Proverbs 16:23

16:12. The ruler that uses his power aright, will find that to be his best security. 13. Put those in power who know how to speak to the purpose. 14,15. Those are fools, who, to obtain the favour of an earthly prince, throw themselves out of God's favour. 16. There is joy and satisfaction of spirit, only in getting wisdom. 17. A sincerely religious man keeps at a distance from every appearance of evil. Happy is the man that walks in Christ, and is led by the Spirit of Christ. 18. When men defy God's judgments, and think themselves far from them, it is a sign they are at the door. Let us not fear the pride of others, but fear pride in ourselves. 19. Humility, though it exposes to contempt in the world, is much better than high-spiritedness, which makes God an enemy. He that understands God's word shall find good. 21. The man whose wisdom dwells in his heart, will be found more truly prudent than many who possess shining talents. 22. As waters to a thirsty land, so is a wise man to his friends and neighbours. 23. The wise man's self-knowledge, always suggests something proper to be spoken to others. 24. The word of God cures the diseases that weaken our souls. 25. This is caution to all, to take heed of deceiving themselves as to their souls. 26. We must labour for the meat which endureth to everlasting life, or we must perish.

The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth,.... That is, a man that is wise in heart, as in Proverbs 16:21 ; his heart will teach his mouth what to say, when to say it, and before whom; it will prompt him to matter, that he shall not be at a loss what to say, nor how to say; it will furnish him with words and things; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matthew 12:34 ; and addeth learning to his lips: so that he does not deliver out mere words, but solid learning along with them, instructive to himself and others. The Targum is, "and by his lips he addeth doctrine;'' or increases knowledge.

Teacheth his mouth; directeth him what, and when, and how to speak, and keepeth him from speaking rashly and foolishly. Addeth learning to his lips, i.e. enableth him to speak learnedly and wisely. Or, increaseth learning (in himself and others) by (as this Hebrew particle oft signifies, and is by some rendered here) his lips , i.e. by his wise speeches; that this may agree with the latter clause of Proverbs 16:21 , where this same phrase is used.

Verse 23. - The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth. Out of the abundance of his heart the wise man speaks; the spirit within him finds fit utterance. Pectus est quod disertos facit. The thought and mind control the outward expression and make it eloquent and persuasive (comp. Proverbs 15:2 ). And addeth learning to his lips; Vulgate, "addeth grace." But lekach , which means properly "reception," "taking in," is best rendered "learning," as in ver. 21; Proverbs 1:5 , etc. The intellect and knowledge of the wise display themselves in their discourse. Delitzsch, "Learning mounteth up to his lips." Ecclus. 21:26, "The heart of fools is in their mouth; but the mouth of the wise is in their heart." Septuagint, "The heart of the wise will consider what proceedeth from his mouth; and on his lips he will carry prudence ( ἐπιγνωμοσύνην )." Proverbs 16:23

23 The heat of the wise maketh his mouth wise, And learning mounteth up to his lips. Regarding השׂכּיל as causative: to put into the possession of intelligence, vid., at Genesis 3:6. Wisdom in the heart produceth intelligent discourse, and, as the parallel member expresses it, learning mounteth up to the lips, i.e., the learning which the man taketh into his lips (Proverbs 22:18; cf. Psalm 16:4) to communicate it to others, for the contents of the learning, and the ability to communicate it, are measured by the wisdom of the heart of him who possesses it. One can also interpret הוסיף as extens. increasing: the heart of the wise increaseth, i.e., spreads abroad learning, but then בּשׂפתיו (Psalm 119:13) would have been more suitable; על־שׂפתיו calls up the idea of learning as hovering on the lips, and thus brings so much nearer, for הוסיף, the meaning of the exaltation of its worth and impression.

## Thy sweet words; thy pleasant discourse, wherewith thou didst adorn his table, and design both to delight and profit him, is lost, and of no effect to him, and thou wilt be ready to repent of it. ## Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool; cast not away good counsels upon obstinate and incorrigible sinners. We have the same advice given Mat_7:6. ## He will despise the wisdom of thy words; he will scornfully reject thy wise and good admonitions. Proverbs 23:10 Either to take away their goods; or rather, to possess their lands, as this phrase is used, 2Sa_5:6. ## Proverbs 23:11 Their redeemer, Heb. their near kinsman , to whom it belongs to avenge their wrongs, and to recover and maintain their rights, of which see Lev_25:25 Num_35:12. Thus God is pleased to call himself, to show how much he concerns himself for the relief of oppressed and helpless persons. ## Proverbs 23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction; content not thyself with outward hearing or reading of it, but affectionately receive it into thine heart, and lay it up there as choice treasure. Proverbs 23:13 It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption, and the destruction which commonly follows it, as the next verse explains this. Proverbs 23:14 No text from Poole on this verse. Proverbs 23:15 In the good success of my counsels, and in thy piety and happiness, which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me as my own. Proverbs 23:16 I shall rejoice not only in show and profession, but inwardly, and with all my soul.

## Proverbs 16:14 Is as messengers of death; is as terrible as if many messengers were sent to denounce the sentence of death, and to execute it. ## Will pacify it; will use all prudent and lawful means to pacify it. ## Proverbs 16:15 In the light of the king ’ s countenance is life; his favour and smiling countenance is most sweet and refreshing, especially to him that was under a sentence of death, Pro_16:14. ## His favour is as a cloud of the latter rain; as acceptable as those clouds which bring the latter rain, whereby the fruits are filled and ripened a little before the harvest; of which see Deu_11:14 Job_29:23 Jam_5:7. ## Proverbs 16:16 How much better! it is inexpressibly and unconceivably better, as this phrase implies, Psa_31:19 36:7 92:5 , &c. ## Is it to get wisdom than gold, because it brings a man more certain, and complete, and lasting comfort and advantage. ## Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright, their common road, in which they constantly purpose, and desire, and customarily use to walk, although sometimes through frailty or temptation they slip into the by-paths of sin, is to depart from evil; from the evil of sin, and consequently from the evil of punishment. ## He that keepeth his way, that takes heed to walk in that highway, preserveth his soul from that mischief which befalls those that walk in the crooked paths of wickedness.

. He who keeps his way preserves his soul. Verse 17 The highway of the upright - The upright man is ever departing from evil; this is his common road: and by keeping on in this way, his soul is preserved. PROVERBS 16: 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Verse 18 Pride goeth before destruction - Here pride is personified: it walks along, and has destruction in its train. And a haughty spirit before a fall - Another personification. A haughty spirit marches on, and ruin comes after. In this verse we find the following Masoretic note in most Hebrew Bibles. ‫חצי‬ ‫הספר‬ chatsi hassepher: "the middle of the book." This verse is the middle verse; and the first clause makes the middle of the words of the book of Proverbs. PROVERBS 16: 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud. PROVERBS 16: 20 He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in the LORD is blessed. PROVERBS 16: 21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. PROVERBS 16: 22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. Verse 22 Understanding is a well-spring of life - ‫מקור‬ ‫חיים‬ mekor chaiyim; another allusion to the artery that carries the blood from the heart to distribute it to all the extremities of the body. PROVERBS 16: 23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.