Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10:1

III. PROVERBS OF SOLOMON ON PRACTICAL MORALITY (10:122:16)Up to this point in the book of Proverbs, there has been a definite continuity of thought and a connection between the verses. Subjects have been dealt with in paragraph form. From 10:1-22:16 we have a series of 375 proverbs, each distinct in itself. Most of them present contrasting statements, separated by the word “but.” It may be no coincidence that the numerical value of the letters of Solomon’s name in Hebrew Isaiah 375, corresponding to the number of proverbs in this section entitled “The proverbs of Solomon.“A. Righteous and Wicked Lifestyles Contrasted (10:115:33)10:1 The behavior of a . . . son has a direct effect on the emotional health of his parents. Every son may turn out to be a Paul (a wise son) or a Judas (a foolish son), with all that means by way of joy or grief. 10:2 Wealth obtained illegally doesn’t last; it has a way of disappearing. And in the hour of death, it cannot win a moment’s reprieve. Righteousness, on the other hand, delivers from death in at least two ways. It preserves a man from the perils of a sinful life, and, as the outward evidence of the new birth, it shows that he has eternal life. 10:3 It is a general rule that God will not allow the righteous soul to famish. David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psa_37:25). But it is equally true that the Lord “thwarts the craving of the wicked” (RSV). Just as they reach out to grasp satisfaction and fulfillment, it eludes them. 10:4 The lazy, careless person reaps poverty. The one who is diligent and aggressive succeeds. 10:5 Summertime is reaping time. It is senseless to go to all the labor of plowing, planting, and cultivating, only to sleep when the time comes to harvest the crop. Jesus says to all His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (Joh_4:35). 10:6 The law of harvest is that we reap what we sow. If we sow an upright life, we will receive the blessings of God and the praise of our fellow men. If we sow the wild oats of sin, our mouth will be covered with violence. This is what happened to Haman: his mouth was covered and he was led out to a violent death (Est_7:8-10). 10:7 A holy life lingers long after the person is gone. The name of the wicked evokes a stench, not a fragrance. Men still call their sons Paulbut not Judas! 10:8 A wise-hearted person will receive commands in the sense that he is willing to listen to sound advice. The loudmouthed fool, because of his unwillingness to learn and obey, is hurled down to his ruin. 10:9 There is safety and security in an upright life, but the life that is built on deception will be found out and exposed. 10:10 The contrast in this verse is clearer if we follow the RSV: “He who winks with the eye causes trouble, but he who boldly reproves makes peace.” The winking eye indicates subterfuge and cunning. When this form of deceit is frankly rebuked, peace is exchanged for sorrow. 10:11 The mouth of a righteous person is a well of life flowing with words of edification, comfort, and counsel. The mouth of the wicked is silenced by his violence and malice. 10:12 A hateful spirit isn’t satisfied to forgive and forget; it insists on raking up old grudges and quarrels. A heart of love draws a curtain of secrecy over the faults and failures of others. These faults and failures must, of course, be confessed and forsaken, but love does not gossip about them or keep the pot boiling. 10:13 The conversation of an intelligent man is helpful to others. A fool helps no one, but only succeeds in bringing punishment on himself. 10:14 Wise people value knowledge and store it up for the appropriate moment. “He reserves what he has to say for the right time, place, and persons (cf. Mat_7:6),” writes Barnes. But you never know what a foolish blabbermouth will say next. He is always bringing trouble to others and to himself. 10:15 The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those who have money can make money. The poor man can’t get started; his poverty is his undoing. The rich can buy quality merchandise that lasts longer. The poor buy worn-out, second-hand things that keep them poor with repair bills. This is the way things are in life, but not the way they should be. 10:16 Wealth obtained by reputable employment is a blessing. Profit from dishonorable work leads to sin. Compare a Christian carpenter and a non-Christian bartender. The income of the carpenter represents positive, productive work and is used for beneficial purposes. The work of the barkeeper is destructive. The more he works, the more he sins. The more he sins, the more he makes. 