Pr 20:1-30.

      1. mocker--scorner. Such men are made by wine.
      strong drink--made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11,22); and it may include wine.
      raging--or boisterous as a drunkard.
      deceived--literally, "erring," or reeling.

      2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).

      3. to cease from strife--or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.
      fool . . . meddling--(Pr 17:14).

      4. shall . . . beg--literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).

      5. Counsel . . . water--that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4 Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.

      6. Boasters are unreliable.
      goodness--or, "kind disposition."

      7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26 Ps 112:1,2).

      8. As in Pr 14:35 16:10,15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.

      9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14 Ec 7:20).

      10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1 16:11).

      11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).

      12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).

      13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth (Pr 6:9 10:11).
      lest . . . poverty--literally, "be deprived of inheritance."

      14. when . . . his way--implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.

      15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).

      16. Take his garment--implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
      a strange woman--by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in Pr 27:13, is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.

      17. Bread . . . sweet--either as unlawfully (Pr 9:17) or easily obtained.
      mouth . . . gravel--well expresses the pain and grief given at last.

      18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.

      19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
      flattereth . . . lips--(compare Margin; Pr 1:10).
      meddle . . . him--literally, "join," or "associate with."

      20. his lamp--(Compare Pr 13:9 24:20).

      21. gotten hastily--contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).

      22. (Compare Ps 27:14 Ro 12:17-19).

      23. (Compare Pr 20:10 Pr 11:1).

      24. Man's goings--literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
      a man--any common man.
      understand--or, "perceive."

      25. devoureth . . . holy--or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.

      26. (Compare Pr 20:8).
      bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Am 1:3).

      27. The spirit . . . Lord--Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5 Pr 18:8,17 1Co 2:11).

      28. (Compare Pr 3:3 16:6,12).

      29. The glory of young men . . . the beauty of old men--Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).

      30. blueness--literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.
      stripes . . . belly--So punishment provides healing of soul (Pr 18:8), by deterring from evil courses.

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