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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

Proverbs 30:22

When he reigneth; when he is advanced to great power and dignity; for such a one is ignorant and unfit for his place, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore an insatiable oppressor, according to Proverbs 28:3; he is proud and imperious, and being maligned and hated by others, he is provoked to hate them, and to be injurious and cruel to them. A fool, a conceited and wilful fool, or all obstinately wicked man, when he is filled with meat; either,

1. When he is glutted with meat or drink, which dulls men's reason, and heats their blood, and stirs them up to many insolencies. Or rather,

2. When he abounds in wealth, which in that case is like a sword in a madman's hand, being an instrument and occasion of innumerable wickednesses and mischiefs, as appears from common experience.

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See also Proverbs 30:22 in other biblical comments:

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    VI. THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SON OF JAKEH CHAPTER 30 Some hold that Agur is another name for Solomon. This opinion is also upheld by the Talmud, which speaks of six names which belonged to the King: Sol...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS 30. THE SAYINGS OF AGUR. It is uncertain whether the title embraces the whole chapter or Proverbs 30:1, or Proverbs 30:1 only. Proverbs 30:1. The title is extremely obscure, and has been much...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOOL. Hebrew. _nabal._ See note on Proverbs 1:7....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Four things that are INTOLERABLE. Two of them are drawn from each sex, and in each case they are unbearable because they are _out of place, in a false position_....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _reigneth_ Better, IS, or BECOMES KING. _filled_with _meat_ i.e. is rich and prosperous. See Proverbs 30:8 above....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR THREE THINGS THE EARTH IS DISQUIETED— We have here an answer to another enigmatical question, What things are most intolerable? Which he tells us are, 1. A slave who bears rule; 2. A fool over-fed...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT Proverbs 30:21-33 21. For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear: 22. For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food; 23. For an od...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: FOR THREE (THINGS) THE EARTH IS DISQUIETED ... FOR A SERVANT WHEN HE REIGNED ( ); (AND) A FOOL, WHEN HE IS FILLED WITH M...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    30:22 churl (a-9) Or 'fool,' 'vile person,' _ Nabal_ . see ch. 1.7....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WORDS OF AGUR The simplest way of treating the title is to read as follows: 'The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, of Massa.' Then we may proceed, with RM, 'The man saith, I have wearied myself, O God;...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Each person in this list has suddenly become powerful. But they lack the skills that they need for their new situations. They may become proud. Their characters do not match their new situations. Thes...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 30 THE PUZZLES OF AGUR AND LEMUEL (PROVERBS 30:1 TO PROVERBS 31:9) These passages are by Agur ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR A SERVANT WHEN HE REIGNETH. — The mischief done by Oriental favourites at court, who often began life as slaves, was proverbial. A FOOL (_nâbhâl_)_. — See_ above, on Proverbs 17:7. It is only whe...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    תַּֽחַת ־עֶ֭בֶד כִּ֣י יִמְלֹ֑וךְ וְ֝ נָבָ֗ל כ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 31 THE WORDS OF AGUR THE rendering of the first verse of this chapter is very uncertain. Without attempting to discuss the many conjectural emendations, we must briefly indicate the view whic...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LESSONS FROM COMMON THINGS Proverbs 30:18-33 We have four more quatrains. 1. There are the four wonders that baffle Agur's understanding. How superficial is our knowledge! How does the eagle mount t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This and the following chapter constitute an appendix to the Book of Proverbs. It is impossible to say who Agur was. In this selection from his writings we have an introduction, in which he a r m s th...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For (l) a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food; (l) These commonly abuse the state to which they are called....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not fi...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 10 THROUGH 31. In chapter 10 begin the details which teach those who give ear how to avoid the snares into which the simple might fall, the path to be followe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR A SERVANT, WHEN HE REIGNETH,.... Being unfit for it through his education, not having been trained up in and learned the arts of government and maxims of it; and through the disposition of his min...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; Ver. 22. _For a servant when he reigneth._] As Jeroboam, Saul, Zimri, Herod, Heliogabalus, Phocas. _See Trapp on "_ Pro 19:10 _...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For three things the earth_ That is, the inhabitants of the earth; _is disquieted_ By their insolence and impudence they cause great disturbances in the places where they live; _for four it cannot re...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    for a servant, a man of the lowest condition and status in life, WHEN HE REIGNETH, when lie suddenly finds himself elevated to the position of ruler and then follows his caprice; AND A FOOL WHEN HE IS...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DEDUCING TRUTHS FROM COMMON EXPERIENCE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In THE FIVE Chapter S now completed are proverbs of Solomon copied out by Hezekiah's servants. The last two Chapter s show a distinct change in character, both being called "prophecies," and written b...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 30:22 servant H5650 reigns H4427 (H8799) fool H5036 filled H7646 (H8799) food H3899 a servant -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The words of Agur. CHARACTERS: God, Agur, Ithiel, Ucal. CONCLUSION: God's Word is sure and pure, and venturing our souls upon it, we shall find it a shield against temptations, a safe prot...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 30:1. _The words of Agur._ The style of this book seems to be much older than that of Solomon. Its simplicity very well agrees with the times of the patriarchs, or when the judges presided. H...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 30:21 These four persons are unbearable because they have been given things they have no capacity to handle wisely. A modern example would be a person promoted above his abil...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 30:1 The Sayings of Agur. The identity of Agur, son of Jakeh, is unknown. One claim is that the word translated ORACLE actually should be the proper name “Massa,” so that v....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 30:23. ODIOUS, or _unloved_. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 30:21_ BURDENS GRIEVOUS TO BE BORNE I. IT IS SOMETIMES DANGEROUS TO THE PEACE OF A COMMUNITY TO R...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 30:1 PART VII. FIRST APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Agur." A short introduction, teaching that the Word of God is the source of wisdom ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This is the end of the proverbs that were gathered by Hezekiah's men. Now in the thirtieth chapter we have, The words of Agur (Proverbs 30:1) Whoever he is. He tells us who he is, but it really does...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Ecclesiastes 10:7; Isaiah 3:4; Isaiah 3:5; Isaiah 30:16; Proverbs 19:1

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    A servant — For such an one is commonly ignorant, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore insatiable, he is proud and imperious, and usually injurious and cruel. A fool — A concei...

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