10:17 The one who makes it a practice to listen to godly instruction stays on the road of life. The one who turns his back on good advice goes astray himself and leads others astray. 10:18 This proverb contrasts the man who hides his hatred by insincere words and the man who openly reveals it by slandering his neighbor. The first is a hypocrite, the second is a fool, and there is not much to choose between them. A third alternative, and one that believers should learn to practice, is not to harbor any hatred at all. 10:19 The more we talk, the greater is the probability of saying something wrong. Compulsive talkers should beware! The lust for incessant conversation often leads to exaggeration, breaking of confidences, and associated sins. Trying to top someone else’s joke often mushrooms into off-color stories. The man who exercises self-control in his speech is wise. He saves himself from embarrassment, apologies, and outright sin. 10:20 What a good man says is a reflection of what he is. Because his character is sterling, so is his speech. Since the heart (or mind) of the wicked man is not worthwhile, neither is the conversation that flows from it. 10:21 Someone has aptly paraphrased this proverb, “Good feeds itself and others. Evil cannot keep itself alive.” Fools here are stubborn, intractable people. 10:22 It is only the blessing of the LORD that truly enriches a life. But is it true that He adds no sorrow with it? How does this reconcile with the fact that the most godly people pass through times of deep sorrow? There are several possible explanations for this second part of the proverb:

1. God doesn’t send sorrow. All sorrow, sickness, and suffering come from Satan. God often permits them in the lives of His children but He is not the source.
2. Sorrow is not an ingredient of God’s blessing as it is of prosperity apart from God.
3. Another possible translation is “and toil adds nothing to it” (margin of RV and RSV). Here the thought is that toil, apart from God, adds nothing to the blessing. Toil is good, but unless it is God-directed, it is futile (see Psa_127:1-2). 10:23 A fool amuses himself by getting into trouble; it’s his favorite sport. A man of understanding gets his pleasure in conducting himself wisely. 10:24 The calamity which the wrongdoer fears will descend on him. The desire of the righteousthe will of God in this life and the presence of God in the nextwill be granted. In this vein, C. S. Lewis says: In the end, that Face which is the delight or the terror of the universe must be turned upon each of us either with one expression or the other, either conferring glory inexpressible or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised. 10:25 When the whirlwind of God’s judgment passes by, the wicked is nowhere to be found. But the righteous person is established on the Rock of Ages; nothing can ever move him. 10:26 Vinegar sets the teeth on edge, and smoke irritates the eyes. In the same way, a lazy messenger who dillydallies on the way proves exasperating, frustrating, and annoying to those who send him. 10:27 A devout life leads to longevity. Wicked men are cut off prematurely, e.g., gangland slayings, reprisal killings, deaths caused by drunkenness, drugs, and dissipation. 10:28 The things the righteous look forward to will be realized with gladness. Not so the wickedtheir hopes will be thoroughly disappointed. G. S. Bowes illustrates: Alexander the Great was not satisfied, even when he had completely subdued the nations. He wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, and he died at an early age in a state of debauchery. Hannibal, who filled three bushels with the gold rings taken from the knights he had slaughtered, committed suicide by swallowing poison. Few noted his passing, and he left this earth completely unmourned. Julius Caesar, “dyeing his garments in the blood of one million of his foes,” conquered 800 cities, only to be stabbed by his best friends at the scene of his greatest triumph. Napoleon, the feared conqueror, after being the scourge of Europe, spent his last years in banishment. Surely the expectation of the wicked perishes! 10:29 In His providential dealings the LORD proves to be a tower of strength for the upright, but destruction . . . to evildoers. 10:30 God guarantees a dwelling place to the righteous, but the wicked will be exiles and vagabonds. The captivity of Israel illustrates this. 10:31 A good man’s mouth is like a tree that brings forth blossoms of wisdom. Speech that is crooked and perverse will be cut out. 10:32 You can depend on a good man to say what is acceptable. The wicked man knows only how to distort the facts and to speak what is perverse.