Proverbs 22 Study Notes: A Good Name and Sayings of the Wise
Proverbs 22 values a good reputation above riches, reminds rich and poor that God made them both, and speaks of training children. At verse 17 sayings of the wise begin, aimed at trust in the LORD, warning against robbing the poor, angry friends, risky pledges, and moving boundary stones, and praising skilled work.
General
Why does 22:24-25 warn against close friendship with someone quick to anger?
Answer: You may pick up his habits and be caught in a trap
The sayings of the wise warn against befriending a man given to anger or associating with a person who flares up quickly, because you may pick up his habits and get yourself caught in a snare (22:24-25). Companions shape character, and anger is contagious. Proverbs says keeping company with the wise makes one wise, while befriending fools brings harm (13:20); Paul warns that bad companions spoil good character (1 Corinthians 15:33); and a wrathful man provokes conflict and multiplies wrongdoing (29:22).
- Proverbs 22:24-25 (BSB)“Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”Do not befriend an angry man, lest you learn his ways and be trapped.
- Proverbs 13:20 (BSB)“He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”Companionship shapes character: walking with the wise makes one wise.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 (BSB)“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.””Paul warns that bad company corrupts good character.
- Proverbs 29:22 (BSB)“An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.”An angry man stirs up conflict and multiplies wrongdoing.
Theological
What danger does 22:24-25 attach to friendship with the wrathful?
Answer: You may pick up his habits and be caught in a trap
One must not befriend a man of wrath or keep company with the hot-tempered, lest one absorb his habits and ensnare one's own soul (22:24-25). Character is formed by association, and anger is readily absorbed. 13:20 states the formative power of companionship; 1 Corinthians 15:33 applies the same maxim to the church; and 29:22 describes the dissension and transgression that follow the angry man.
- Proverbs 22:24-25 (BSB)“Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”Do not befriend an angry man, lest you learn his ways and be trapped.
- Proverbs 13:20 (BSB)“He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”Companionship shapes character: walking with the wise makes one wise.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 (BSB)“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.””Paul warns that bad company corrupts good character.
- Proverbs 29:22 (BSB)“An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.”An angry man stirs up conflict and multiplies wrongdoing.
General
What reason does 22:26-27 give for refusing to guarantee another person's debts?
Answer: If you cannot pay, even your bed may be seized
The chapter observes that the wealthy hold power over those with little and that a borrower becomes a servant to his lender (22:7). Later the sayings of the wise warn against striking hands as a guarantor for someone else's debts, and give a vivid reason: if you lack the means to pay, even the bed you sleep on could be taken from you (22:26-27). The lesson is caution about binding yourself to obligations you cannot meet. Earlier, the father urges his son to go and free himself from such a pledge (6:1-3), and another saying calls putting up security for a neighbor a lack of judgment (17:18).
- Proverbs 22:7 (BSB)“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”Wealth gives power over the poor, and a borrower becomes subject to his lender.
- Proverbs 22:26-27 (BSB)“Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?”Do not guarantee others' debts, for if you cannot pay, even your bed may be taken.
- Proverbs 6:1-3 (BSB)“My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.”The father urges his son to go and plead to be freed from a rash pledge.
- Proverbs 17:18 (BSB)“A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.”Putting up security for a neighbor is called a sign of poor judgment.
Theological
What rationale does 22:26-27 give against becoming surety?
Answer: If you cannot pay, even your bed may be seized
Borrowing places a person under the lender's power (22:7), and the sayings of the wise forbid pledging oneself as surety for another's debts, with a concrete reason: if you lack the means to pay, even the bed you lie on could be seized (22:26-27). The concern is prudent avoidance of obligations one cannot fulfill. The father's urgent counsel in 6:1-3 to extricate oneself from such a pledge and the judgment of 17:18 on the man who pledges himself for a neighbor's debt make the same point.
- Proverbs 22:7 (BSB)“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”Wealth gives power over the poor, and a borrower becomes subject to his lender.
- Proverbs 22:26-27 (BSB)“Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?”Do not guarantee others' debts, for if you cannot pay, even your bed may be taken.
- Proverbs 6:1-3 (BSB)“My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.”The father urges his son to go and plead to be freed from a rash pledge.
- Proverbs 17:18 (BSB)“A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.”Putting up security for a neighbor is called a sign of poor judgment.
General
Why is the generous man blessed according to 22:9?
