---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Proverbs 20"
description: "CHAPTER 20   :-. 1. mocker—scorner. Such men
are made by wine. strong drink—made by
spicing wine (compare Isaiah 5:11;
Isaiah 5:22); and it may include
wi"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/proverbs/20"
---

CHAPTER 20

.

**1. mocker**—scorner. Such men
are made by wine.
**strong drink**—made by
spicing wine (compare [Isaiah 5:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/5/11);
[Isaiah 5:22](../../../kjv/isaiah/5/22)); and it may include
wine.
**raging**—or boisterous as
a drunkard.
**deceived**—literally,
"erring," or reeling.

**2.** (Compare ). Men who resist authority injure themselves ().

**3. to cease from strife**—or,
better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the
habit of life.
**fool . . . meddling**—
([Proverbs 17:14](../../../kjv/proverbs/17/14)).

**4. shall . . . beg**—literally,
"ask" (in this sense, ).

**5. Counsel . . . water**—that
is, deeply hidden ([Proverbs 18:4](../../../kjv/proverbs/18/4);
[Psalms 13:2](../../../kjv/psalms/13/2)). The wise can discern
well.

**6.** Boasters are unreliable.
**goodness**—or, "kind
disposition."

**7.** The conduct of good men
proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good
example secure blessing to their children ([Proverbs 4:26](../../../kjv/proverbs/4/26);
[Psalms 112:1](../../../kjv/psalms/112/1); [Psalms 112:2](../../../kjv/psalms/112/2)).

**8.** As in [Proverbs 14:35](../../../kjv/proverbs/14/35);
[Proverbs 16:10](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/10); [Proverbs 16:15](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/15),
this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.

**9.** The interrogation in the
affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare [Job 15:14](../../../kjv/job/15/14);
[Ecclesiastes 7:20](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/20)).

**10.** Various measures, implying
that some are wrong (compare [Proverbs 11:1](../../../kjv/proverbs/11/1);
[Proverbs 16:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/11)).

**11.** The conduct of children even
is the best test of principle (compare ).

**12.** Hence, of course, God will
know all you do ([Psalms 94:9](../../../kjv/psalms/94/9)).

**13.** Activity and diligence
contrasted with sloth ([Proverbs 6:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/6/9);
[Proverbs 10:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/10/11)).
**lest . . . poverty**—literally,
"be deprived of inheritance."

**14. when . . . his way**—implying
that he goes about boasting of his bargains.

**15.** The contrast denotes the
greater value of knowledge (compare ).

**16. Take his garment**—implies
severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
**a strange woman**—by some
readings "strangers," but the former here, and in , is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is
less reliable than the merely careless.

**17. Bread . . . sweet**—either
as unlawfully ([Proverbs 9:17](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/17)) or
easily obtained.
**mouth . . . gravel**—well
expresses the pain and grief given at last.

**18.** (Compare ). Be careful and considerate in important plans.

**19.** Those who love to tell news
will hardly keep secrets.
**flattereth . . .
lips**—(compare *Margin;* ).
**meddle . . . him**—literally,
"join," or "associate with."

**20. his lamp**—(Compare [Proverbs 13:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/13/9);
[Proverbs 24:20](../../../kjv/proverbs/24/20)).

**21. gotten hastily**—contrary to
God's providence ([Proverbs 28:20](../../../kjv/proverbs/28/20)),
implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or
spends freely what he got easily (compare [Proverbs 28:20](../../../kjv/proverbs/28/20)).

**22.** (Compare [Psalms 27:14](../../../kjv/psalms/27/14);
[Romans 12:17-19](../../../kjv/romans/12/17-19)).

**23.** (Compare [Proverbs 20:10](../../../kjv/proverbs/20/10);
[Proverbs 11:1](../../../kjv/proverbs/11/1)).

**24. Man's goings**—literally,
"Stately steppings of a strong man."
**a man**—any common man.
**understand**—or,
"perceive."

**25. devoureth . . . holy**—or,
better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what
is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last
clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly
vowing.

**26.** (Compare ).
**bringeth . . . over them**—The
wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity
(compare [Amos 1:3](../../../kjv/amos/1/3)).

**27. The spirit . . . Lord**—Men's
minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare
[Proverbs 20:5](../../../kjv/proverbs/20/5); [Proverbs 18:8](../../../kjv/proverbs/18/8);
[Proverbs 18:17](../../../kjv/proverbs/18/17); [1 Corinthians 2:11](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/2/11)).

**28.** (Compare [Proverbs 3:3](../../../kjv/proverbs/3/3);
[Proverbs 16:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/6); [Proverbs 16:12](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/12)).

**29. The glory of young men . . . the
beauty of old men**—Each age has its peculiar excellence ().

**30. blueness**—literally,
"joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound
throws off purulent matter.
**stripes . . . belly**—So
punishment provides healing of soul (), by deterring from evil courses.

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