21
📚The king’s heart is in the handof the LORD;
like streams of water,
he turns it wherever he will.
21:1 Prov 16:1; 19:21; 20:24. Kings are no more difficult for God to direct than anyone else. Bible history shows that He often worked in the hearts of kings to fulfill His purposes (kings of Egypt – Gen 41:1, 14, 15, 41; Ex 7:3-5; 9:16; kings of Babylon – 2 Chron 36:17; Dan 2:1, 25, 26, 48; kings of Persia – 2 Chron 36:22; Isa 45:1-3. See also 1 Kings 11:14, 23; 1 Chron 5:26; 2 Chron 21:16; Rev 17:12, 17). God does the same thing now.⚜
2 📚Every way of a man is right
in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the hearts.
3 📚Doing what is right and just is
more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 📚A haughty look and a proud heart,
and the plowing of the wicked, are sin.
5 📚The plans of the diligent surely lead
to profit,
but those of everyone who is
hasty surely leads to poverty.
6 📚Getting treasures by a lying tongue is
a fleeing vapour,
pursued by those who seek death.
7 📚The violence of the wicked will destroy them,
because they refuse to act justly.
8 📚The way of the perverse man is devious;
but as for the pure,
his behaviour is upright.
21:8 Prov 2:15. They use crooked ways to gain their object, and then must use other crooked ways to cover up these first crooked ways. Like this they are caught in a downward spiral.⚜
9 📚It is better to live in a corner
of the housetop,
than in a house with a quarrelsome woman.
10 📚The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbour finds no favour in his eyes.
11 📚When the scorner is punished,
the simple is made wise;
and when the wise is instructed,
he gains knowledge.
12 📚The righteous person wisely
considers the house of the wicked,
but God overthrows the wicked for
their wickedness.
13 📚Whoever shuts his ears at the cry
of the poor,
will also cry out himself,
but will not be heard.
14 📚A gift in secret pacifies anger,
and a bribe in the bosom strong wrath.
15 📚Justice done is a joy to the righteous,
but like destruction to evildoers.
21:15 There is going to be great joy for some, great terror for others, for justice is exactly what is going to be done to the world and to every individual (Ps 89:14; 98:9; Acts 17:31; Rom 2:2, 5-11; 2 Thess 1:6-7; Rev 15:3-4; 16:5-7; 20:11-12; 22:12).⚜
16 📚The man who wanders out
of the way of understanding will settle down
in the company of the dead.
17 📚He who loves pleasure will become
a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 📚The wicked will be a ransom
for the righteous,
and the transgressor for the upright.
21:18 See Isa 43:3-6. Persia showed kindness to the people of Israel and let them return to their own land (Ezra 1:1-4). In return God enabled Persia to conquer Egypt, Cush, and Seba. Perhaps there is an important principle here in God’s dealings with nations.⚜
19 📚It is better to live
in the wilderness,
than with a quarrelsome and angry woman.
20 📚There is precious treasure
and oil in the home of the wise,
but a foolish man consumes it.
21 📚He who follows righteousness
and mercy finds life, righteousness,
and honour.
22 📚A wise man scales the wall of
the city of the mighty,
and casts down the stronghold
in which they trust.
21:22 This is true in the spiritual realm also. God’s wisdom enables His servants to demolish the refuge of false philosophies and religious ideas in which others trust. See 2 Cor 10:4.⚜
23 📚Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps his soul from troubles.
24 📚Proud and haughty scorner is
his name, who acts with arrogant pride.
21:24 Prov 1:22. Scorning God’s word is the result of pride and ignorance (Matt 27:27-29, 41; 2 Pet 3:3-5; Jude 10).⚜
25 📚The desire of the lazy kills him,
for his hands refuse to work.
26 📚He greedily covets all day long,
but the righteous gives unsparingly.
27 📚The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination;
how much more when he brings it
with a wicked mind?
28 📚A false witness will perish,
but the man who listens speaks to the end.
21:28 References at Prov 19:5. The Hebrew of the second phrase is difficult and this is only one of possible translations. It may mean “but the words of an obedient man (one who listens) will live on”. Or “the obedient man will always speak the truth” (the words “the truth” being added).⚜
29 📚A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but as for the upright,
he directs his way.
30 📚There is no wisdom or understanding
or counsel against the LORD.
31 📚The horse is prepared for the day
of battle,
but safety is from the LORD.