10 A vain man through pride causeth debate, And with the counselled `is' wisdom.
Whence `are' wars and fightings among you? not thence -- out of your passions, that are as soldiers in your members?
Proud, haughty, scorner `is' his name, Who is working in the wrath of pride.
I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them -- Diotrephes -- doth not receive us; because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.
Do ye think that emptily the Writing saith, `To envy earnestly desireth the spirit that did dwell in us,' and greater grace he doth give, wherefore he saith, `God against proud ones doth set Himself up, and to lowly ones He doth give grace?'
and if bitter zeal ye have, and rivalry in your heart, glory not, nor lie against the truth; this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like, for where zeal and rivalry `are', there is insurrection and every evil matter;
And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration, and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, `It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables; look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity, and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.' And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they did choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
And there happened also a strife among them -- who of them is accounted to be greater.
`For who of you, willing to build a tower, doth not first, having sat down, count the expense, whether he have the things for completing? lest that he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are beholding may begin to mock him, saying -- This man began to build, and was not able to finish. `Or what king going on to engage with another king in war, doth not, having sat down, first consult if he be able with ten thousand to meet him who with twenty thousand is coming against him? and if not so -- he being yet a long way off -- having sent an embassy, he doth ask the things for peace.
Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
And the men of Ephraim say unto him, `What `is' this thing thou hast done to us -- not to call for us when thou didst go to fight with Midian?' and they strive with him severely; and he saith unto them, `What have I done now like you? are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the harvest of Abi-Ezer? Into your hand hath God given the heads of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what have I been able to do like you?' Then their temper desisted from off him in his speaking this thing.
Hear counsel and receive instruction, So that thou art wise in thy latter end.
The beginning of contention `is' a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
Thou hast certainly smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up; be honoured, and abide in thy house; and why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou, and Judah with thee?'
And all Israel see that the king hath not hearkened unto them, and the people send the king back word, saying, `What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to thy tents, O Israel; now see thy house, O David!' and Israel goeth to its tents.
And they speak unto him -- the lads who had grown up with him -- saying, `Thus dost thou say to this people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make `it' light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them, My little `finger' is thicker than the loins of my father; and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- I chastise you with scorpions.'
And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, `Wherefore has thou passed over to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and on us hast not called to go with thee? thy house we burn over thee with fire.' And Jephthah saith unto them, `A man of great strife I have been (I and my people) with the Bene-Ammon, and I call you, and ye have not saved me out of their hand, and I see that thou art not a saviour, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over unto the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah giveth them into my hand -- and why have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?' And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fighteth with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead smite Ephraim, because they said, `Fugitives of Ephraim `are' ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim -- in the midst of Manasseh.' And Gilead captureth the passages of the Jordan to Ephraim, and it hath been, when `any of' the fugitives of Ephraim say, `Let me pass over,' and the men of Gilead say to him, `An Ephramite thou?' and he saith, `No;' that they say to him, `Say, I pray thee, Shibboleth;' and he saith, `Sibboleth,' and is not prepared to speak right -- and they seize him, and slaughter him at the passages of the Jordan, and there fall at that time, of Ephraim, forty and two chiefs.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 13
Commentary on Proverbs 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
Pro 13:1
Among the children of the same parents it is no new thing for some to be hopeful and others the contrary; now here we are taught to distinguish.
Pro 13:2
Note,
Pro 13:3
Note,
Pro 13:4
Here is,
Pro 13:5
Note,
Pro 13:6
See here,
Pro 13:7
This observation is applicable,
Pro 13:8
We are apt to judge of men's blessedness, at least in this world, by their wealth, and that they are more or less happy accordingly as they have more or less of this world's goods; but Solomon here shows what a gross mistake it is, that we may be reconciled to a poor condition, and may neither covet riches ourselves nor envy those that have abundance.
Pro 13:9
Here is,
Pro 13:10
Note,
Pro 13:11
This shows that riches wear as they are won and woven.
Pro 13:12
Note,
Pro 13:13
Here is,
Pro 13:14
By the law of the wise and righteous, here, we may understand either the principles and rules by which they govern themselves or (which comes all to one) the instructions which they give to others, which ought to be as a law to all about them; and if they be so,
Pro 13:15
If we compare not only the end, but the way, we shall find that religion has the advantage; for,
Pro 13:16
Note,
Pro 13:17
Here we have,
Pro 13:18
Note,
Pro 13:19
This shows the folly of those that refuse instruction, for they might be happy and will not.
Pro 13:20
Note,
Pro 13:21
Here see,
Pro 13:22
See here,
Pro 13:23
See here,
Pro 13:24
Note,
Pro 13:25
Note,