Proverbs 18:23

The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly. THE POOR USETH ENTREATIES; BUT THE RICH ANSWERETH ROUGHLY. Poverty generates a feeling of helplessness and humility: wealth generates self-sufficiency; so that the rich, thinking they need not the aid of the poor, give a rough answer to their entreaties....

Note the paradox. The poor man, of whom one might expect roughness, supplicates; the rich, well nurtured, from whom one might look for courtesy, answers harshly and brusquely....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 18:1 This is a difficult verse, and has obtained various interpretations. The Authorized Version gives, THROUGH DESIRE A MAN, HAVING SEPARATED HIMSELF, SEEKETH AND INTERMEDDLETH WITH ALL WISDOM; _i.e. _a man who has an earnest desire for self-improvement will hold himself aloof from worldly entanglements, and, occupying himself wholly in this pursuit, will become conversant with all wisdom. This gives good sense, and offers a contrast to the fool in Proverbs 18:2, who "hath no delight in understanding." But the Hebrew does not rightly bear this interpretation. Its conciseness occasions ambiguity. Literally, _For his desire a man who separates himself seeks_;_ in _(or _against_) all wisdom he mingles

THE POOR USETH ENTREATIES,.... Or "supplications" a; he is an humble supplicant to others for favours he asks in a submissive and lowly manner; he does not demand anything, nor prescribe what shall be done for him, but modestly tells his case, and submits it; so such who are poor in spirit are humble supplicants at the throne of grace; BUT THE RICH ANSWERETH ROUGHLY; being proud and haughty, lifted up with their riches, and in fear of none, they answer others with hard and rough words, especially their inferiors, and particularly the poor. This is not what ought to be, but what commonly is. This verse and Proverbs 18:24 are not in the Arabic version. a תחנונים "supplicationes", Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis....

CHAPTER 18 PROVERBS OF PERSONAL INSTRUCTION There is first a warning against separation produced by desire, that is for gratification and pleasure, and not for a righteous purpose. Such a one becomes an enemy of true wisdom and one who intermeddleth with all wisdom. This proverb finds a New Testament illustration in Alexander the coppersmith, as well as Hymenaeus and Philetus, and Diotrephes of whom John writes in his epistle. A fool foams out his own folly. This proverb in Proverbs 18:2 is illustrated by many of the critics of the Bible. They have no delight in true understanding but their own hearts are laid bare by their mad oppositions to God's Holy Word. The fool's mouth, his lips, the talebearer (whisperer), and the slothful are the themes of the proverbs in Proverbs 18:6. Then we read

PROVERBS 18:1. MT yields no satisfactory sense. The LXX reads The man who wishes to separate from his friends seeks pretexts, but is always liable to reproach. Frankenberg renders the alienated friend seeks an occasion (emending the word for - desire-'), seeks by all means to stir up strife. Proverbs 18:4. RV translates correctly, but the sense is strange. Read, perhaps, The words of the wise are deep waters, a flowing brook, a fountain of life, but this is conjecture rather than emendation. Proverbs 18:5. _cf._ Proverbs 17:26, which may have originally followed this verse....

THE POOR. a needy one. Hebrew. _rush_. See note on Proverbs 6:11....

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 18:13-24 1. How is it folly to him (Proverbs 18:13)? 2. How is it shame to him (Proverbs 18:13)? 3. What would a doctor get out of Proverbs 18:14? 4. Locate the parallels in Proverbs 18:15. 5. Cite Bible examples of such gifts (Proverbs 18:16). 6. What lesson should church leaders learn from the first statement (Proverbs 18:17)? 7. Why did the

1. Lit. 'One who separates himself seeks desire, quarrels with all wisdom.' This would mean that a solitary recluse follows his own wishes and opposes everything reasonable. But LXX suggests, 'The alienated friend seeks an occasion of quarrel, seeks by all means to stir up strife.'...

LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 18 V1 An unfriendly man is selfish. He is not sensible. V2 A fool does not like knowledge. A fool likes to speak his own opinions. V3 The words ‘evil’ and ‘hate’ belong together. The words ‘shame’ and ‘punishment’ belong together....