Proverbs 11:1-14
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to Yahweh, but a just weight is His delight.
“The standard weights and measures were deposited in the sanctuary (Exodus 30:13; Leviticus 27:25; 1 Chronicles 23:29), but cupidity [greed, covetousness, rapacity, materialism, Mammonism]; was not to be restrained by law, and the prophets had continually to inveigh against this besetting sin (see Ezekiel 45:10; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11). Honesty and integrity are at the foundation of social duties, which the author is now teaching. ... A just weight; literally, a perfect stone, stones having been used as weights from early times...” (The Pulpit Commentary)- that measure of Scriptures.
“This may be understood of balances and weights in religious affairs; the balance of the sanctuary is the word of God, with which all doctrines are to be weighed, and, if found wanting, they are to be rejected; this is agreeable to the will of God: false balances are abominable to him; such as carnal reason, vain philosophy, and the traditions of men, used by antichrist and his followers; the harlot, described in some preceding chapters, opposed to Wisdom or Christ, who directs to the search of the Scriptures, and the use of them to try doctrines by, John 5:39; see Acts 17:11.” (John Gill))
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.
“Pride shall have a fall; self-assertion and self-confidence shall meet with mortification and disgrace in the end… The humble are already rewarded with wisdom because their disposition fits them to receive grace and God's gifts (cf. Proverbs 15:33).” (The Pulpit Commentary) “Septuagint, ‘The mouth of the humble meditateth wisdom.’ A rabbinic paraphrase of the second clause is: ‘Lowly souls become full of wisdom as the low place becomes full of water.’” (Albert Barnes)
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
“An honest man's principles are fixed [on the Word of God], therefore his way is plain.” (Matthew Henry) “Fraudulent persons (literally, those who ‘cover’ a matter up [like their own sinfulness]) pervert the truth, thereby ruining their own characters (inasmuch as in time they can hardly distinguish right from wrong), and losing the favour of Almighty God.” (Charles John Ellicott)
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. 7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.
“These… verses lay great emphasis on the advantages of righteousness (obedience to YHWH’s requirements). Righteousness delivers from death and judgment (Proverbs 11:4), it directs men in the right way (Proverbs 11:5), and it delivers them out of trouble (Proverbs 11:6). In contrast the unrighteous face the day of wrath (Proverbs 11:4), will fall by their own evildoing (Proverbs 11:5), will be taken captive by covetousness (Proverbs 11:6), and will discover that their expectations are groundless (Proverbs 11:7) They will experience the day of trouble.”(Peter Pett')
9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. 11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace. 13 A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
“Solomon now deals with contrasts between the righteous and the wicked with regard to their neighbours and fellow-citizens… It will be noted that there is throughout an emphasis on speech. The godless man destroys his neighbour with his mouth (Proverbs 11:9). When it goes well with the righteous the city [Jerusalem which is above] rejoices, whilst the decline of the wicked is greeted with shouting (Proverbs 11:10). The city is often overthrown by the mouth of the wicked (Proverbs 11:11). He who despises his neighbour (Proverbs 11:12) clearly does so with his mouth, for in the parallel the righteous holds his peace. The tale-bearer spreads his tales by mouth (Proverbs 11:13). Wise guidance and counsel is given by mouth (Proverbs 11:14). So out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Peter Pett)
"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." (James 3:8-12)
15 He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, but one who hates being surety is secure.
The nearest kin can be a surety for his fellow Israelite brother or sister. The precept can be studied in the book of Ruth. But we find here: “He that is surety for a stranger … in ‘breaking shall be broken’, ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr. Henry observes that our Lord Jesus Christ became a surety for us when we were strangers, and he smarted for it, he was bruised and wounded for our sins; but then he knew our circumstances, and what the consequence would be, and became a surety on purpose to pay the whole debt and set us free; which he was capable of doing: without being broken or becoming a bankrupt himself; for he was not broken, nor did he fail, Isaiah 42:4…. And he that hateth suretyship is sure;… such an one is safe from coming into trouble by such means.…” (John Gill)
16 A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches.
A gracious woman retains honor... “Or ‘a woman of grace’ (s) one that has the grace of God in her heart, and is of a virtuous conversation, and by both amiable and lovely to others; as she receives honour or glory from them, which she deserves, so she retains the same. The Targum is, ‘a gracious woman divides glory;’ that is, between herself and her husband; to which the Arabic version agrees, which renders it, ‘a gracious woman raises up glory to her husband.’ Jarchi interprets it of the congregation of Israel; his note is, ‘the congregation of Israel continually draws nigh to the glory of God and his law;’ and it may be applied to the true church of Christ, which seeks the glory of Christ, and retains the glory of Gospel doctrines, of Gospel ordinances, of Gospel discipline, and of Gospel conversation, when the harlot, the apostate church, has lost all honour of these things; and strong men retain riches: some render it, ‘as strong men retain riches’;…” (John Gill) Here are some traits of such a person:
17 The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. 18 The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
The works of wicked man are indeed deceptive. They appear to be good. In fact often they look just like the works of a righteous man. But for the wicked the motives are wrong. They do them for their own glory. to be seen by others... Or to sooth their bad conscience. In contrast, the righteous do their works for the glory of God- for the building of His kingdom. Their works are wrought by faith in the Son of God as their Kinsman Redeemer
19 As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. 20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but the blameless in their ways are His delight. 21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; but the posterity of the righteous will be delivered. 22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
31 If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner.
“There are two ways of understanding this verse. The word rendered ‘recompensed,’ שַׁלַַ (shalam), is a vox media, and can be taken either in a good or bad sense. So the meaning will be, ‘The righteous meets with his reward upon earth, much more the sinner,’ the ‘reward’ of the latter being, of course, punishment. But the versions lead to another interpretation, by which ‘recompensed’ is rendered ‘chastised;’ and the meaning is - if even the righteous shall be punished for their trespasses, as Moses, David, etc., how much more the wicked! The Septuagint, quoted exactly by St. Peter (1 Peter 4:18) has, ‘If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” (Pulpit Commentary)