TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Proverbs 2:10–22. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The scope of these verses is to show, 1. What great advantage true wisdom will be of to us; it will keep us from the paths of sin, which lead to ruin, and will therein do us a greater kindness than if it enriched us with all the wealth of the world. 2. What good use we should make of the wisdom God gives us; we must use it for our own guidance in the paths of virtue, and for the arming of us against temptations of every kind. 3. By what rules we may try ourselves whether we have this wisdom or no. This tree will be known by its fruits; if we be truly wise, it will appear by our care to avoid all evil company and evil practices.
This wisdom will be of use to us,
I.For our preservation from evil, from the evil of sin, and, consequently, from the evil of trouble that attends it.
1.In general (Pro 2:10, Pro 2:11), "When wisdom has entire possession of thee, it will keep thee." And when has it an entire possession of us?
(1.)When it has dominion over us. When it not only fills the head with notions, but enters into the heart and has a commanding power and influence upon that, - when it is upon the throne there, and gives law to the affections and passions, - when it enters into the heart as the leaven into the dough, to diffuse its relish there, and to change it into its own image - then it is likely to do us good.
(2.)When we have delight in it, when knowledge becomes pleasant to the soul: "When thou beginnest to relish it as the most agreeable entertainment, and art subject to its rules, of choice, and with satisfaction, - when thou callest the practice of virtue, not a slavery and a task, but liberty and pleasure, and a life of serious godliness the most comfortable life a man can live in this world, - then thou wilt find the benefit of it." Though its restraints should be in some respects unpleasant to the body, yet even those must be pleasant to the soul. When it has come to this, with us, discretion shall preserve us and keep us. God keeps the way of his saints (Pro 2:8), by giving them discretion to keep out of harm's way, to keep themselves that the wicked one touch them not. Note, A principle of grace reigning in the heart will be a powerful preservative both against corruptions within and temptations without, Ecc 9:16, Ecc 9:18.
2.More particularly, wisdom will preserve us,
(1.)From men of corrupt principles, atheistical profane men, who make it their business to debauch young men's judgments, and instil into their minds prejudices against religion and arguments for vice: "It will deliver thee from the way of the evil man (Pro 2:12), and a blessed deliverance it will be, as from the very jaws of death, from the way in which he walks, and in which he would persuade thee to walk." The enemy is spoken of as one (Pro 2:12), an evil man, but afterwards as many (Pro 2:13); there is a club, a gang of them, that are in confederacy against religion, and join hand in hand for the support of the devil's kingdom and the interests of it.
[1.]They have a spirit of contradiction to that which is good: They speak froward things; they say all they can against religion, both to show their own enmity to it and to dissuade others from it. They are advocates for Satan; they plead for Baal, and pervert the right ways of the Lord. How peevishly will profane wits argue for sin, and with what frowardness will they carp at the word of God! Wisdom will keep us either from conversing with such men or at least from being ensnared by them.
[2.]They are themselves apostates from that which is good, and such are commonly the most malicious and dangerous enemies religion has, witness Julian (Pro 2:13): They leave the paths of uprightness, which they were trained up in and had set out in, shake off the influences of their education, and break off the thread of their hopeful beginnings, to walk in the ways of darkness, in those wicked ways which hate the light, in which men are led blindfold by ignorance and error, and which lead men into utter darkness. The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable and unsafe; what fools are those that leave the plain, pleasant, lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in those ways! Psa 82:5; Jo1 2:11.
[3.]They take a pleasure in sin, both in committing it themselves and in seeing others commit it (Pro 2:14): They rejoice in an opportunity to do evil, and in the accomplishment and success of any wicked project. It is sport to fools to do mischief; nor is any sight more grateful to them than to see the frowardness of the wicked, to see those that are hopeful drawn into the ways of sin, and then to see them hardened and confirmed in those ways. They are pleased if they can discern that the devil's kingdom gets ground (see Rom 1:32), such a height of impiety have they arrived at.
[4.]They are resolute in sin (Pro 2:15): Their ways are crooked, a great many windings and turnings to escape the pursuit of their convictions and break the force of them; some sly excuse, some subtle evasion or other, their deceitful hearts furnish them with, for the strengthening of their hands in their wickedness; and in the crooked mazes of that labyrinth they secure themselves from the arrests of God's word and their own consciences; for they are froward in their paths, that is, they are resolved to go on in them, whatever is said against it. Every wise man will shun the company of such as these.
