Proverbs 17:7

Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. EXCELLENT SPEECH (A LIP OF EXCELLENCY) BECOMETH NOT A FOOL; MUCH LESS DO LYING LIPS (A LIP OF LYING) A PRINCE. "Excellent speech" - speech which is above the capacity, office, and experience of the speaker, in this case "a fool" - speech whereby one wishes to be eminent above all others, to be the only one to speak and to be heard. Such speech, however excellent in itself it might chance to be, is incongruous in a fool. It would do more harm than good. On the contrary, in "a prince" [whose very Hebrew name, naadiyb (H5081), expresses liberality, from naadab (H5068), to be liberal, to give freely] excellent speech is most becoming his office and person; therefore the opposite kind of speech, 'a lip of lying,' or...

Verse Proverbs 17:7. _EXCELLENT SPEECH BECOMETH NOT A FOOL_] This proverb is suitable to those who affect, in public speaking, fine language, which neither comports with their ordinary conversation, nor with their education. Often _fine words_ are injudiciously brought in, and are as unbecoming and irrelevant as a cart wheel among clockwork....

The margin renderings are more literal and give greater emphasis. What is pointed out is not the unfitness of lying lips for the princely-hearted, but the necessity of harmony, in each case, between character and speech....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 17:1 (Comp, Proverbs 15:16, Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 16:8.) BETTER (sweeter) IS A DRY MORSEL, AND QUIETNESS THEREWITH. Dry bread was soaked in wine or water before it was eaten. Thus Boaz bid Ruth "dip her morsel in the vinegar" (Ruth 2:14); thus Jesus gave the sop to Judas when he had dipped it (John 13:26). The Septuagint is pleonastic, "Better is a morsel with joy in peace." Ab

EXCELLENT SPEECH BECOMETH NOT A FOOL,.... A wicked man. Eloquence, or a sublime grand way of speaking, a copiousness and fluency of expression, become not such; because hereby he may be capable of doing more mischief; or such a style is unsuitable to the subject of his discourse, which is nothing but folly and wickedness. The Gospel is excellent speech, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; it treats of excellent things; concerning the person, office, and grace of Christ, and salvation by him; and very unfit is a wicked man to take it into his mouth, talk of it, and declare it; MUCH LESS DO LYING LIPS A PRINCE; they rather become a fool, as excellent speech does a prince; who neither should speak lies himself, nor encourage, but abhor them in others. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it, "a just man": but the word more property signifies a liberal man, as it is rende...

CHAPTER 17 DIVERSE PROVERBS Of the twenty-eight proverbs found in this chapter we point out but a few. “The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts” (Proverbs 17:3). Man may try silver and gold, but God only the hearts. And He tries the hearts by the refining process, trials and afflictions, the process which rests in His own hands. (See Psalms 66:10; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:7 .) “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends” (Proverbs 17:9). To

PROVERBS 17. Fresh points are the rise of the able and clever slave to a place in the family (Proverbs 17:2), the practice of bribes (Proverbs 17:8; Proverbs 17:23), the value of adversity as a test of friendship (Proverbs 17:17): also the subject of suretyship, dealt with in Proverbs 6:1, is resumed (Proverbs 17:18). PROVERBS 17:1. For the connexion betwee

SPEECH. Hebrew "lip", put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, for what is spoken by it. FOOL. Hebrew. _nabal._ See note on Proverbs 1:7. Not the same word as in verses: Proverbs 17:10; Proverbs 17:12; Proverbs 17:16; Proverbs 10:24; Proverbs 10:25. LIPS. See above note....

_Excellent_ Or, _arrogant_, R.V. marg....

CHAPTER 17 TEXT Proverbs 17:1-10 1. Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife. 2. A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren. 3. The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts. 4. An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished. 6. Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers. 7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince, 8. A bribe is as a precious