Proverbs 14:25-35

TEXT Proverbs 14:25-35

25.

A true witness delivereth souls;

But he that uttereth lies causeth deceit.

26.

In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;

And his children shall have a place of refuge.

27.

The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,

That one may depart from the snares of death.

28.

In the multitude of people is the king's glory;

But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

29.

He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;

But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

30.

A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh;

But envy is the rottenness of the bones.

31.

He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;

But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.

32.

The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing;

But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.

33.

Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding;

But that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.

34.

Righteousness exalteth a nation;

But sin is a reproach to any people.

35.

The king's favor is toward a servant that dealeth wisely;

But his wrath will be against him that causeth shame.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 14:25-35

1.

A true witness delivereth souls from what (Proverbs 14:25)?

2.

How is fear used in Proverbs 14:26?

3.

What is meant by fountain of life in Proverbs 14:27?

4.

Give a synonym for want in Proverbs 14:28.

5.

Give illustrations of hasty of spirit exalting folly (Proverbs 14:29).

6.

What is a tranquil heart (Proverbs 14:30)?

7.

What passage in Matt. does Proverbs 14:31 remind one of?

8.

What is the righteous person's refuge when death comes (Proverbs 14:32)?

9.

What is the meaning of resteth in Proverbs 14:33?

10.

Trace the truthfulness of Proverbs 14:34 in Israel's up-and-down history.

11.

Cite the double contrast in Proverbs 14:35.

PARAPHRASE OF 14:25-35

25.

A witness who tells the truth saves good men from being sentenced to death, but a false witness is a traitor.

26.

Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.

27.

Reverence for the Lord is a fountain of life; its waters keep a man from death.

28.

A growing population is a king's glory; a dwindling nation is his doom.

29.

A wise man controls his temper. He knows that anger causes mistakes.

30.

A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life; jealousy rots it away.

31.

Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them To help the poor is to honor God.

32.

The godly have a refuge when they die, but the wicked are crushed by their sins.

33.

Wisdom is enshrined in the hearts of men of common sense, but it must shout loudly before fools will hear it.

34.

Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

35.

A king rejoices in servants who know what they are doing; he is angry with those who cause trouble.

COMMENTS ON 14:25-35

Proverbs 14:25. Proverbs 14:5 of this chapter speaks of the faithful witness and of the lying witness mentioned in this verse. A true witness delivereth souls or persons from their false accusers in court; a false witness, on the other hand, will tell lies of deceit in order to bring about one's condemnation. This verse has a ready application today to the true gospel preacher who delivers souls from the clutch of sin and the doom it would bring upon him and to the false teacher who utters falsehood deceitfully (Ephesians 4:14). The tongue of man is either a mighty instrument for good or a mighty monster for bad (Proverbs 18:21).

Proverbs 14:26. This and the following verse both refer to the fear of Jehovah. The fear of Jehovah here is that reverence for Him that causes one to commit one's whole self to Him, and when this is done, both he and his children are blessed: he has strong confidence or assurance that God will take care of Him (Hebrews 13:5-6; Psalms 23:1-6), and his children (brought up to live the same way) will be likewise blessed.

Proverbs 14:27. This verse and Proverbs 13:14 strongly resemble. Also compare it with Proverbs 14:16. One who fears Jehovah departs from evil that he may escape the snares of death (this verse), which characterizes him as wise (Proverbs 14:16). Instead of death he is drinking of the fountain of life. Because Adam and Eve sinned, they were banned from the tree of life, and they brought death upon themselves (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:22-24).

Proverbs 14:28. To be too small in number was to invite invasion, and the rule was that the lesser-in-number lost to the greater-in-number. This is why the men of Gideon's army were so fearful (Judges 6:33; Judges 7:3). In somewhat a different thought Pulpit Commentary says, This maxim is not in accordance with the views of Oriental conquerors and despots, who in their selfish lust of aggrandizement cared not what suffering they inflicted or what blood they shed...The reign of Solomon, the peaceful, gave an intimation that was and conquest were not a monarch's highest glory; that a happy and numerous people, dwelling securely and increasing in numbers, was a better honor for a king and more to be desired (1 Kings 4:24-25; 1 Kings 4:20).

Proverbs 14:29. Proverbs 14:19 of this chapter deals with the man who is soon angry while this verse deals with one who is slow to anger. The quick-tempered man will deal foolishly (Proverbs 14:17), while the calm-headed man is of great understanding (this verse). The man of understanding does not burst into a rage, for to do so is to exalt folly, for an angry man will say and do things before he thinks, which are both unwise and often disastrous. Compare Proverbs 16:32 and James 1:19 with this teaching.

