Proverbs 19:28

An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. AN UNGODLY WITNESS (HEBREW, A WITNESS OF BELIAL) SCORNETH JUDGMENT - justice. He has no reverence for the sacred place of justice, but makes it a jest. AND THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED DEVOURETH INIQUITY - greedily and with delight, filling themselves, wholly with it: 'drinking iniquity like water' ()....

UNGODLY WITNESS - literally, “Witness of Belial,” “worthless,” “untruthful.” DEVOURETH INIQUITY - Seizes on it eagerly, as a dainty, lives on it....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 19:1 BETTER IS THE POOR THAT WALKTH IN HIS INTEGRITY. The word for "poor" is, here and in Proverbs 19:7, Proverbs 19:22, _rash, _which signifies "poor" in opposition to "rich." In the present reading of the second clause, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool, there seems to be a failure in antithesis, unless we can understand the fool as a rich fool. This, the repetition of the maxim in Proverbs 28:6 ("Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich"), would lead one to admit. The Vulgate accordingly has, Quam dives torquem

AN UNGODLY WITNESS SCORNETH JUDGMENT,.... Or, "a witness of Belial" z. A false witness is not awed by the place of judgment where he is; nor by the judge before whom he is; nor by the law, the rule of judgment, nor by the punishment of perjury; he scorns all these, and scoffs at them, and proceeds in bearing a false testimony: or he covers that which is right and just, and eludes judgment by specious and sophistic arguments and pretences. Or this may be understood of a false teacher, that scorns the rule of judgment, or colours over things, to make them plausible, and seem to be agreeable to it; AND THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED DEVOURETH INIQUITY; greedily, and with pleasure commits it; as a hungry man takes in his food; or a thirsty man drinks down water: and in like manner are false doctrines imbibed by men of perverse minds. z עד בליעל "testis Belijahal", Montanus, Tigurine version, Bayn...

CHAPTER 19:1-19 FURTHER PROVERBS ON PERSONAL INSTRUCTION One may be poor, but walking in integrity, he is far ahead of him who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. Then we find proverbs about fretting against the Lord; warning against false witness and speaking lies and other matters. We call special attention to Proverbs 19:12 . _ The King's wrath is as the roaring of a lion._ But his favour is as dew upon the grass. It may be applied to Him who is The Lamb of God and also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Some day He will roar in His displeasure and manifest the wrath, so well deserved by the world. But even then His grace will be revealed, for in wrath He will remember mercy, the mercy promised to Israel. “I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth its roots as Lebanon”...

PROVERBS 19. A shrewd turn of sarcasm in Proverbs 19:3 suggests the attitude of practical wisdom towards that questioning of the moral government of the world which we find in Job. PROVERBS 19:1. FOOL: read rich, as in Proverbs 28:6. Proverbs 19:2 a. Both RV and RVm are unsound grammatically. The lit. rendering shows that the clause is defective, Also without knowledge of the soul. is not good. Some verb expressing action is required. Proverbs 19:2 b. sinneth: read _mg._ The idea is more haste less speed.

AN UNGODLY WITNESS. Hebrew "A witness of Belial": i.e.. false witness. MOUTH. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, for the witness given by it. THE WICKED. lawless ones. Hebrew. _rasha'._ App-44....

_ungodly_ Rather, WORTHLESS. See Proverbs 6:12, note....

TEXT Proverbs 19:21-29 21. There are many devices in a man's heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand. 22. That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar. 23. The fear of Jehovah tendeth to life; And he that hath it shall abide satisfied; He shall not be visited with evil. 24. The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25. Smite a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; And reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge. 26. He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away his mother, Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach. 27. Cease, my son, to hear instruction Only to err from the words of knowledge.

1. FOOL] read, 'rich' (Proverbs 28:6)....