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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Proverbs 20:2,3

The fear of a king, &c. See on Proverbs 16:14; Proverbs 19:12. It is an honour to a man to cease from strife Either to prevent it, or, if it be begun, to put an end to it: which, although proud and profane persons esteem dishonourable to them, would indeed be their glory, because it would be an evidence of their wisdom and power over their passions, and of their respect and obedience to their sovereign Lord, in which their honour and happiness consist; but every fool will be meddling Namely, with matters of strife; he is always ready to begin strife, and obstinate in the continuance of it.

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See also Proverbs 20:2,3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Proverbs 20:2. _THE FEAR OF A KING_] Almost the same with Proverbs 19:12, which see....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN SOUL - i. e., Against his own life (compare Habakkuk 2:10)....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 PROVERBS AS TO PERSONAL CONDUCT Proverbs of warning and instructions as to personal conduct are found mostly in this chapter; a number of them are of special interest if applied to Solomon....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS 20. We have still further traces in Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:24 of the sceptical spirit and the obstinate questionings of self characteristic of the later Greek period of Jewish thought. P...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SINNETH. erreth. Hebrew. _chata'._ App-44. SOUL. Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    is _as_ The terror inspired by a king is like that caused by the roaring of a lion in act to spring upon its prey. See 1 Peter 5:8. _soul_ i.e. LIFE, as R.V. with "Heb. _soul_," in the marg. Comp. Ha...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE FEAR OF A KING, &C.— Or, _The terror of a king is as the roaring of a young lion: he who rageth against him, sinneth,_ &c. Houbigant renders it, _The threatening of a king._...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER 20 TEXT Proverbs 20:1-10 1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise, 2. The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. THE FEAR OF A KING (THE FEAR WHICH A KING EXCITES) (IS) AS THE ROARING OF A LION: (WHOSO)...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FEAR] the 'terror' which he causes. SOUL] RV 'life.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1. RAGING] RV 'a brawler.' IS deceived] RM 'reeleth.' It makes a man sneer, quarrel and reel about....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 20 V1 Wine is like a man who insults you. Beer is like a man who shouts at you. If wine and beer tempt you, then you are not wise....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    This verse is similar to Proverbs 19:12. Do not make a king angry! He might order your death. See also the prayer in Acts 4:24-20. Sometimes people (and even kings) will oppose us, because we are Chr...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE FEAR OF A KING IS AS THE ROARING OF A LION, _i.e.,_ the dread which he casts upon others when he is becoming angry is a warning of approaching. danger. SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN SOUL — _i.e._, agai...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    נַ֣הַם כַּ֭ † כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּרֹ֗ו...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 21 IDLENESS "After the autumn gathering the slothful does not plough; he asks in the harvest, and there is nothing."- Proverbs 20:4 WE have already in the sixth lecture caught a glimpse of t...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SOBRIETY; INDUSTRY; HONESTY Proverbs 20:1-15 Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at...

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

    Verse Proverbs 20:9. This is the eternal challenge which has but one answer. When a man recognizes this he begins to inquire for a Saviour. Verse Proverbs 20:14. "It is bad, it is bad," is the descrip...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoever] provoketh him to anger (b) sinneth [against] his own soul. (b) Puts his life in danger....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. It i...

  • 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

    THE FEAR OF A KING [IS] AS THE ROARING OF A LION,.... The wrath and displeasure of a king, which causes fear; see Proverbs 19:12; kings should be terrors to evil works and workers, though not to good...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul. Ver. 2. _The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion._] See Proverbs 16:14; Proverb...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    V. 2. THE FEAR OF A KING, the terror spread by his anger, IS AS THE ROARING OF A LION, 19:12; WHOSO PROVOKETH HIM TO ANGER SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN SOUL, foolishly risks and even forfeits his own life....

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE FEAR OF A KING, passively taken, the terror which the wrath of a king causeth, by comparing this with PROVERBS 19:12. SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN SOUL; exposeth himself to manifest danger of death....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 20:2 wrath H367 king H4428 roaring H5099 lion H3715 anger H5674 (H8693) sins H2398 (H8802) life...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Warnings and instructions regarding the ways of folly. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: Here in this imperfect state, no person can claim to be sinless, but the just man, walking by the rule o...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 20:1. _Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging._ In the book of Ecclesiasticus intoxication is connected with poverty, with harlots, with destruction: chap. Proverbs 19:1. Cyrus, after notic...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 20:2 The first line of this proverb is almost identical to Proverbs 19:12. But Proverbs 19

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 20:1. STRONG DRINK. The Hebrew word _Shekhar_ includes every strong drink besides wine. Delitzsch translates it _mead_. PROVERBS 20:2. THE FEAR OF A KING, _i.e_., the dread...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 20:1 WINE IS A MOCKER; or, scorner, the word (_luts_) being taken up from the last chapter. The liquor is, as it were, personified, as doing what men do under its influence. Thus...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Into chapter 20. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise (Proverbs 20:1). He will have more to say about wine as we move along in our study next week,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 2:23; Amos 3:8; Ecclesiastes 10:4; Hosea 11:10; Proverbs 16:14

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The fear — The terror which the wrath of a king causes....

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