17 A wicked messenger falleth into evil, And a faithful ambassador is healing.
As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, `So is' a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
As vinegar to the teeth, And as smoke to the eyes, So `is' the slothful to those sending him.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
And in prophets of Samaria I have seen folly, They have prophesied by Baal, And cause my people -- Israel -- to err. And in prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing, Committing adultery, and walking falsely, Yea, they strengthened the hands of evil doers, So that they have not turned back Each from his wickedness, They have been to me -- all of them -- as Sodom, And its inhabitants as Gomorrah. Therefore, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, concerning the prophets: Lo, I am causing them to eat wormwood, And have caused them to drink water of gall, For, from prophets of Jerusalem Hath profanity gone forth to all the land. Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Ye do not hearken unto the words Of the prophets who are prophesying to you, They are making you vain things, A vision of their own heart they speak, Not from the mouth of Jehovah.
In My saying to the wicked: Thou dost surely die; and thou hast not warned him, nor hast spoken to warn the wicked from his wicked way, so that he doth live; he -- the wicked -- in his iniquity dieth, and his blood from thy hand I require.
And thou, son of man, A watchman I gave thee to the house of Israel, And thou hast heard from My mouth a word, And thou hast warned them from Me. In My saying to the wicked, O wicked one -- thou dost surely die, And thou hast not spoken to warn the wicked from his way, He -- the wicked -- in his iniquity doth die, And his blood from thy hand I require.
for we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God, but as of sincerity -- but as of God; in the presence of God, in Christ we do speak.
in behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as if God were calling through us, we beseech, in behalf of Christ, `Be ye reconciled to God;'
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,