Posted on 02/17/2014 8:38:14 AM PST by OneVike
Proverb 17 (NKJV)
The LORD Tests Hearts
01 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
00 Than a house full of feasting with strife.
02 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,
00 And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
03 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
00 But the LORD tests the hearts.
04 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
00 A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
05 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
00 He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
06 Children's children are the crown of old men,
00 And the glory of children is their father.
07 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
00 Much less lying lips to a prince.
08 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
00 Wherever he turns, he prospers.
09 He who covers a transgression seeks love,
00 But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
00 Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
00 Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
00 Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good,
00 Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
00 Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
00 Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
00 Since he has no heart for it?
17 A friend loves at all times,
00 And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,
00 And becomes surety for his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
00 And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,
00 And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.
21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
00 And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A merry heart does good, like medicine,
00 But a broken spirit dries the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back
00 To pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
00 But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father,
00 And bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
00 Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.
27 He who has knowledge spares his words,
00 And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
00 When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
The purpose of Writing the book of Proverbs by Solomon is to reveal the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.
Without wisdom, knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, influenced by emotional feelings. Many highly educated people are in positions of power in the United States, but very few of those educated leaders have the wisdom needed to rule properly.
One can say that they have been educated well beyond their intelligence. A cursory look at the court system will prove my point that knowledge without wisdom will only lead to an immoral society that eventually crumbles from within. Judges are supposed to be above the fray, and immovable to emotions. Instead, the vast majority of judges today are Godless individuals who are vacant of wisdom. So their rulings are totally based upon emotional feelings.
We the people are to blame, because we ignored God';s guidance in appointing our leaders. Instead of putting leaders full wisdom in power, we instead chose those who would scratch our itchy ears to lead us.
Along with my daily routine of reading the Bible, I try to read through the book of Proverbs once a Month. It's an easy task when you consider there are 31 Proverbs. So all you need to know is what day of the Month it is to know which Proverb to read. In the Months that have less than 31 days, I just double so I can begin the next month with Proverb 1 on the first again.
"I used to read five psalms every day -
that teaches me how to get along with
God. Then I read a chapter of Proverbs
every day and that teaches me how to
get along with my fellow man."
Billy Graham
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
*******************
We’re seeing this play out in DC, daily.
Great advice from Rev Graham.
“Little by little” and “verse by verse, “ precept upon precept" ... it is a process.”
Would you like to be added to the ping list. I try to get the proverb posted in the a.m. California time.
Proverbs, chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
1Better a dry crust with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.*
2A wise servant will rule over an unworthy son,
and will share the inheritance of the children.*
3The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold,
but the tester of hearts is the LORD.
4The evildoer gives heed to wicked lips,
the liar, to a mischievous tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor reviles their Maker;
whoever rejoices in their misfortune will not go unpunished.a
6Children’s children are the crown of the elderly,
and the glory of children is their parentage.
7Fine words ill fit a fool;
how much more lying lips, a noble!
8A bribe seems a charm to its user;
at every turn it brings success.*
9Whoever overlooks an offense fosters friendship,
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.*
10A single reprimand does more for a discerning person
than a hundred lashes for a fool.*
11The wicked pursue only rebellion,
and a merciless messenger is sent against them.*
12Face a bear robbed of her cubs,
but never fools in their folly!*
13If you return evil for good,
evil will not depart from your house.* b
14The start of strife is like the opening of a dam;
check a quarrel before it bursts forth!
15Whoever acquits the wicked,c whoever condemns the just—
both are an abomination to the LORD.
16Of what use is money in the hands of fools
when they have no heart to acquire wisdom?*
17A friend is a friend at all times,
and a brother is born for the time of adversity.d
18Those without sense give their hands in pledge,
becoming surety for their neighbors.e
19Those who love an offense love a fight;f
those who build their gate high* court disaster.
20The perverse in heart come to no good,
and the double-tongued fall into trouble.*
21Whoever conceives a fool has grief;
the father of a numskull has no joy.
22A joyful heart is the health of the body,
but a depressed spirit dries up the bones.g
23A guilty person takes out a bribe from the pocket,
thus perverting the course of justice.*
24On the countenance of a discerning person is wisdom,h
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.*
25A foolish son is vexation to his father,
and bitter sorrow to her who bore him.i
26It is wrong to fine an innocent person,
but beyond reason to scourge nobles.
27Those who spare their words are truly knowledgeable,
and those who are discreet are intelligent.j
28Even fools, keeping silent, are considered wise;
if they keep their lips closed, intelligent.*
* [17:1] A “better than” saying, stating the circumstances when a dry crust is better than a banquet. Peace and fellowship give joy to a meal, not the richness of the food. For a similar thought, see 15:16 and 16:8.
* [17:2] Ability is esteemed more highly than ties of blood.
* [17:8] An observation on the effect of the bribe upon the bribe-giver: it gives an intoxicating feeling of power (“seems”). In v. 23 the evil effects of a bribe are noted.
* [17:9] A paradox. One finds (love, friend) by concealing (an offense), one loses (a friend) by revealing (a secret). In 10:12 love also covers over a multitude of offenses.
* [17:10] A wonderful comment on the openness and sensitivity of the wise and the foolish. One type learns from a single word and for the other one hundred blows are not enough.
* [17:11] The irony is that such people will meet up with what they so energetically pursue—in the form of an unrelenting emissary sent to them.
* [17:12] Humorous hyperbole. An outraged dangerous beast poses less danger than a fool.
* [17:13] The paradox is that to pay out evil for good means that the evil will never leave one’s own house.
* [17:16] The exhortation to acquire or purchase wisdom is common in Proverbs. Fools misunderstand the metaphor, assuming they can buy it with money. Their very misunderstanding shows they have no “heart” = mind, understanding. Money in the hand is no good without such a “heart” to store it in.
* [17:19] Build their gate high: a symbol of arrogance.
* [17:20] The saying employs the familiar metaphors of walking = conducting oneself (“fall into trouble”), and of straight and crooked = right and wrong (“perverse,” “double-tongued”).
* [17:23] A sharp look at the sly withdrawing of a bribe from the pocket and a blunt judgment on its significance.
* [17:24] Wisdom is visible on the countenance (i.e., mouth, lips, tongue) of the wise person; its ultimate source is the heart. Fools have no such source of wisdom within them, a point that is nicely made by referring to the eye of the fool, roving over the landscape.
* [17:28] Related to v. 27. Words provide a glimpse into the heart. In the unlikely event that fools, who usually pour out words (15:2), were to say nothing, people would not be able to see their folly and would presume them intelligent. Alas, the saying is contrary to fact.
b. [17:13] Mt 5:39; Rom 12:17; 1 Thes 5:15; 1 Pt 3:9.
**6Children’s children are the crown of the elderly,
and the glory of children is their parentage.**
My husband used to joke: “Grandchildren are your reward for not drowning your teenagers.”
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