PRO 21

Proverbs 21:14

WEB

A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

BSB

A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.

KJV

A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

Matthew Henry

Verse 14

Proverbs 21:14

Here is, 1. The power that is commonly found to be in gifts. Nothing is more violent than anger. O the force of strong wrath! And yet a handsome present, prudently managed, will turn away some men's wrath when it seemed implacable, and disarm the keenest and most passionate resentments. Covetousness is commonly a master-sin and has the command of other lusts. Pecuniae obediunt omnia - Money commands all things. Thus Jacob pacified Esau and Abigail David. 2. The policy that is commonly used in giving and receiving bribes. It must be a gift in secret and a reward in the bosom, for he that takes it would not be thought to covet it, nor known to receive it, nor would he willingly be beholden to him whom he has been offended with; but, if it be done privately, all is well. No man should be too open in giving any gift, nor boast of the presents he sends; but, if it be a bribe to pervert justice, that is so scandalous that those who are fond of it are ashamed of it.

Hebrew interlinear

H4976

מַתָּןmattân/mat-tawn'/

n-m — present

Derivation: from 5414;

a present

KJV: gift, to give, reward.

מַתָּן

n.m — gift

מַתָּן n.m. coll. gift(s)

H5643

סֵתֶרçêther/say'-ther/

n-m — cover

Derivation: or (feminine) סִתְרָה; (Deuteronomy 32:38), from 5641;

a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)

KJV: backbiting, covering, covert, × disguise(-th), hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place).

סֵ֫תֶר

n.[m.] — covering

סֵ֫תֶר n.[m.] covering, hiding-place, secrecy

סִתְרָה

n.f — shelter

סִתְרָה n.f. shelter, protection, De 32:38

H3711

כָּפָהkâphâh/kaw-faw'/

v — bend, tame, subdue

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to bend, i.e. (figuratively) to tame or subdue

KJV: pacify.

כָּפָה

vb — subdue

[כָּפָה] vb. prob. subdue;—only Qal Pr 21:14

H639

אַףʼaph/af/

n-m — nose, nostril, face, person, ire

Derivation: from 599;

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

KJV: anger(-gry), before, countenance, face, forebearing, forehead, (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, × worthy, wrath.

אַף

n.m — nostril

אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger

1. nostril, as organ of breathing

2. Dn. face

3. mostly anger

H7810

שַׁחַדshachad/shakh'-ad/

n-m — donation

Derivation: from 7809;

a donation (venal or redemptive)

KJV: bribe(-ry), gift, present, reward.

שֹׁ֫חַד

n.m — present

שֹׁ֫חַד n.m. present, specif. bribe

H2436

חֵיקchêyq/khake/

n-m — bosom

Derivation: or חֵק; and חוֹק; from an unused root, apparently meaning to inclose;

the bosom (literally or figuratively)

KJV: bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.

חֵיק

n.[m.] — bosom

חֵיק, חֵק n.[m.] bosom

1. of fold of garment, at breast

2. carry in bosom

3. bosom as part of body

H2534

חֵמָהchêmâh/khay-maw'/

n-f — heat, anger, poison

Derivation: or (Daniel 11:44) חֵמָא; from 3179;

heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)

KJV: anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(-ful). See 2529.

חֵמָה

n.f — heat

חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) 121 n.f. heat, rage

1. heat:

a. fever

b. venom, poison

2. burning anger, rage:

a. of man

b. of the he-goat in Daniel's vision

a. of God

H5794

עַזʻaz/az/

a — strong, vehement, harsh

Derivation: from 5810;

strong, vehement, harsh

KJV: fierce, greedy, mighty, power, roughly, strong.

עַז

adj — strong

עַז adj. strong, mighty, fierce

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