. 15. In the light of the king's countenance [is] life,.... When he looks with a pleasant smiling countenance on a person that has been under his displeasure, and especially if under a sentence of death, it is as life from the dead: so the light of the countenance of God, the King of kings; the disco…
343 wordsSECTION 272Proverbs 16:16
Proverbs 16:16 Ver. 16. How much better [is it] to get wisdom than gold?.... To obtain and possess Christ, the fountain of wisdom, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which treasures are infinitely preferable to thousands of gold and silver; to gain the knowledge of him, and of God in him, with …
305 wordsSECTION 273Proverbs 16:17
Proverbs 16:17 Ver. 17. The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil,.... Upright persons, such who are upright in heart, and walk uprightly; these walk in the highway of holiness, in which men, though fools, shall not err; in the King's highway, the highway of the King of kings; in the plain beaten path of God…
213 wordsSECTION 274Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 16:18 Ver. 18. Pride [goeth] before destruction,.... As it did in the angels that sinned, who, through pride, fell into condemnation, not being able to bear the thought that the human nature, in the person of the Son of God, should be advanced above theirs; and as it did in our first parents, who, not content…
257 wordsSECTION 275Proverbs 16:19
Proverbs 16:19 Ver. 19. Better [it is to be] of an humble spirit with the lowly,.... The followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, whose spirits are humbled under a sense of sin; have mean thoughts of themselves and their own righteousness, and submit to the righteousness of the Son of God, and wholly trust in him for sa…
228 wordsSECTION 276Proverbs 16:20
Proverbs 16:20 Ver. 20. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good,.... That frames and composes his discourse well on any subject he takes in hand; or manages his affairs prudently and discreetly, in which he is concerned; or that wisely attends to the affair of humility, as Aben Ezra: or rather to the word, th…
226 wordsSECTION 277Proverbs 16:21
Proverbs 16:21 Ver. 21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent,.... He that has true wisdom in the inward part; who knows his heart and the haughtiness of it; who has the fear of God in it, which is the beginning of wisdom; who is wise unto salvation, not only knows the scheme of it, but is experimentally acquainte…
3,730 wordsSECTION 278Proverbs 17:1
Proverbs 17:1 Ver. 1. Better [is] a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,.... A small quantity of bread; a broken piece of bread, as the word {w} signifies; which has been long broken off, and become "dry" {x}; a dry crust of bread; old bread, as the Arabic version; an old, mouldy, dry piece of bread: and the word used…
297 wordsSECTION 279Proverbs 17:2
Proverbs 17:2 Ver. 2. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame,.... That does wicked and shameful actions: that is slothful, and will not attend to instruction or business; that is prodigal, wasteful, and luxurious, and causes shame to his parents, who blush at his conduct. Now a servant that behav…
369 wordsSECTION 280Proverbs 17:3
Proverbs 17:3 Ver. 3. The fining pot [is] for silver, and the furnace for gold,.... Refiners of silver have their fining pots, in which they purify the silver from the dross; and goldsmiths have their crucibles to melt and purify their gold, by which assays of the worth and value of it may be made; but the Lord triet…
195 wordsSECTION 281Proverbs 17:4
Proverbs 17:4 Ver. 4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips,.... A man of an ill spirit, of a mischievous disposition, that delights in doing wickedness; he carefully attends to such as speak falsehood; he listens to lies and calumnies, loves to hear ill reports of persons, and takes pleasure in spreading them to th…
230 wordsSECTION 282Proverbs 17:5
Proverbs 17:5 Ver. 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker,.... He that mocks the poor for his poverty, Upbraids him with his mean appearance, scoffs at the clothes he wears or food he eats, such an one reproaches his Creator; or, as the Targum, "provokes his Creator to anger;'' him who is his own Creator as…
289 wordsSECTION 283Proverbs 17:6
Proverbs 17:6 Ver. 6. Children's children [are] the crown of old men,.... Ancient parents. Grandfathers with the Jews are called old men, as Buxtorf {d} observes. A numerous progeny was reckoned a great blessing to a man; to have his table surrounded with children, as olive plants; to be encircled with a large family …
356 wordsSECTION 284Proverbs 17:7
Proverbs 17:7 Ver. 7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool,.... A wicked man. Eloquence, or a sublime grand way of speaking, a copiousness and fluency of expression, become not such; because hereby he may be capable of doing more mischief; or such a style is unsuitable to the subject of his discourse, which is nothing…
323 wordsSECTION 285Proverbs 17:8
Proverbs 17:8 Ver. 8. A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it,.... Or "is a stone of grace" {h}, the note of similitude being wanting. It is an ornament of grace, adorns the person that wears it, makes him look lovely and amiable; is very grateful and desirable in itself, attracts and dazzles t…
356 wordsSECTION 286Proverbs 17:9
