Proverbs 25
1These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. 2It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. 4Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner. 5Take away the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness. 6Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men; 7for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen. 8Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you? 9Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another, 10lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart. 11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. 12As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear. 13As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters. 14As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively. 15By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone. 16Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it. 17Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you. 18A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. 19Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a lame foot. 20As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. 21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you. 23The north wind produces rain; so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face. 24It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a contentious woman. 25Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. 26Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. 27It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor. 28Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.
Introduction
Proverbs 25
This verse is the title of this latter collection of Solomon's proverbs, for he sought out and set in order many proverbs, that by them he might be still teaching the people knowledge, Ecc 12:9. Observe, 1. The proverbs were Solomon's, who was divinely inspired to deliver, for the use of the church, these wise and weighty sentences; we have had many, but still there are more. Yet herein Christ is greater than Solomon, for if we had all upon record that Christ said, and did, that was instructive, the world could not contain the books that would be written, Joh 21:25. 2. The publishers were Hezekiah's servants, who, it is likely, herein acted as his servants, being appointed by him to do this good service to the church, among other good offices that he did in the law and in the commandments, Ch2 31:21. Whether he employed the prophets in this work, as Isaiah, Hosea, or Micah, who lived in his time, or some that were trained up in the schools of the prophets, or some of the priests and Levites, to whom we find him giving a charge concerning divine things (Ch2 29:4), or (as the Jews think) his princes and ministers of state, who were more properly called his servants, is not certain; if the work was done by Eliakim, and Joah, and Shebna, it was no diminution to their character. They copied out these proverbs from the records of Solomon's reign, and published them as an appendix to the former edition of this book. It may be a piece of very good service to the church to publish other man's works that have lain hidden in obscurity, perhaps a great while. Some think they culled these out of the 3000 proverbs which Solomon spoke (Kg1 4:32), leaving out those that were physical, and that pertained to natural philosophy, and preserving such only as were divine and moral; and in this collection some observe that special regard was had to those observations which concern kings and their administration.
Cross-references: Eccl 12:9 · John 21:25 · 2Chr 31:21 · 2Chr 29:4 · 1Kgs 4:32