--- title: "Proverbs 21 - Study King James Bible with the biblical illustrator" description: "Read Proverbs 21 with the biblical illustrator commentary. 1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21" --- [ Read](/kjv/proverbs/21)[ Commentary](/study/proverbs/21)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/proverbs/21) Audio 1 The king’s heart *is* in the hand of the LORD, *as* the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man *is* right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. 3 To do justice and judgment *is* more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 4 An high look, and a proud heart, *and* the plowing of the wicked, *is* sin.** 5 The thoughts of the diligent *tend* only to plenteousness; but of every one *that is* hasty only to want. 6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue *is* a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. 7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.* 8 The way of man *is* froward and strange: but *as for* the pure, his work *is* right. 9 *It is* better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.** 10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.* 11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. 12 The righteous *man* wisely considereth the house of the wicked: *but God* overthroweth the wicked for *their* wickedness. 13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. 15 *It is* joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction *shall be* to the workers of iniquity. 16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17 He that loveth pleasure *shall be* a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.* 18 The wicked *shall be* a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19 *It is* better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.* 20 *There is* treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. 21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. 22 A wise *man* scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. 23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. 24 Proud *and* haughty scorner *is* his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.* 25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked *is* abomination: how much more, *when* he bringeth it with a wicked mind?* 28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.* 29 A wicked man hardeneth his face: but *as for* the upright, he directeth his way.* 30 *There is* no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse *is* prepared against the day of battle: but safety *is* of the LORD.* [Proverbs 20](/study/proverbs/20) [Proverbs 22](/study/proverbs/22) ## Commentary To verse 1 [Proverbs 21:1](/kjv/proverbs/21/1) *The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.* **God and the human race** In these verses we have God unfolded to us. ** I.**As the controller of human hearts. Some suppose there is an allusion to the gardener directing the rills of water through the different parts of his ground, and that the comparison is between the ease with which the gardener does this and the ease with which the Almighty controls the purposes and volitions of the human soul. **1.**This is an undoubted fact. *A priori* reasoning renders this obvious. The God of infinite wisdom must have a purpose to answer in relation to the existence and history of the human race. He has a purpose not only in the rise and fall of empires, but in all the events that happen in the individual history of the obscure as well as the illustrious. But unless He has a control over the workings of the human heart and the volitions of the human soul, how could this purpose be realised? If He controls not****the thoughts and impulses of the human mind, He has no control over the human race, and His purposes have no guarantee for their fulfilment. **2.**This fact interferes not with human responsibility. Though the Creator has an absolute control over all the workings of our minds, yet we are conscious that we are free in all our volitions and actions. Though the reconciliation of these two facts transcends our philosophy, they involve no absurdity. ** II.**As the judge of human character. There is a connection between the second and first verses. The connection suggests-- **1.**That God judges men’s characters, not according to their own estimate. Men generally are so vain that they form a high opinion of themselves, but this estimate may be the very reverse of God’s. **2.**That God judges men’s characters not according to the result of their conduct. Though they may unwittingly work out His plans, they do not approve themselves to Him on that account. **3.**That God judges men’s characters by the heart. The essence of the character is in the motive. ** III.**As the approver of human goodness ([Proverbs 21:3](/kjv/proverbs/21/3)). Sacrifice, at best, is only circumstantially good--rectitude is essentially so. Sacrifice, at best, is only the means and expression of good--rectitude is goodness itself. God accepts the moral without the ceremonial, but never the ceremonial without the moral. The universe can do without the ceremonial, but not without the****moral. (*D. Thomas, D. D.*) **God rules the hearts of men** General Gordon had****an Arab text inscribed over his throne in the Palace of Khartoum--“God rules over the hearts of men.” ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21","name":"Proverbs 21 - Study King James Bible with the biblical illustrator","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read Proverbs 21 with the biblical illustrator commentary. 1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","name":"Study Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator","name":"the biblical illustrator"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs","name":"Proverbs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/the-biblical-illustrator/proverbs/21","name":"21"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```