Proverbs 17:9 Ver. 9. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love,.... He that hides the transgression of another, or of his friend, committed against himself or against another, which he is privy to; but the matter being made up, and the offence forgiven, he forgets it, and no more speaks of it to his friend, or up…
263 wordsSECTION 287Proverbs 17:10
Proverbs 17:10 Ver. 10. A reproof entereth more into a wise man,.... A single verbal reproof, gently, kindly, and prudently given, not only enters the ear, but the heart of a wise and understanding man; it descends into him, as the word {k} signifies; it sinks deep into his mind; it penetrates into his heart, and pier…
259 wordsSECTION 288Proverbs 17:11
Proverbs 17:11 Ver. 11. An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion,.... For he seeks nothing but what is evil; and all sin is rebellion against God, a contempt of his laws, and a transgression of them; a trampling upon his legislative power and authority; an act of hostility against him, and a casting off allegiance to him.…
346 wordsSECTION 289Proverbs 17:12
Proverbs 17:12 Ver. 12. Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,.... A bear is a very fierce and furious creature, especially a she bear; and she is still more so when robbed of her whelps, which she has just whelped, and been at great pains to lick into shape and form, by which her fondness to them is increased; a…
319 wordsSECTION 290Proverbs 17:13
Proverbs 17:13 Ver. 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good,.... As the enemies of David and Christ rewarded them, Ps 35:12; this is base ingratitude, contrary to the law and light of nature; worse than beastly, is really devilish; evil shall not depart from his house; from him and his family; they shall be continually vis…
102 wordsSECTION 291Proverbs 17:14
Proverbs 17:14 Ver. 14. The beginning of strife [is as] when one letteth out water,.... As when a man makes a little hole in the bank of a river, or cuts a small passage in it, to let the water into an adjoining field; by the force of the water, the passage is widened, and it flows in, in great abundance, to the overf…
336 wordsSECTION 292Proverbs 17:15
Proverbs 17:15 Ver. 15. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,.... That absolves and clears the guilty, and pronounces him righteous in open court, where he stands arraigned, accused, and the fact proved; and that adjudges an innocent man to condemnation; or passes the sentence of it upon him,…
269 wordsSECTION 293Proverbs 17:16
Proverbs 17:16 Ver. 16. Wherefore [is there] a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom,.... Natural wisdom and knowledge. By this "price" may be meant money, riches, worldly substance, of which a foolish man is possessed; by means of which he might purchase useful books for the improvement of his mind, and procure h…
248 wordsSECTION 294Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 17:17 Ver. 17. A friend loveth at all times,.... A true, hearty, faithful friend, loves in times of adversity as well as in times of prosperity: there are many that are friends to persons, while they are in affluent circumstances; but when there is a change in their condition, and they are stripped of all ric…
818 wordsSECTION 295Proverbs 17:18
Proverbs 17:18 Ver. 18. A man void of understanding striketh hands,.... With his friend's creditor, and becomes surety for him; and thereby acts a very unwise part, and shows himself to want understanding, by taking such a step, which may prove the ruin of himself and family: for though a man may and should love his f…
217 wordsSECTION 296Proverbs 17:19
Proverbs 17:19 Ver. 19. He loveth transgression that loveth strife,.... For strife is transgression, when it flows from a malignant spirit, is with bad views, about things to no profit, and for contention's sake; otherwise to contend earnestly for the truth; to strive together for the faith of the Gospel, for matters …
2,094 wordsSECTION 297Proverbs 18:1
Proverbs 18:1 Ver. 1. Through desire a man having separated himself, seeketh,.... Or, "a separated man seeketh desire" {g}; his own desire, will, and pleasure. This is either to be understood in a good sense, of one that has a real and hearty desire after sound wisdom and knowledge, and seeks in the use of all proper …
514 wordsSECTION 298Proverbs 18:2
Proverbs 18:2 Ver. 2. A fool hath no delight in understanding,.... In natural understanding, and in the improvement of his mind in it; he delights not in books, nor in the conversation of men of learning and sense: or in spiritual understanding, in the understanding of spiritual things; these are foolishness to a natu…
215 wordsSECTION 299Proverbs 18:3
Proverbs 18:3 Ver. 3. When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt,.... When he comes into the world, as Aben Ezra; as soon as he is born, he is liable to contempt, being born in sin; but this is true of all: rather, as the Vulgate Latin, and with which the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions agree, when he…
275 wordsSECTION 300Proverbs 18:4
Proverbs 18:4 Ver. 4. The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters,.... The words of a great and mighty man; of an excellent and valuable man, as Jarchi; or of a wise man, as Aben Ezra. The doctrines which such a man has imbibed, and his heart is full of and his mouth utters, are like to "waters", pure, purifying, …
170 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.