(2.)From women of corrupt practices. The former lead to spiritual wickednesses, the lusts of the unsanctified mind; these lead to fleshly lusts, which defile the body, that living temple, but withal war against the soul. The adulteress is here called the strange woman, because no man that has any wisdom or goodness in him will have any acquaintance with her; she is to be shunned by every Israelite as if she were a heathen, and a stranger to that sacred commonwealth. A strange woman indeed! utterly estranged from all principles of reason, virtue, and honour. It is a great mercy to be delivered from the allurements of the adulteress, considering,
[1.]How false she is. Who will have any dealings with those that are made up of treachery? She is a strange woman; for, First, She is false to him whom she entices. She speaks fair, tells him how much she admires him above any man, and what a kindness she has for him; but she flatters with her words; she has no true affection for him, nor any desire of his welfare, any more than Delilah had of Samson's. All she designs is to pick his pocket and gratify a base lust of her own. Secondly, She is false to her husband, and violates the sacred obligation she lies under to him. He was the guide of her youth; by marrying him she chose him to be so, and submitted herself to his guidance, with a promise to attend him only, and forsake all others. But she has forsaken him, and therefore it cannot be thought that she should be faithful to any one else; and whoever entertains her is partaker with her in her falsehood. Thirdly, She is false to God himself: She forgets the covenant of her God, the marriage-covenant (Pro 2:17), to which God is not only a witness, but a party, for, he having instituted the ordinance, both sides vow to him to be true to each other. It is not her husband only that she sins against, but her God, who will judge whoremongers and adulterers because they despise the oath and break the covenant, Eze 17:18; Mal 2:14.
[2.]How fatal it will prove to those that fall in league with her, Pro 2:18, Pro 2:19. Let the sufferings of others be our warnings. Take heed of the sin of whoredom; for, First, The ruin of those who are guilty of it is certain and unavoidable, if they do not repent. It is a sin that has a direct tendency to the killing of the soul, the extinguishing of all good affections and dispositions in it, and the exposing of it to the wrath and curse of God and the sword of his justice. Those that live in forbidden pleasures are dead while they live. Let discretion preserve every man, not only from the evil woman, but from the evil house, for the house inclines to death; it is in the road that leads directly to eternal death; and her paths unto Rephaim, to the giants (so some read it), the sinners of the old world, who, living in luxury and excess of riot, were cut down out of time, and their foundation was overthrown with a flood. Our Lord Jesus deters us from sinful pleasures with the consideration of everlasting torments which follow them. Where the worm dies not, nor is the fire quenched. See Mat 5:28, Mat 5:29. Secondly, Their repentance and recovery are extremely hazardous: None, or next to none, that go unto her, return again. It is very rare that any who are caught in this snare of the devil recover themselves, so much is the heart hardened, and the mind blinded, by the deceitfulness of this sin. Having once lost their hold of the paths of life, they know not how to take hold of them again, but are perfectly besotted and bewitched with those base lusts. Many learned interpreters think that this caution against the strange woman, besides the literal sense, is to be understood figuratively, as a caution, 1. Against idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom. Wisdom will keep thee from all familiarity with the worshippers of images, and all inclination to join with them, which had for many ages been of such pernicious consequence to Israel and proved so to Solomon himself. 2. Against the debauching of the intellectual powers and faculties of the soul by the lusts and appetites of the body. Wisdom will keep thee from being captivated by the carnal mind, and from subjecting the spirit to the dominion of the flesh, that notorious adulteress which forsakes its guide, violates the covenant of our God, which inclines to death, and which, when it has got an undisturbed dominion, makes the case of the soul desperate.
II.This wisdom will be of use to guide and direct us in that which is good (Pro 2:20):
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men. We must avoid the way of the evil man, and the strange woman, in order that we may walk in good ways; we must cease to do evil, in order that we may learn to do well. Note,
1.There is a way which is peculiarly the way of good men, the way in which good men, as such, and as far as they have really been such, have always walked.
