1 Observations of public government, 15 and of private. 22 Of anger, pride, thievery, cowardice, and corruption.
Pro 29:1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
The long-suffering of God gives sinners a probation in which to repent of their evil deeds. If they continue to harden their necks and reject the “easy” yoke of Christ (Matt. 11:30), while the mercy of God is protecting them against the consequences of their sins, their calamity and destruction will seem to come suddenly (see Prov. 6:15; 15:10; Jer. 19:15; Heb. 10:26 30).
Pro 29:2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.
The contrast with the second clause suggests the thought that the righteous who are increased are in authority. When good men have a chance to flourish, everyone is free and untrammelled, and even more so when the righteous are in control (see chs. 11:10; 28:12, 28).
Pro 29:3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
What father can fail to be pleased when his son shows a love for wisdom? Some might complain at overmuch learning, but wisdom has no enemies among good men. A son who turns to vice wastes all that he has. He sacrifices health and strength to late hours and riotous conduct. Wisdom and knowledge vanish under the influence of drink (see Luke 15:13).
Pro 29:4 By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.
Pro 29:5 Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.
It is hard for men to resist flattery, especially when it comes from a neighbor who seems to have personal interest to serve by giving the praise. Even in the affairs of this life, many a man makes unwise decisions under the influence of skillful adulation (chs. 26:28; 28:23).
Pro 29:6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
The sinner has himself put his feet into a snare, even though he may not become aware of the fact until it is too late. The righteous man sings and rejoices because God has given him wisdom and strength to resist evil and go freely on his way to the kingdom (see chs. 12:13; 18:7; 24:16).
As a snare is easy to get into, but hard to get out of, so are evil habits. Without the help of God, the weak will of the sinner cannot break the strands that hold him fast. The purpose of the adversary is to hold the victim by guile, unaware of his bondage, until it is too late for him to break out and escape.
Pro 29:7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
The righteous man supports the cause of the poor man in courts of justice (see Job 29:12, 16), but the wicked man pays no attention to the rights and wrongs of the case.
Pro 29:8 Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger.
Though mockers laugh at authority and right and bring about conflict, wise men do their best to allay ill feeling (see ch. 15:18).
Pro 29:9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
Pro 29:10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright
Pro 29:11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
The wise man waits until tempers have cooled before he quietly presents his case.
Pro 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.
The ruler who allows himself to be deceived into favoring those who seek to please him with lies will soon have none but liars serving him.
Pro 29:13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.
The poor man and his rich oppressor associate together in many unhappy ways, but it is the Lord who gives life to both.
Pro 29:14 If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.
A king who cares faithfully for the poor is doing the work of God and will be under divine protection. Such a king not only will care for the poor but will look after the rich also, so that all men will have an interest in seeing his reign and his dynasty continued. Most of the words translated “forever” in the Bible may be safely taken as meaning “duration either long or short, the length determined by the nature of the subject to which it is applied.” If the expression is referred to the eternal God, the new earth, the unfallen angels or the redeemed, it may well mean “without end,” but the duration is limited when mortal man is described. The good king’s throne will be established until conditions change and the protection of God is forfeited.
Pro 29:15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.
When these two agencies are judiciously used they produce a good result. Either their neglect or overuse brings failure (see chs. 10:13; 13:24; 23:13.)
Pro 29:16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.
When wicked men flourish, they naturally lower the whole moral tone of the community, but they will not continue without end. The righteous who are praying for wickedness to be restrained will see their prayers answered (Ps. 37:34; Prov. 28:28).
Pro 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.
The properly disciplined child gives his parents none of the unending anxiety that the spoiled child causes. Instead, there comes a deep joy and satisfaction in seeing him make his own right choices.
Pro 29:18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
Although the reluctant slave understands well what his master wants him to do, it will take more than words to make him do it.
Pro 29:19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.
Pro 29:20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
Hasty thoughtless speech and action cause trouble for both the speaker and those around him (see Prov. 26:12; James 1:19).
Pro 29:21 A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent.
Domestic slavery was different from mass slavery. Affection and trust sometimes grew up between master and servant (see Gen. 15:2; Ex. 21:5, 6), and the servant might be made an heir. Another view of the proverb makes it a warning against favoring an unworthy servant who might begin to poison the mind of the master against the master’s own children. In the end he may gain such influence over his master that he persuades him to disinherit the children and leave the family property to the wily slave (see Prov. 17:2).
Pro 29:22 An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
The man who has lost his temper has lost control of himself. The LXX renders this verse, “A furious man stirs up strife, and a passionate man digs up sin” (see Prov. 15:18; James 1:20).
Pro 29:23 Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
Not only does the humble man eventually gain honor, but he retains it, because the same humility characterizes him after he has been elevated as marked his conduct before (see Prov. 15:33; 16:18, 19; 25:6, 7; Dan. 2:30; Luke 14:11).
Pro 29:24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.
The companion of a thief is in danger of being apprehended as an accessory in crime, and of losing his life. When solemnly adjured to reveal his guilty knowledge, further concealment makes him a perjurer (see Lev. 5:1; Judges 17:2.
Pro 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
The person who is so afraid of men that he neglects his duty or does what he knows to be wrong, endangers his salvation. But the man who fears the Lord is “safe,” literally, “set on high,” and hence protected from all attacks of the enemy (see Prov. 18:10; Isa. 51:12; Matt. 10:28; Mark 8:38).
Pro 29:26 Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the LORD that one gets justice.
Rulers and magistrates do not decide man’s ultimate destiny. This judgment rests with the Lord.
Pro 29:27 The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.
If this is the close of Solomon’s part of the book of Proverbs, as seems evident (see chs. 30:1; 31:1), this verse makes a fitting conclusion, for it summarizes the subject matter of the book. The mutual antipathy of good and evil about which the wise man has spoken, extends to those who practice these deeds. The good man finds it impossible to remain in close, personal relationship with bad men because their aims, preoccupations, and standards are so different.
Unless he lowers his own standards, he cannot be comfortable in their presence. The opposite is equally true (see Isa. 53:3; John 15:19). Unless the wicked man is willing to let the good character of the righteous influence him into changing his own ways, he will be irked by association with the upright. The “detest” which the righteous man feels should be a detest of the wickedness of the wicked man (see Ps. 139:19–21).