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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:2
Note, 1. Among the children of men divine Providence has so ordered it that some are rich and others poor, and these are intermixed in societies: The Lord is the Maker of both, both the author of their being and the dis…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:3
See here, 1. The benefit of wisdom and consideration: A prudent man, by the help of his prudence, will foresee an evil, before it comes, and hide himself; he will be aware when he is entering into a temptation and will…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:4
See here, 1. Wherein religion does very much consist—in humility and the fear of the Lord; that is, walking humbly with God. We must so reverence God's majesty and authority as to submit with all humility to the command…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:5
Note 1. The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous: In the way of the froward, that crooked way, which is contrary to the will and word of God, thorns and snares are found, thorns of grief for past sins and snares entang…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:6
Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, t…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:7
He had said (Proverbs 22:2.), Rich and poor meet together; but here he finds, here he shows, that, as to the things of this life, there is a great difference; for, 1. Those that have little will be in subjection to thos…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:8
Note, 1. Ill-gotten gains will not prosper: He that sows iniquity, that does an unjust thing in hopes to get by it, shall reap vanity; what he gets will never do him any good nor give him any satisfaction. He will meet…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:9
Here is, 1. The description of a charitable man; he has a bountiful eye, opposed to the evil eye (Proverbs 23:6) and the same with the single eye (Matthew 6:22),—an eye that seeks out objects of charity, besides those t…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:10
See here, 1. What the scorner does. It is implied that he sows discord and makes mischief wherever he comes. Much of the strife and contention which disturb the peace of all societies is owing to the evil interpreter (a…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:11
Here is, 1. The qualification of an accomplished, a complete gentleman, that is fit to be employed in public business. He must be an honest man, a man that loves pureness of heart and hates all impurity, not only pure f…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:12
Here is, 1. The special care God takes to preserve knowledge, that is, to keep up religion in the world by keeping up among men the knowledge of himself and of good and evil, notwithstanding the corruption of mankind, a…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:13
Note, 1. Those that have no love for their business will never want excuses to shake it off. Multitudes are ruined, both for soul and body, by their slothfulness, and yet still they have something or other to say for th…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:14
This is designed to warn all young men against the lusts of uncleanness. As they regard the welfare of their souls, let them take heed of strange women, lewd women, whom they ought to be strange to, of the mouth of stra…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:15
We have here two very sad considerations:— 1. That corruption is woven into our nature. Sin is foolishness; it is contrary both to our right reason and to our true interest. It is in the heart; there is an inward inclin…
Serious Attention Inculcated
This shows what evil courses rich men sometimes take, by which, in the end, they will impoverish themselves and provoke God, notwithstanding their abundance, to bring them to want; they oppress the poor and give to the…
Caution against Oppressing the Poor
Solomon here changes his style and manner of speaking. Hitherto, for the most part, since the beginning of Proverbs 10:1, he had laid down doctrinal truths, and but now and then dropped a word of exhortation, leaving us…
Prudential Maxims
After this solemn preface, one would have expected something new and surprising; but no; here is a plain and common, but very needful caution against the barbarous and inhuman practices of oppressing poor people. Observ…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:24-25
Here is, 1. A good caution against being intimate with a passionate man. It is the law of friendship that we accommodate ourselves to our friends and be ready to serve them, and therefore we ought to be wise and wary in…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:26-27
We have here, as often before, a caution against suretiship, as a thing both imprudent and unjust. 1. We must not associate ourselves, nor contract an intimacy, with men of broken fortunes, and reputations, who need and…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:28
1. We are here taught not to invade another man's right, though we can find ways of doing it ever so secretly and plausibly, clandestinely and by fraud, without any open force. Let not property in general be entrenched…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:29
Here is, 1. A plain intimation what a hard thing it is to find a truly ingenious industrious man: "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? Thou wilt not see many such, so epidemical are dulness and slothfulness." He…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 23:1-3
The sin we are here warned against is luxury and sensuality, and the indulgence of the appetite in eating and drinking, a sin that most easily besets us. 1. We are here told when we enter into temptation, and are in mos…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 23:4-5
As some are given to appetite (Proverbs 23:2) so others to covetousness, and those Solomon here takes to task. Men cheat themselves as much by setting their hearts on money (though it seems most substantial) as by setti…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 23:6-8
Those that are voluptuous and given to appetite (Proverbs 23:2) are glad to be where there is good cheer stirring, and those that are covetous and saving, that they may spare at home, will be glad to get a dinner at ano…