Answer: Because he gives some of his food to the needy
The generous person will be blessed, and the reason given is that he gives some of his own food to the poor (22:9). Generosity toward those in need is not lost; God sees and rewards it. Proverbs says the one who gives freely gains even more, and whoever brings refreshment to others is refreshed (11:24-25), and that showing kindness to the needy is like lending to the LORD, who repays (19:17). Paul teaches that generous sowing brings a generous harvest, and that God delights in one who gives gladly (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
- Proverbs 22:9 (BSB)“A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”The generous person is blessed because he shares his food with the poor.
- Proverbs 11:24-25 (BSB)“One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”The one who gives freely gains more, and whoever refreshes others is refreshed.
- Proverbs 19:17 (BSB)“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.”Kindness to the poor is pictured as lending to the LORD, who repays.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (BSB)“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.”Paul teaches that generous sowing brings a generous harvest and that God loves a cheerful giver.
Theological
On what ground does 22:9 pronounce the generous man blessed?
Answer: Because he gives some of his food to the needy
The generous man is blessed on this ground: he gives of his food to the poor (22:9). Liberality toward the needy is honored by God. 11:24-25 describes the paradox of the one who scatters and yet increases; 19:17 presents kindness to the needy as lending to the LORD, who repays; and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 applies the sowing-and-reaping principle to Christian giving, adding that God delights in a glad giver.
- Proverbs 22:9 (BSB)“A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”The generous person is blessed because he shares his food with the poor.
- Proverbs 11:24-25 (BSB)“One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”The one who gives freely gains more, and whoever refreshes others is refreshed.
- Proverbs 19:17 (BSB)“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.”Kindness to the poor is pictured as lending to the LORD, who repays.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (BSB)“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.”Paul teaches that generous sowing brings a generous harvest and that God loves a cheerful giver.
General
What does 22:1 rank above great wealth?
Answer: A reputation for good character and the goodwill of others
The chapter opens by ranking a good name, a reputation for integrity, above great riches, and favor with others above silver and gold (22:1). Wealth can be gained and lost, but a trustworthy character is worth more. Ecclesiastes also prizes a good name above fine perfume (Ecclesiastes 7:1), and Proverbs says the righteous are remembered with blessing while the reputation of the wicked decays (10:7). Jesus warned that a person's life is not measured by how much he owns (Luke 12:15).
- Proverbs 22:1 (BSB)“A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.”A good reputation and favor are valued above wealth and precious metals.
- Ecclesiastes 7:1 (BSB)“A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.”The Teacher likewise ranks a good name above fine perfume.
- Proverbs 10:7 (BSB)“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”The righteous are remembered with blessing, while the name of the wicked decays.
- Luke 12:15 (BSB)“And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.””Jesus warns that a person's life is not measured by what he owns.
Theological
What does 22:1 judge to be worth more than great wealth?
Answer: A reputation for good character and the goodwill of others
A good reputation is to be chosen over great riches, and favor over silver and gold (22:1). Character and a trustworthy reputation outweigh material wealth. Ecclesiastes 7:1 sets a good name above fine perfume; 10:7 contrasts the blessed remembrance of the just with the decaying reputation of the ungodly; and Christ's warning in Luke 12:15 locates life in something other than the abundance of possessions.
- Proverbs 22:1 (BSB)“A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.”A good reputation and favor are valued above wealth and precious metals.
- Ecclesiastes 7:1 (BSB)“A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.”The Teacher likewise ranks a good name above fine perfume.
- Proverbs 10:7 (BSB)“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”The righteous are remembered with blessing, while the name of the wicked decays.
- Luke 12:15 (BSB)“And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.””Jesus warns that a person's life is not measured by what he owns.
General
Which pair of qualities does 22:4 name as the path whose reward is riches, honor, and life?
Answer: Humility joined with the fear of the LORD
The saying pairs humility with reverent fear of the LORD, awe and trust toward God, and names what they lead to: riches, honor, and life (22:4). The point is that God honors those who humble themselves before Him. Proverbs says humility leads the way to honor (18:12), Jesus taught that those who lower themselves will be raised up (Luke 14:11), and Peter urges believers to bow low beneath God's powerful hand, trusting Him to lift them up at the right time (1 Peter 5:6).
- Proverbs 22:4 (BSB)“The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.”Humility together with the fear of the LORD brings riches, honor, and life.