Proverbs 14:30. There is nothing better for the health of one's body than a tranquil, calm, and peaceful heart. Oh, the health disturbances that are brought on through a distraught mind and heart! All the doctor's prescriptions and all the doctor's operations cannot put one's health together again. God wants us to live right that we might be at peace with Him (Numbers 6:24-26. He wants us to live at peace with our fellowmen (Hebrews 12:14). When our consciences are void of offence toward both God and men: (Acts 24:16), what a blessing of peace follows (Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7; Romans 8:6) Psalms 37:37) 1 Peter 3:11), one of which is the life of the flesh (this verse). Proverbs 12:4 also speaks of the rottenness of the bones. When one's very framework is thus deteriorated, one's health is in an extremely bad way.

Proverbs 14:31. One's action toward the poor and needy is here judged in relation to God (Matthew 25:44-45), who is the Maker of the poor as well as any other (Proverbs 22:2). Proverbs 17:5 speaks of mocking the poor, which also results in reproaching their Maker. Proverbs 14:21 of this chapter speaks of having pity on the poor which he does by having mercy upon him (this verse). People of Job's day understood this teaching (Job 31:13-15). In life there are some who help make people poor (like the thieves in the Good Samaritan parable, Luke 10:30) and others who help the needy (like the Good Samaritan himself, Luke 10:33-34); and then there are also many (like the priest and levite of that parable) who neither made the man poor nor help him get better (Luke 10:31-32). In which class are you?

Proverbs 14:32. The wicked are cut off because of their sins (Psalms 37:1-2), sometimes right while they are committing it (Acts 5:1-10; Leviticus 10:1-2; Numbers 11:33). The godly have always had the refuge of hope and God's help in death (Psalms 23:4; Philippians 1:21; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8). Even wicked men, like Balaam, have wished to die the death of the righteous (Numbers 23:10). Thus the Christian martyrs went joyfully to the stake, and gentle women and little children smiled on the sword which sent them home. It is natural to See in this clause a belief in a future life, and a state of rewards and punishments (Pulpit Commentary). This verse causes us to ask, Which is really more importantto enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and be rejected and punished of God forever or to live the way that is always right and that will end right?

Proverbs 14:33. A triple contrast: Wisdom vs. that which is in the inward part of fools; him that hath understanding vs. fools; and resteth vs. is made known. From the contrast we understand the word rest as meaning it quietly resides. Therefore, a wise, informed, and knowledgeable person is not always telling all he may know (he couldn-'t, and he has no disposition to flaunt his knowledge;. But with fools it is different: they are always talking, and they will tell you everything (Proverbs 29:11; Proverbs 12:16). For the last clause a few Hebrew copies give, In the midst of fools it maketh itself known.

Proverbs 14:34. An oft-quoted verse because its message is pertinent. God sees that righteousness does build up, bless, and make a great nation, and history surely shows that sin deteriorates a nation (many nations have fallen from the inside through moral degradation). Who could better understand this verse than the Israelites themselves who could certainly see that when they had good kings and were following God's way, the nation was up, and that when they had bad kings and were following wickedness, the nation was down? This is observable throughout Kings and Chronicles.

Proverbs 14:35. Every leader that Joseph was under (Potiphar, the jailer, and Pharaoh) could see that he was wise, and they respected that wisdom and showed favor toward him (Genesis 39:3-6; Genesis 39:21-23; Genesis 41:39-43). Daniel, too, though a part of a captured people, was in every king's favor and service that he was under (Daniel 1:19-20; Daniel 2:46-48; Daniel 5:29; Daniel 6:1-3). For the promotion of the wise see Matthew 24:45; Matthew 24:47. Even heathen governments have punished those who did things contrary to its laws and things against its best interest. In this age of softening-punishments (in the government, at work, at school, in the home, etc.) there is a need to return to stricter trials and just punishments.

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 14:25-35

1.

How might Proverbs 14:25 apply to preachers?

2.

What does the-fear of Jehovah cause one to do (Proverbs 14:26)?

3.

What else does one do who fears Jehovah (Proverbs 14:27)?

4.

Why was Gideon's army so fearful in Judges 6:7 (Proverbs 14:28)?

5.

How does one hasty of spirit exalt folly (Proverbs 14:29)?

6.

Relate both a peaceful heart and an envious heart to one's health (Proverbs 14:30).

7.

What are three classes of people in relation to the poor (Proverbs 14:31)?

8.

Name some wicked people who were cut down right while doing their sin (Proverbs 14:32).

9.

State the contrast in Proverbs 14:33 concerning the understand and the fools.

10.

How was the nation of Israel in a good position to understand Proverbs 14:34?

11.

What Bible heroes served their governmental superiors well (Proverbs 14:35)?