10/14/2022 – Day 229 – Proverbs 17 – 18 // Interesting amongst all the words of wisdom, what verses do we highlight? And don’t they change at different points in our journey here?
Henry H. Halley, in my “Halley’s Bible Handbook” , capsulizes verse themes in about 3 or 4 sentences per chapter. We no doubt could pick out these verses based on this summary for Chapters 17 and 18:
“Chapter 17. He that beats a Fool does it to his Sorrow, A cheerful Heart is a Good Medicine. Even a Fool, when he holds his Peace, is counted Wise.”
“Chapter 18: A Fool’s Mouth is his Destruction. Death and life are in the power of the Tongue. Before Honor goes Humility. Whoso finds a Wife finds a Good Thing.”
Off subject: One relatively small issue I have with Halley is his practice of over-capitalization as if they were reference quotes. haha
The verses I have marked:
Chapter 17:15 / 18:13
“Acquiting the guilty and condemning the innocent — the Lord detests them both” Proverbs 17:15 – Pretty much sums up America today. So, does God judge nations? This is actually repeated in different words in 18:5. As Matthew Henry notes in this commentary of 18:5: “The merits of the cause must be regarded, not the person.”
“He who answers before listening — that is his folly and his shame.” Proverbs 18:13
Here again is Matthew Henry’s commentary for this verse:
“Some take pride in being quick. They answer a matter before they hear it. When they have heard one side, they think the mattress plain that they need not trouble themselves to hear the other. Whereas, though a ready wit is agreeable thing to play with, it is solid judgement and sound wisdom that do business. It is folly for a man to pass sentence upon a matter which he has not patience to make a strict enquiry into.”
Soli Deo Gloria!