- Proverbs 18:12 (BSB)“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”A proud heart comes before a fall, but humility leads to honor.
- Luke 14:11 (BSB)“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””Jesus teaches that the self-exalting will be brought low and the humble lifted up.
- 1 Peter 5:6 (BSB)“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.”Peter urges humility under God's hand, trusting Him to lift up in due time.
Theological
What does 22:4 set forth as the way to riches, honor, and life?
Answer: Humility joined with the fear of the LORD
Humility is joined with the fear of the LORD, and their fruit is riches, honor, and life (22:4). Its point is that God exalts the lowly who fear Him. 18:12 sets humility before honor, Luke 14:11 states the reversal principle of the kingdom, and 1 Peter 5:6 calls believers to humble themselves under God's mighty hand, awaiting His exaltation in due time.
- Proverbs 22:4 (BSB)“The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.”Humility together with the fear of the LORD brings riches, honor, and life.
- Proverbs 18:12 (BSB)“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”A proud heart comes before a fall, but humility leads to honor.
- Luke 14:11 (BSB)“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””Jesus teaches that the self-exalting will be brought low and the humble lifted up.
- 1 Peter 5:6 (BSB)“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.”Peter urges humility under God's hand, trusting Him to lift up in due time.
General
In 22:3, how do the prudent and the simple respond differently to danger ahead?
Answer: The prudent take cover, while the simple walk on
The prudent person looks ahead, sees trouble coming, and takes shelter; the simple, the naive and thoughtless, keep walking straight into it and pay for it (22:3). Wisdom includes foresight, noticing where a path leads and acting on it. The same saying appears again almost word for word in 27:12, and another saying contrasts the cautious wise man who avoids evil with the heedless, rash fool (14:16).
- Proverbs 22:3 (BSB)“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.”The sensible person sees trouble ahead and hides, while the naive walk on into it.
- Proverbs 27:12 (BSB)“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”The same saying appears again almost word for word later in the book.
- Proverbs 14:16 (BSB)“A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.”The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, while the fool is reckless.
Theological
What contrast in foresight does 22:3 draw?
Answer: The prudent take cover, while the simple walk on
The prudent perceive coming evil and conceal themselves, whereas the naive press on and suffer for it (22:3). Wisdom anticipates consequences; simplicity walks blindly into them. The saying is repeated nearly verbatim at 27:12, and 14:16 likewise contrasts cautious avoidance of evil with the fool's reckless confidence.
- Proverbs 22:3 (BSB)“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.”The sensible person sees trouble ahead and hides, while the naive walk on into it.
- Proverbs 27:12 (BSB)“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”The same saying appears again almost word for word later in the book.
- Proverbs 14:16 (BSB)“A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.”The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, while the fool is reckless.
General
True or False: According to 22:2, wealthy and poor people have the same Maker, the LORD.
Answer: True
This is true. Whatever divides them, the wealthy and the poor share one thing: the LORD made every one of them (22:2). Since both bear the stamp of the same Creator, the rich have no ground for contempt and the poor are not beneath God's notice. Job reasoned that the same God who formed him before birth also formed his servants (Job 31:15). A similar saying says the LORD grants sight to both the needy man and his oppressor (29:13), and Proverbs says that oppressing the poor is an insult to their Maker (14:31).
- Proverbs 22:2 (BSB)“The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.”The wealthy and the poor share one thing: the LORD made them all.
- Job 31:15 (BSB)“Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?”Job reasons that the same God formed both him and his servants in the womb.
- Proverbs 29:13 (BSB)“The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.”A similar saying says the LORD gives light to the eyes of both poor and oppressor.
- Proverbs 14:31 (BSB)“Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.”How someone treats the poor reflects how he regards their Maker.
Theological
True or False: 22:2 grounds the common bond of rich and poor in the LORD being the Maker of both.
Answer: True
This is true. Rich and poor meet together in this: the LORD made every one of them (22:2). The shared creaturely dignity of both undercuts contempt for the needy and flattery of the wealthy. Job 31:15 argues from the common creation of master and servant; 29:13 is a parallel saying about the LORD giving sight to both the needy and those who oppress them; and 14:31 makes treatment of the poor a matter of honoring or taunting their Maker.
- Proverbs 22:2 (BSB)“The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.”The wealthy and the poor share one thing: the LORD made them all.
- Job 31:15 (BSB)“Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?”Job reasons that the same God formed both him and his servants in the womb.
