Proverbs 17:13

17:8. Those who set their hearts upon money, will do any thing for it. What influence should the gifts of God have on our hearts! 9. The way to preserve peace is to make the best of every thing; not to notice what has been said or done against ourselves. 10. A gentle reproof will enter, not only into the head, but into the heart of a wise man. 11. Satan, and the messengers of Satan, shall be let loose upon an evil man. 12. Let us watch over our own passions, and avoid the company of furious men. 13. To render evil for good is devilish. He that does so, brings a curse upon his family. 14. What danger there is in the beginning of strife! Resist its earliest display; and leave it off, if it were possible, before you begin. 15. It is an offence to God to acquit the guilty, or to condemn those who are not guilty. 16. Man's neglect of God's favour and his own interest is very absurd. 17. No change of outward circumstances should abate our affection for our friends or relatives. But no friend, except Christ, deserves unlimited confidence. In Him this text did receive, and still receives its most glorious fulfilment. 18. Let not any wrong their families. Yet Christ's becoming Surety for men, was a glorious display of Divine wisdom; for he was able to discharge the bond.

Whoso rewardeth evil for good,.... As the enemies of David and Christ rewarded them, Psalm 35:12 ; this is base ingratitude, contrary to the law and light of nature; worse than beastly, is really devilish; evil shall not depart from his house; from him and his family; they shall be continually visited with one disease and calamity or another; so hateful and offensive is the sin of ingratitude to God, and therefore ought to be carefully avoided. This might be illustrated by the judgments of God on the nation of the Jews, for their ingratitude to Christ.

Verse 13. - Whoso rewardeth evil for good. This was David's complaint of the churlish Nabal ( 1 Samuel 25:21 ). Ingratitude shall surely he punished. Evil shall not depart from his house . Terribly has the ingratitude of the Jews been visited. They cried in their madness, "His blood be on us and on our children!" and their punishment is still going on. Injunctions on this subject are frequent in the New Testament (see Matthew 5:39 ; Romans 12:17 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:15 ; 1 Peter 3:9 ). The Talmud says, "Do not throw a stone into the well whose waters you have drunk." The Greeks felt the sting of ingratitude. Thus Leiodes complains to Ulysses ('Od.,' 22:319) - Ὡς οὐκ ἔστι χάρις μετόπισθ εὐεργέων Two sayings of Publius Syrus are quoted ('Sent.,' vv. 219, 274): "Ingratus unus omnibus miseris nocet;" "Malignos fieri maxime ingrati docent." Proverbs 17:13

13 He that returneth evil for good, From his house evil shall not depart. If ingratitude appertains to the sinful manifestations of ignoble selfishness, how much more sinful still is black ingratitude, which recompenses evil for good! (משׁיב, as 1 Samuel 25:21, syn. גּמל, to requite, Proverbs 3:30; Proverbs 31:12; שׁלּם, to reimburse, Proverbs 20:22). Instead of תמישׁ, the Kerı̂ reads תמוּשׁ; but that this verb, with a middle vowel, may be 'י'ע as well as 'ו'ע, Psalm 55:2 shows.

PROVERBS 17: 8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers. Verse 8 A gift is as a precious stone - It both enriches and ornaments. In the latter clause there is an evident allusion to cut stones. Whithersoever you turn them, they reflect the light, are brilliant and beautiful. PROVERBS 17: 9 He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends. PROVERBS 17: 10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool. Verse 10 A reproof entereth more - Though the rod, judiciously applied, is a great instrument of knowledge, yet it is of no use where incurable dulness or want of intellect, prevails. Besides, there are generous dispositions on which counsel will work more than stripes. PROVERBS 17: 11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. PROVERBS 17: 12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. Verse 12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps - At which times such animals are peculiarly fierce. See the note on 2 Samuel 17:8. PROVERBS 17: 13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. Verse 13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good - Here is a most awful warning.

