21 He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy.
The Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
A foolish son is the calamity of his father; and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
And thou shalt see an oppressor [in my] habitation, amidst all the good that shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. And the man of thine [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to cause thine eyes to fail and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house shall die in their vigour. And this shall be the sign to thee, which shall come upon thy two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, [who] shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed continually.
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine; and my reins shall exult, when thy lips speak right things.
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
And I have written this very [letter] [to you], that coming I may not have grief from those from whom I ought to have joy; trusting in you all that my joy is [that] of you all.
*I* Paul have written [it] with mine own hand; *I* will repay [it]: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me. Yea, brother, *I* would have profit of *thee* in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 17
Commentary on Proverbs 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
Pro 17:1
These words recommend family-love and peace, as conducing very much to the comfort of human life.
Pro 17:2
Note,
Pro 17:3
Note,
Pro 17:4
Note,
Pro 17:5
See here,
Pro 17:6
They are so, that is, they should be so, and, if they conduct themselves worthily, they are so.
Pro 17:7
Two things are here represented as very absurd:
Pro 17:8
The design of this observation is to show,
Pro 17:9
Note,
Pro 17:10
Note,
Pro 17:11
Here is the sin and punishment of an evil man.
Pro 17:12
Note,
Pro 17:13
A malicious mischievous man is here represented,
Pro 17:14
Here is,
Pro 17:15
This shows what an offence it is to God,
Pro 17:16
Two things are here spoken of with astonishment:-
Pro 17:17
This intimates the strength of those bonds by which we are bound to each other and which we ought to be sensible of.
Pro 17:18
Though Solomon had commended friendship in adversity (v. 17), yet let not any, under pretence of being generous to their friends, be unjust to their families and wrong them; one part of our duty must be made to consist with another. Note,
Pro 17:19
Note,
Pro 17:20
Note,
Pro 17:21
This expresses that very emphatically which many wise and good men feel very sensibly, what a grievous vexatious thing it is to have a foolish wicked child. See here,
Pro 17:22
Note,
Pro 17:23
See here,
Pro 17:24
Note,
Pro 17:25
Observe,
Pro 17:26
In differences that happen between magistrates and subjects, and such differences often arise,
Pro 17:27-28
Two ways a man may show himself to be a wise man:-