- Proverbs 29:13 (BSB)“The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.”A similar saying says the LORD gives light to the eyes of both poor and oppressor.
- Proverbs 14:31 (BSB)“Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.”How someone treats the poor reflects how he regards their Maker.
General
According to 22:15, what is the purpose of the rod of correction?
Answer: To drive out the folly bound up in a child's heart
The saying observes that foolishness is already tied fast in a child's heart while he is young; it sits within him, not merely around him. The rod, corrective discipline, drives it out (22:15). The purpose of correction is the child's good, removing folly and imparting wisdom, not venting anger or displaying power. Proverbs contrasts the parent who withholds discipline, which it calls a failure of love, with the one who loves his child and corrects him diligently (13:24), and says correction imparts wisdom while an uncorrected child brings shame (29:15). Hebrews says God disciplines His children for their good, so that they may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:10).
- Proverbs 22:15 (BSB)“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.”Folly is fastened in a child's heart, and corrective discipline removes it.
- Proverbs 13:24 (BSB)“He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”Withholding discipline is called hatred, while a loving parent corrects diligently.
- Proverbs 29:15 (BSB)“A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.”Correction imparts wisdom, while a child left to himself brings shame.
- Hebrews 12:10 (BSB)“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.”God disciplines His children for their good, that they may share His holiness.
Theological
What purpose does 22:15 assign to corrective discipline?
Answer: To drive out the folly bound up in a child's heart
Folly is fastened within a child's heart, and corrective discipline removes it (22:15). The saying locates folly within the child's own heart, already fastened there in youth, and it frames discipline as loving correction aimed at the child's good. 13:24 identifies withheld discipline as a failure of love and diligent correction as love's expression; 29:15 links correction with the gaining of wisdom; and Hebrews 12:10 shows the same pattern in the Father's discipline of His children for their holiness.
- Proverbs 22:15 (BSB)“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.”Folly is fastened in a child's heart, and corrective discipline removes it.
- Proverbs 13:24 (BSB)“He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”Withholding discipline is called hatred, while a loving parent corrects diligently.
- Proverbs 29:15 (BSB)“A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.”Correction imparts wisdom, while a child left to himself brings shame.
- Hebrews 12:10 (BSB)“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.”God disciplines His children for their good, that they may share His holiness.
General
In 22:17-21, what aim does the teacher give for passing on these sayings?
Answer: That the hearer's confidence would rest on the LORD
At 22:17 a new section begins, introduced as sayings from the wise. The teacher calls the hearer to listen closely and keep these words within and ready on his lips (22:17-18), and then states his purpose: he is teaching so that the hearer will rely on the LORD (22:19). He adds that he has written thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge so that the hearer may know what is true and give sound answers (22:20-21). Wisdom's goal is not mere skill but confidence in God. The father earlier urged wholehearted reliance on the LORD rather than one's own understanding (3:5-6). Paul says the Scriptures were written to instruct and give hope (Romans 15:4) and are able to give the wisdom that leads to salvation by believing in Christ (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
- Proverbs 22:17-19 (BSB)“Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge— for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.”A new section, the sayings of the wise, begins with a call to listen, and the teacher states that his aim is the hearer's trust in the LORD.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB)“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”The father urges wholehearted trust in the LORD rather than reliance on one's own understanding.
- Romans 15:4 (BSB)“For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”Paul says the Scriptures were written to instruct and to give hope.
- 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (BSB)“But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”Paul reminds Timothy that the Scriptures make one wise for salvation through faith.
Theological
What purpose does the teacher state for his instruction in 22:17-21?
Answer: That the hearer's confidence would rest on the LORD
The section introduced as sayings from the wise (22:17) opens with a summons to attentive hearing and retention (22:17-18) and declares its end: that the hearer will rely on the LORD (22:19). The thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge are given so that the hearer may know what is certain and answer truly (22:20-21). The goal of wisdom is faith in God, not mere technique. Compare 3:5-6 (reliance on the LORD over one's own understanding), Romans 15:4 (Scripture written for instruction and hope), and 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (the Scriptures giving the wisdom that leads to salvation by believing in Christ).
- Proverbs 22:17-19 (BSB)“Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge— for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.”A new section, the sayings of the wise, begins with a call to listen, and the teacher states that his aim is the hearer's trust in the LORD.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB)“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”The father urges wholehearted trust in the LORD rather than reliance on one's own understanding.