2.It will be our wisdom to walk in that way, to ask for the good old way and walk therein, Jer 6:16; Heb 6:12; Heb 12:1. And we must not only walk in that way awhile, but we must keep it, keep in it, and never turn aside out of it: The paths of the righteous are the paths of life, which all that are wise, having taken hold of, will keep their hold of. "That thou mayest imitate those excellent persons, the patriarchs and prophets (so bishop Patrick paraphrases it), and be preserved in the paths of those righteous men who followed after them." We must not only choose our way in general by the good examples of the saints, but must also take directions from them in the choice of our particular paths; observe the track, and go forth by the footsteps of the flock. Two reasons are here given why we should thus choose: - (1.) Because men's integrity will be their establishment, Pro 2:21. It will be the establishment, [1.] Of their persons: The upright shall dwell in the land, peaceably and quietly, as long as they live; and their uprightness will contribute to it, as it settles their minds, guides their counsels, gains them the good-will of their neighbours, and entitles them to God's special favour. [2.] Of their families: The perfect, in their posterity, shall remain in it. They shall dwell and remain for ever in the heavenly Canaan, of which the earthly one was but a type. (2.) Because men's iniquity will be their destruction, Pro 2:22. See what becomes of the wicked, who choose the way of the evil man; they shall be cut off, not only from heaven hereafter and all hopes of that, but from the earth now, on which they set their affections, and in which they lay up their treasure. They think to take root in it, but they and their families shall be rooted out of it, in judgment to them, but in mercy to the earth. There is a day coming which shall leave them neither root nor branch, Mal 4:1. Let that wisdom then enter into our hearts, and be pleasant to our souls, which will keep us out of a way that will end thus.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“Seeing the city, [Jesus] wept over it, saying, ‘If only at least you had known.’ ” He did this once when he proclaimed that [Jerusalem] would perish. Our Redeemer has not stopped doing this daily through his elect when he observes that certain persons have adopted corrupt habits after having lived good lives. He mourns for those who do not know why they are mourned for, who, in Solomon’s words, “rejoice in doing evil, and delight in what is worse.” If they recognized their impending condemnation, they would mourn for themselves!
Who rejoice when they have done evil, etc. Therefore, they who do evil rejoice because they walk in dark ways and do not know where they are going. For if they saw that they were heading toward punishments, they would certainly restrain their step and correct their harmful joy with wholesome weeping.
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Summary
Proverbs 2:14 vividly portrays individuals who have completely inverted their moral compass, finding profound satisfaction and delight not merely in committing evil, but in the very perversity and crookedness of wicked actions. This verse depicts a deeply entrenched spiritual condition where sin is not a struggle to be overcome, but a source of genuine joy and affirmation, highlighting a dangerous departure from the path of wisdom and righteousness.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed within the second chapter of Proverbs, a foundational section dedicated to extolling the virtues of wisdom and issuing stern warnings against the seductive perils of folly. The chapter commences with an earnest, paternal call to diligently seek wisdom as a hidden treasure, promising divine protection and discernment for those who embrace her teachings, as outlined in passages like Proverbs 2:1-9. Immediately preceding our verse, the text introduces the stark contrast between the righteous and the wicked, specifically warning against "the way of the evil man" and "the man who speaks perverse things," those who "leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness" (Proverbs 2:12-13). Proverbs 2:14 then functions as a chilling elaboration on the internal disposition and character of these wicked individuals, revealing the depth of their moral corruption. The subsequent verses continue to describe the destructive dangers associated with such people, particularly the "strange woman" or adulteress, thereby emphasizing the severe consequences of straying from wisdom's life-giving path (Proverbs 2:15-19). Thus, Proverbs 2:14 serves as a critical and vivid descriptor of the moral state of those whom the reader is emphatically exhorted to avoid.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Proverbs is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition, a genre prevalent across cultures like Egypt and Mesopotamia. In Israel, however, this wisdom was uniquely grounded in the "fear of the Lord" and the covenant relationship between God and His people. Education, primarily imparted from father to son within the family unit, focused intensely on practical righteousness and moral instruction, aiming to cultivate individuals who could live flourishing lives in harmony with God's law and within the community. The "ways" or "paths" mentioned throughout Proverbs are not mere metaphors; they refer to one's entire conduct, moral trajectory, and life choices. The warnings against "evil men" and "strange women" were not abstract philosophical concepts but reflected very real societal threats to moral order, familial integrity, and communal well-being. A society's stability and prosperity were believed to depend heavily on individuals adhering to established moral norms and divine statutes. Therefore, those who "rejoice to do evil" represented a profound subversion of these foundational principles, posing a direct and existential threat to the integrity of the family and the broader Israelite community, undermining the very fabric of their divinely ordained social structure.
