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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:26
This is designed to engage us to diligence, and quicken us, what our hand finds to do, to do it with all our might, both in our worldly business and in the work of religion; for in the original it is, The soul that labo…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:27-28
There are those that are not only vicious themselves, but spiteful and mischievous to others, and they are the worst of men; two sorts of such are here described:—1. Such as envy a man the honour of his good name, and d…
The Sovereignty of Divine Providence
Here is another sort of evil men described to us, that we may neither do like them, nor have any thing to do with them. 1. Such as (like Satan) do all the mischief they can by force and violence, as roaring lions, and n…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:31
Note, 1. It ought to be the great care of old people to be found in the way of righteousness, the way of religion and serious godliness. Both God and man will look for them in that way; it will be expected that those th…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:32
This recommends the grace of meekness to us, which will well become us all, particularly the hoary head, Proverbs 16:31. Observe, 1. The nature of it. It is to be slow to anger, not easily put into a passion, nor apt to…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:33
Note, 1. The divine Providence orders and directs those things which to us are perfectly casual and fortuitous. Nothing comes to pass by chance, nor is an event determined by a blind fortune, but every thing by the will…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:1
These words recommend family-love and peace, as conducing very much to the comfort of human life. 1. Those that live in unity and quietness, not only free from jealousies and animosities, but vying in mutual endearments…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:2
Note, 1. True merit does not go by dignity. All agree that the son in the family is more worthy than the servant (John 8:35), and yet sometimes it so happens that the servant is wise, and a blessing and credit to the fa…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:3
Note, 1. The hearts of the children of men are subject, not only to God's view, but to his judgment: As the fining-pot is for silver, both to prove it and to improve it so the Lord tries the hearts; he searches whether…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:4
Note, 1. Those that design to do ill support themselves by falsehood and lying: A wicked doer gives ear, with a great deal of pleasure, to false lips, that will justify him in the ill he does, to those that aim to make…
Common Truths
See here, 1. What a great sin those are guilty of who trample upon the poor, who ridicule their wants and the meanness of their appearance, upbraid them with their poverty, and take advantage from their weakness to be a…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:6
They are so, that is, they should be so, and, if they conduct themselves worthily, they are so. 1. It is an honour to parents when they are old to leave children, and children's children, growing up, that tread in the s…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:7
Two things are here represented as very absurd: 1. That men of no repute should be dictators. What can be more unbecoming than for fools, who are known to have little sense and discretion, to pretend to that which is ab…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:8
The design of this observation is to show, 1. That those who have money in their hand think they can do any thing with it. Rich men value a little money as if it were a precious stone, and value themselves on it as if i…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:9
Note, 1. The way to preserve peace among relations and neighbours is to make the best of every thing, not to tell others what has been said or done against them when it is not at all necessary to their safety, nor to ta…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:10
Note, 1. A word is enough to the wise. A gentle reproof will enter not only into the head, but into the heart of a wise man, so as to have a strong influence upon him; for, if but a hint be given to conscience, let it a…
Weighty Sayings
Here is the sin and punishment of an evil man. 1. His sin. He is an evil man indeed that seeks all occasions to rebel against God, and the government God has set over him, and to contradict and quarrel with those about…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:12
Note, 1. A passionate man is a brutish man. However at other times he may have some wisdom, take him in his passion ungoverned, and he is a fool in his folly; those are fools in whose bosom anger rests and in whose coun…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:13
A malicious mischievous man is here represented, 1. As ungrateful to his friends. He oftentimes is so absurd and insensible of kindnesses done him that he renders evil for good. David met with those that were his advers…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:14
Here is, 1. The danger that there is in the beginning of strife. One hot word, one peevish reflection, one angry demand, one spiteful contradiction, begets another, and that a third, and so on, till it proves like the c…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:15
This shows what an offence it is to God, 1. When those that are entrusted with the administration of public justice, judges, juries, witnesses, prosecutors, counsel, do either acquit the guilty or condemn those that are…
True Friendship
Two things are here spoken of with astonishment:—1. God's great goodness to foolish man, in putting a price into his hand to get wisdom, to get knowledge and grace to fit him for both worlds. We have rational souls, the…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 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. 1. Friends must be constant to each other at all times. That is not true friendship which is not const…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:18
Though Solomon had commended friendship in adversity (Proverbs 17:17), 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…