- Romans 15:4 (BSB)“For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”Paul says the Scriptures were written to instruct and to give hope.
- 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (BSB)“But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”Paul reminds Timothy that the Scriptures make one wise for salvation through faith.
General
According to 22:29, where will a man who excels at his work end up?
Answer: Standing to serve before kings
The chapter closes by asking the reader to consider a man who is skilled and diligent at his craft: he will serve before kings, not before obscure people (22:29). Excellent work is noticed and opens doors. Huram, a bronze craftsman of great skill, was brought to do the work for King Solomon (1 Kings 7:13-14). The Teacher urges doing whatever work one's hands find with all one's might (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and Paul tells believers to work wholeheartedly, as serving the Lord rather than people (Colossians 3:23).
- Proverbs 22:29 (BSB)“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”A man skilled at his work will serve before kings rather than unknown men.
- 1 Kings 7:13-14 (BSB)“Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.”Huram, a craftsman of great skill in bronze, was brought to do the work for King Solomon.
- Colossians 3:23 (BSB)“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men,”Paul urges believers to work wholeheartedly, as for the Lord.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10 (BSB)“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”The Teacher urges doing one's work with all one's might.
Theological
What outcome does 22:29 attach to skill in one's work?
Answer: Standing to serve before kings
The expert craftsman will stand before kings, not before men of low rank (22:29). Competence and diligence bring recognition and wider service. Huram's summons to Solomon's building projects on account of his skill illustrates the saying (1 Kings 7:13-14). Ecclesiastes 9:10 commends wholehearted labor, and Colossians 3:23 grounds it in working as unto the Lord.
- Proverbs 22:29 (BSB)“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”A man skilled at his work will serve before kings rather than unknown men.
- 1 Kings 7:13-14 (BSB)“Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.”Huram, a craftsman of great skill in bronze, was brought to do the work for King Solomon.
- Colossians 3:23 (BSB)“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men,”Paul urges believers to work wholeheartedly, as for the Lord.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10 (BSB)“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”The Teacher urges doing one's work with all one's might.
General
What does the slacker's claim in 22:13 about danger in the streets reveal?
Answer: That he invents far-fetched fears to avoid his work
The lazy man refuses to go out, claiming that a lion is waiting outside and that he will be killed in the streets (22:13). The excuse is absurd, and it shows how laziness invents dangers to avoid work. This is different from the prudent person of 22:3, who sees real danger. A near-twin saying repeats the slacker's lion excuse (26:13); the slacker who skips plowing at the right time finds nothing at harvest (20:4); and he rolls over in bed like a door swinging on its hinges (26:14).
- Proverbs 22:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!””The lazy man claims a lion outside will kill him if he goes into the streets.
- Proverbs 26:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!””A near-twin saying repeats the slacker's excuse about a lion in the road.
- Proverbs 20:4 (BSB)“The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.”The slacker fails to plow in season and finds nothing at harvest.
- Proverbs 26:14 (BSB)“As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.”The slacker turns on his bed like a door on its hinges.
Theological
What does the excuse recorded in 22:13 expose?
Answer: That he invents far-fetched fears to avoid his work
The sluggard pleads a lion outside and imagined death in the streets as reasons to stay in (22:13). The satire exposes the rationalizations of sloth, which manufacture improbable dangers to escape duty; it is the counterfeit of the genuine foresight commended in 22:3. 26:13 repeats the excuse, 20:4 shows the harvest-time emptiness of the one who would not plow, and 26:14 pictures the sluggard rolling in bed like a door swinging on its hinges.
- Proverbs 22:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!””The lazy man claims a lion outside will kill him if he goes into the streets.
- Proverbs 26:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!””A near-twin saying repeats the slacker's excuse about a lion in the road.
- Proverbs 20:4 (BSB)“The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.”The slacker fails to plow in season and finds nothing at harvest.
- Proverbs 26:14 (BSB)“As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.”The slacker turns on his bed like a door on its hinges.
General
What reason does 22:22-23 give for not exploiting the poor and afflicted?