Key Themes
A central theme powerfully highlighted in Proverbs 2:14 is the perversion of joy. Instead of finding joy and satisfaction in God's law, righteous living, or the pursuit of truth, these individuals find perverse pleasure in wickedness. This signifies a deep moral inversion, where the natural human aversion to evil is replaced by an active embrace and even celebration of it. This ties directly into the broader theme of moral depravity, illustrating a state where one's conscience is seared, and the fundamental distinction between right and wrong is not merely blurred but actively reversed. The verse also serves to underscore the stark contrast between wisdom and folly, which is the overarching thematic framework of Proverbs Chapter 2. Wisdom leads to discernment, divine protection, and abundant life, while the path described in Proverbs 2:14 leads inexorably to self-destruction, spiritual darkness, and ultimately, death. This contrast emphasizes the critical, life-altering choice presented to the reader: to pursue the straight, upright paths of righteousness or to delight in the crooked, perverse ways of the wicked.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies a state of being "blithe or gleeful; (be) glad, joyful, (making) merry((-hearted), -ily), rejoice(-ing)." It denotes a deep, internal state of gladness and merriment, suggesting more than a fleeting emotion; it is a settled disposition. The chilling implication is that the act of doing evil brings genuine, heartfelt pleasure to these individuals. This reveals a profound moral corruption where the natural human response to wrongdoing (remorse, guilt) is replaced by an active sense of satisfaction and even exuberance.
This term, meaning "bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil," encompasses both natural calamities and, more significantly in this context, moral wickedness. It refers to that which is morally corrupt, harmful, and fundamentally contrary to God's character and His righteous law. The fact that the wicked "rejoice to do" this raʻ underscores their active participation in, and pleasure derived from, morally depraved acts, highlighting their intentional embrace of sin.
Meaning "a perversity or fraud; (very) froward(-ness, thing), perverse thing," this term describes that which is twisted, crooked, or morally inverted. It refers to actions, thoughts, or dispositions that are contrary to what is right, just, and straightforward. To "delight in the frowardness of the wicked" means to find pleasure in the moral crookedness, deception, and perversion that characterizes ungodly individuals, indicating a complete and active embrace of moral anarchy and a rejection of divine order.
Verse Breakdown
"Who rejoice to do evil"
This initial clause profoundly describes a disturbing characteristic of the wicked: they find genuine, internal joy and gladness in actively committing morally wrong and harmful deeds. Their actions are not born of weakness, compulsion, or ignorance, but from a heart that celebrates wickedness. This signifies a complete and willful inversion of the moral order, where what should cause grief, shame, or repentance instead brings perverse pleasure and satisfaction.
"and delight in the frowardness of the wicked"
This second clause deepens and intensifies the description, indicating that their perverted joy extends beyond their own actions to the moral crookedness, deception, and perversity of others who share their disposition. They find satisfaction, affirmation, and even celebration in the twisted, deceptive, and morally inverted ways of fellow evildoers. This suggests a communal aspect to their depravity, where wickedness is not only tolerated but affirmed, reinforced, and even celebrated within their circle, further cementing their destructive path.
Literary Devices
Proverbs 2:14 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unsettling message. The most prominent is Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and delight in the frowardness of the wicked") does not merely repeat but reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first clause ("Who rejoice to do evil"). Both phrases convey the core idea of finding pleasure in moral corruption, with "delight" amplifying the sense of "rejoice" and "frowardness of the wicked" specifying the perverse nature of the "evil." This emphatic repetition underscores the depth and settled nature of the moral depravity being described. The verse also utilizes a form of Hyperbole to underscore the extreme nature of this spiritual condition; it's not merely a passive tolerance for evil, but an active, exuberant, and shocking embrace, which serves to highlight the severity of this moral inversion. Furthermore, there is a powerful implied Contrast with the path of wisdom, which is the overarching theme of Proverbs Chapter 2. While wisdom leads to uprightness, discernment, and true joy in righteousness, the wicked find their joy in its antithesis, illustrating the fundamental divergence of these two paths.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Proverbs 2:14 unveils a terrifying theological reality: the human capacity for radical moral depravity, where the heart becomes so hardened and perverted that it finds joy in what is inherently destructive, deceitful, and contrary to God's holy character. This is not merely a lapse in judgment or a moment of weakness, but a settled disposition of the soul, a profound spiritual blindness that actively celebrates darkness rather than seeking light. It speaks to the ultimate consequence of persistently rejecting divine wisdom and embracing folly, leading to a state where one's moral compass is utterly inverted, calling evil good and good evil. This condition is a stark warning against the insidious and progressive nature of sin, which, if left unchecked and unrepented of, can transform the very source of sorrow, guilt, and destruction into a fount of perverse pleasure and affirmation.