As many persons are guilty of the sin of ingratitude, and of paying kindness with unkindness, and good with evil, it is no wonder we find so much wretchedness among men; for God's word cannot fail; evil shall not depart from the houses and families of such persons. PROVERBS 17: 14 The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarrelling breaks out. Verse 14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water - As soon as the smallest breach is made in the dike or dam, the water begins to press from all parts towards the breach; the resistance becomes too great to be successfully opposed, so that dikes and all are speedily swept away. Such is the beginning of contentions, quarrels, lawsuits, etc. Leave off contention, before it be meddled with - As you see what an altercation must lead to, therefore do not begin it. Before it be mingled together, ‫התגלע‬ hithgalla, before the spirits of the contending parties come into conflict - are joined together in battle, and begin to deal out mutual reflections and reproaches. When you see that the dispute is likely to take this turn, leave it off immediately. PROVERBS 17: 15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. PROVERBS 17: 16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding? PROVERBS 17: 17 A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

the man has an Advocate ckere, and he enters his Ptea againft the Cruelty of his Client's Accufer,. faying, hfy Lord, It cannot be as our Enemy vpould htve ft f. the Panifhftient for thefc Tranfgreifions ae prefcrib'd by that Law ttiac we here ground our PJea upon ^ nor may it be declined co facisfie Iris Enry, wc ftand here upon Matters of Law, ifld appeal to the Law. And this is the Work of Wr Advocate in. Heaven* "Puniihments for the Sin ofibe Children come not headlong, not without neafure, as our Accufer would have 'em, nor yet as they fall upon tbofe who have none to plead their Ctufe: Hach hefmoti the Children according to the ftroke wherewith he hath fmicten others? No, h mcafure when it Jhoohth forth, (ov feeks to exceed due bounds) thm wilt debate with it iheftay* etb hit rough ff^nd in the day of his Eaft f1^nd,{C2* ^7* 7 S> 9 Ti^w ^^^^ debate with it, enquiring and reaibning by the Law, whether the (hootings forth of the Afflidrion (now going out for the Of-* fence committed) be not tooftron^, too heavy, too hot, and of too lonr a time admitted to diftrefs and break the Spirit of this Chriftian ; and if it be, he applies himfelf to the Rule to meafurc ic by^ he fetches forth his Plum-line, and fees it in the midjt of his People, Amos 7. 7, 8. Ifa. l8. 17. ind lays Righrcoufnefs to^i^t.", and will not fuflfer X to go further,but according to the rerms,bound5^ imits and n:>ealures which the Law of Grace a3nits, fo ihall the Puniflimenc be

## (1.) In single men, the essential parts are put for the whole man; as the soul (XXXX Nephesh ) for man, Genesis 12:5,13; 17:14; Exodus 12:19; Psalms 3:2; 11:1; 25:13; Isaiah 58:5; Ezekiel 18:4; Luke 6:9; Acts 2:43 , and many other places, &c. Sometimes it is said that the soul, may die or be killed, Numbers 23:10; Judges 16:30; Job 36:14; John 4:8 , where the body must be understood. It is put for any brute, Genesis 1:24 , (&c.) A body is put for man, Exodus 21:3 , where the Hebrew is body; See Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:15 . James 3:6 . The integral parts of man, are put for the man or his body or flesh; Genesis 17:13; Psalms 16:9; Proverbs 14:30 . See Acts 2:26,31; John 6:51 , (which is expounded, Luke 22:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1 .) Flesh is put for the whole man, Genesis 6:12; Luke 3:6; Romans 3:20 . 1 Corinthians 1:29 ; for every living creature, Genesis 6:13,17 . Blood, is put for man, Psalms 94:21; Proverbs 1:11; Matthew 27:4; Acts 17:26 . The head is put for man, Judges 5:30; 2 Kings 2:3; 2 Samuel 1:16; Acts 18:6 . See other examples, Genesis 19:21; Matthew 13:16; Proverbs 8:13; Titus 1:12; Judges 5:30; Genesis 31:26 , where the Hebrew is, "What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away my heart?" when he meant himself, as verse 27, Chaldee, "Thou hast stole myself."