Answer: The LORD Himself will plead their cause against the robbers
The sayings of the wise forbid robbing a poor man simply because his poverty leaves him exposed, or crushing the afflicted in the city gate, the place where legal cases were heard (22:22). The reason is that the LORD Himself argues for them and will despoil those who despoil them (22:23). Earlier, the chapter warns that exploiting the poor to get rich, or handing presents to the wealthy, ends in poverty (22:16). The fatherless have a strong Redeemer who will argue their case (23:10-11); the LORD secures justice for those in need (Psalm 140:12); and He warned Israel that He would hear the cry of any mistreated widow or orphan (Exodus 22:22-23).
- Proverbs 22:16 (BSB)“Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.”Exploiting the poor for gain or gifting the rich ends in poverty.
- Proverbs 22:22-23 (BSB)“Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.”Do not rob or crush the poor, for the LORD will plead their cause and plunder their robbers.
- Proverbs 23:10-11 (BSB)“Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.”The fatherless have a strong Redeemer who will take up their case.
- Psalm 140:12 (BSB)“I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.”The psalmist knows that the LORD upholds justice for the poor.
- Exodus 22:22-23 (BSB)“You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.”The LORD warned Israel that He hears the cry of mistreated widows and orphans.
Theological
On what ground does 22:22-23 forbid exploiting the poor?
Answer: The LORD Himself will plead their cause against the robbers
The prohibition against robbing the poor on account of their poverty, and against crushing the afflicted in the gate where justice was administered (22:22), is grounded in the LORD's advocacy: He will plead their cause and despoil those who despoil them (22:23). 22:16 adds that enriching oneself by oppression, or by presents to the wealthy, ends in want. 23:10-11 names the LORD as the strong Redeemer of the fatherless; Psalm 140:12 affirms that He secures justice for the afflicted; and in Exodus 22:22-23 He pledges to hear the cry of the mistreated widow and orphan.
- Proverbs 22:16 (BSB)“Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.”Exploiting the poor for gain or gifting the rich ends in poverty.
- Proverbs 22:22-23 (BSB)“Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.”Do not rob or crush the poor, for the LORD will plead their cause and plunder their robbers.
- Proverbs 23:10-11 (BSB)“Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.”The fatherless have a strong Redeemer who will take up their case.
- Psalm 140:12 (BSB)“I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.”The psalmist knows that the LORD upholds justice for the poor.
- Exodus 22:22-23 (BSB)“You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.”The LORD warned Israel that He hears the cry of mistreated widows and orphans.
General
How is the saying in 22:6 about training a child best understood?
Answer: As a general pattern: early training in the right way usually lasts
The verse urges parents to train a young child in the right path, and says that in old age he will not turn from it (22:6). Proverbs are God-given wisdom about how life generally works, not unconditional guarantees for every case, so the saying encourages faithful training without promising that no trained child will ever stray. Samuel's own sons, for example, turned aside from their father's example (1 Samuel 8:1-3). The call to teach children is plain throughout Scripture: Israel's parents were to speak God's words to their children in every part of daily life (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), and Paul tells fathers to bring up their children with the Lord's training and teaching (Ephesians 6:4).
- Proverbs 22:6 (BSB)“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”Training the young in the right path is linked to his staying on it when he is old.
- Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (BSB)“These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”Israel's parents were to teach God's words to their children throughout daily life.
- Ephesians 6:4 (BSB)“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”Paul tells fathers to raise children in the Lord's discipline and instruction.
- 1 Samuel 8:1-3 (BSB)“When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.”Samuel's own sons turned aside from his ways, showing that the saying describes a pattern rather than a guarantee.
Theological
How does 22:6 function as a proverb?
Answer: As a general pattern: early training in the right way usually lasts
Training the young in the right path normally results in his continuing in it when old (22:6). As a proverb it states a general pattern of God's providential order, not an unconditional guarantee; the salvation of any child rests on God's grace, and children of a godly father may still stray, as Samuel's sons did (1 Samuel 8:1-3). The duty itself is clear: Deuteronomy 6:6-7 requires diligent covenant instruction woven into daily life, and Ephesians 6:4 charges fathers to rear children in the Lord's training and teaching.
- Proverbs 22:6 (BSB)“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”Training the young in the right path is linked to his staying on it when he is old.
- Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (BSB)“These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”Israel's parents were to teach God's words to their children throughout daily life.
- Ephesians 6:4 (BSB)“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”Paul tells fathers to raise children in the Lord's discipline and instruction.
- 1 Samuel 8:1-3 (BSB)“When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.”Samuel's own sons turned aside from his ways, showing that the saying describes a pattern rather than a guarantee.