Reflection and Application
This verse serves as a profound warning and a piercing call to vigilant self-examination for every individual. It compels us to honestly assess the deepest inclinations of our own hearts: Do we ever find a secret thrill, a perverse satisfaction, or even subtle amusement in gossip, in the misfortunes or downfall of others, or in actions that we know are contrary to God's revealed will? Do we, perhaps subtly, delight in the "frowardness" of those who mock righteousness, champion what is morally twisted, or celebrate cultural trends that defy God's standards? The profound danger highlighted here is not just in committing evil, but in the internal disposition that finds pleasure and affirmation in it. This verse challenges us to cultivate a heart that truly grieves over sin—both our own and that of the world—and finds its true, unadulterated joy exclusively in righteousness, truth, and the holy ways of God. It also provides a crucial lens for discerning character: those who consistently celebrate, find humor in, or actively promote what is morally corrupt are on a dangerous path and should be approached with extreme caution, if not avoided, as their influence can be profoundly detrimental to one's own spiritual and moral well-being.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "frowardness" specifically mean in this context?
In Proverbs 2:14, "frowardness" translates the Hebrew word tahpukâh (H8419), which literally conveys the idea of "perversity," "subversion," "crookedness," or "a perverse thing." It describes actions, attitudes, or moral principles that are twisted, distorted, or fundamentally contrary to what is right, just, and straightforward according to God's design. It's not merely a mistake, a stumble, or an unintentional error, but a deliberate turning away from the straight path, an embrace of what is morally inverted and deceptive. To "delight in the frowardness" means to find genuine pleasure and satisfaction in this moral crookedness, deviation from truth, and active subversion of righteousness.
Is it possible for a true believer to "rejoice to do evil"?
While a true believer, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, possesses a regenerated heart that genuinely desires righteousness (Romans 7:22) and grieves over sin, the Bible also warns about the persistent struggle with the flesh and the deceitfulness of the human heart, even for the redeemed (Jeremiah 17:9). A genuine believer, by definition of their new creation in Christ, would not find inherent joy in committing evil or delight in the frowardness of the wicked as a settled, defining disposition of their soul, for that would contradict the very nature of their spiritual rebirth. However, believers can be tempted, can fall into sin, and can even become desensitized to certain sins if they are not vigilant, continually walking in the Spirit, and seeking God's wisdom and repentance (Hebrews 3:12-13). This verse serves as a stark and sobering warning to all, urging constant self-examination, dependence on God's grace, and a fervent pursuit of a heart that delights in righteousness alone.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Proverbs 2:14, with its chilling portrayal of those who rejoice in evil and delight in perversity, finds its ultimate contrast and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the very embodiment of divine wisdom and the perfect antithesis of all wickedness. While the wicked find their joy and affirmation in darkness, Jesus is the Light of the world, who came to expose the deeds of darkness and to call humanity into His marvelous and transforming light (John 3:19-21). He did not come to delight in evil or to participate in perversity; rather, He came specifically to destroy the works of the devil and to offer a path of redemption out of the very depravity so vividly described in Proverbs. Christ's life was one of perfect, unblemished righteousness, and His ultimate act of sacrificial love on the cross was to bear the full weight of human evil and its consequences, so that all who believe in Him might be freed from the dominion of sin and no longer find joy or delight in its perversions. Through the indwelling power of His Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to hate what is evil and cling passionately to what is good, transforming their deepest desires from delighting in frowardness to rejoicing in the truth and walking in the glorious newness of life that only He provides.