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Proverbs 11

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Integrity and Divine Justice 1–8

1
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. ​
2
When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. ​
3
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
4
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. ​
5
The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6
The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
7
When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. ​
8
The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

The Impact of Speech on Community 9–14

9
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. ​
10
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. ​
12
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
13
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
14
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. ​

Prudence, Mercy, and Reward 15–21

15
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure. ​
16
A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
17
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. ​
18
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
19
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
20
They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. ​
21
Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

Beauty, Generosity, and Wealth 22–26

22
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. ​
23
The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. ​
25
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26
He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. ​

Seeking Good and Final Recompense 27–31

27
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
28
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. ​
29
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. ​
31
Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Proverbs 11

Verse 1

A false balance — Mo'zen is a pair of scales; 'false' is mirmah, deceit. The 'weight' is 'eben, a stone, the stones kept in the bag (Deut 25:13). The same law lies behind it: 'Just balances, just weights… shall ye have' (Lev 19:36), and cheating is 'an abomination unto the LORD thy God' (Deut 25:16).

Verse 2

When pride cometh, then cometh shame — Zadon, presumption, and qalon, disgrace, arrive by the same verb (bo', to come). 'Lowly' is tsana', to be humbled. Parallels: 'Pride goeth before destruction' (Prov 16:18); Christ's 'every one that exalteth himself shall be abased' (Luke 18:14); 'he giveth grace unto the lowly' (Prov 3:34).

Verse 4

the day of wrath — 'Ebrah is an outburst of anger. Wealth cannot buy off that day: 'Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath' (Zeph 1:18). 'Delivereth' is natsal, to snatch away, the verb of v.6; the line repeats Prov 10:2, 'righteousness delivereth from death.'

Verse 7

his expectation shall perish — Tiqvah (literally a cord, something one hangs on) and tochelet, both words for hope, perish by the same verb, abad, in both halves. Job 8:14 pictures it: 'whose trust shall be a spider's web'. Christ's rich fool hears, 'this night thy soul shall be required of thee' (Luke 12:20).

Verse 9

An hypocrite with his mouth — Chaneph is the soiled, godless man; the weapon is the peh, the mouth, and 'destroyeth' is shachath, to ruin. The just are 'delivered' (chalats, to pull out, the verb of v.8) 'through knowledge' (da'ath), the discernment that sees the snare for what it is.

Verse 11

By the blessing of the upright — Berakah is a blessing spoken and a prosperity given. The city is 'exalted' (rum) by it and 'overthrown' (haras, pulled down) by the peh, the mouth, of the wicked. Compare 'Righteousness exalteth a nation' (Prov 14:34) and the poor wise man who 'delivered the city' (Eccl 9:15).

Verse 14

Where no counsel is — Tachbulah is steering, the handling of ropes, so guidance. Where it is lacking 'the people fall'. 'Safety' is teshuah, deliverance, the word usually rendered 'salvation'. The same line is applied to war: 'by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety' (Prov 24:6).

Verse 15

surety for a stranger — 'Arab is to give a pledge; the 'stranger' is zur, an outsider. 'Smart' pairs rua', to break, with ra', evil. 'Suretiship' comes from taqa', to strike: the pledge was sealed by striking hands (Prov 6:1; 22:26, 'Be not thou one of them that strike hands').

Verse 17

doeth good to his own soul — The 'merciful man' is literally a man of chesed, covenant kindness. Gamal, 'doeth good', is to treat a person well or ill, to benefit or requite; the benefit lands on his own soul (nephesh). The cruel one (akzari) troubles his own 'flesh' (she'er). Compare 'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy' (Matt 5:7).

Verse 20

froward heart — Iqqesh is distorted, crooked; the 'upright' are tamim, whole, complete. The verse answers v.1 in its own terms: the LORD finds the false 'abomination' and the upright 'his delight' (ratson, favour). Ps 18:26 states the same contrast: 'with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.'

Verse 22

jewel of gold in a swine's snout — Nezem is a nose-ring, set in the swine's aph, nose. The 'discretion' the woman has turned from is ta'am, literally taste, hence judgment. Beauty alone is not praised: 'Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised' (Prov 31:30).

Verse 24

scattereth, and yet increaseth — Pazar is to scatter, as seed or gifts; Ps 112:9 uses it of the giver: 'He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor'. 'Increaseth' is yasaph, to add. The withholder (chasak) drifts to machsor, want. Christ gives the same rule: 'Give, and it shall be given unto you' (Luke 6:38).

Verse 26

He that withholdeth corn — Bar is grain, and 'selleth' is shabar, to deal in grain, the verb used of Joseph, who 'sold to all the people of the land' in famine (Gen 42:6). Amos 8:5–6 rebukes grain dealers who 'buy the poor for silver' and 'sell the refuse of the wheat'; here the one who sells has 'blessing… upon the head'.

Verse 28

flourish as a branch — The Hebrew aleh is a leaf, so the righteous 'flourish' (parach, to bloom) like green foliage. It matches 'his leaf also shall not wither' (Ps 1:3) and the tree whose 'leaf shall be green' (Jer 17:8). Trust in riches is warned against: 'nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God' (1 Tim 6:17).

Verse 30

a tree of life — Wisdom herself is 'a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her' (Prov 3:18), and 'a wholesome tongue' is the same (Prov 15:4). 'Winneth' is laqach, to take; the souls (nephesh) are taken as persons. Compare 'they that turn many to righteousness' (Dan 12:3) and James 5:20.

Verse 31

recompensed in the earth — Shalam is to make whole, to repay, from the root of shalem (v.1). The argument runs from the lesser to the greater, and Peter takes it up in the Greek Old Testament's wording: 'if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?' (1 Pet 4:18). The 'sinner' is chata', one who misses the mark.