Proverbs 21:22

A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. A WISE (MAN) SCALETH THE CITY OF THE MIGHTY, AND CASTETH DOWN THE STRENGTH OF THE CONFIDENCE THEREOF - (; Ecclesiastes 9:14.) Wisdom is more efficacious than might....

Verse Proverbs 21:22. _A WISE_ MAN _SCALETH THE CITY OF THE MIGHTY_] Wisdom is in many respects preferable to strength, even in the case of defence. See what skill does in the fortification and reduction of strong places....

Even in war, counsel does more than brute strength. So of the warfare which is carried on in the inner battlefield of the soul. There also wisdom is mighty to the “pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4, where Paul uses the very words of the Septuagint Version of this passage), and the wise man scales and keeps the city which the strong man armed has seized and made his own....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 21:1 THE KING'S HEART IS IN THE HAND OF THE LORD, AS THE RIVERS OF WATER. We are to think of the little channels used for irrigation. As these are altogether under the gardener's control, so the heart of the king, who might seem to have no superior, is directed by God. HE TURNETH IT WHITHERSOEVER HE WILL. By hidden influences and providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his government so as to carry out his designs, to spread around joy and plenty. The system of irrigation signified in this passage is still to be seen in Eastern lands. "Flower beds and gardens of herbs are always made at a little lower level than the surrounding ground, and are divided into small squares, a slight edging of earth banking the whole round on each side. Water is then let in, and floods the entire sur

A WISE [MAN] SCALETH THE CITY OF THE MIGHTY,.... Which makes good what is elsewhere said, that "wisdom is better than strength", Ecclesiastes 9:16; and sometimes more is done by prudence and wisdom, by art and cunning, by schemes and stratagems, than by power and force; especially in military affairs, and particularly in besieging and taking fortified cities; when one wise man, by his wisdom, may so order and manage things, as to be able, with a few under his command, to mount the walls of a city and take it, though defended by a mighty garrison in it. This may be applied to, our Lord Jesus Christ entering into the city of a man's heart, possessed by the strong man armed; overcoming him, taking from him his armour, and dividing his spoil, Luke 11:21; compare with this...

CHAPTER 21 PERSONAL INSTRUCTIONS AS TO LIFE AND CONDUCT In the proverbs of this chapter the Lord is mentioned five times. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will” Proverbs 21:1). The rivers of water are “water-courses,” the irrigation system known to the ancients, opening and shutting sluices directed the flow of the waters. Thus the Lord governs the king's heart as He directs the affairs of men. The Lord pondereth the hearts Proverbs 21:2). The same truth is stated in Proverbs 16:2; self-justification suits the natural man but the Lord testeth all hearts. How well it is to remember in all our conduct, that truth, so comforting to the believer, expr

PROVERBS 21:1. WATERCOURSES: not the natural brooks and wadys of Palestine, but the artificial irrigation canals of Egypt or Babylonia, which could be diverted in any direction at will. Proverbs 21:4. Apparently two unconnected lines belonging to different couplets. A connexion can be established only by forced exegesis. The Heb. is lit. lofty of look and arrogant of heart, the tillage of the wicked is sin. RV lamp for tillage depends on a different pointing, but does not improve the sense. Proverbs 21:6. Lit. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue (is) a driven breath, seekers of death. RV clearly inserts more than the text warrants to make sense of...

CASTETH DOWN. Illustrations: Joshua (Joshua 6:3; Joshua 8:4); wise woman (2 Samuel 20:16. Compare Ecclesiastes 9:13)....

While asserting the superiority of skill to force in actual warfare (comp. Joshua 8:3-29; Ecclesiastes 9:13-15), the proverb admits of higher applications. Comp. 2 Corinthians 10:4, where as Dean Plumptre (_Speaker's Comm_.) suggests, πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων, may be a reminiscence of the LXX. rendering here, καθεῖλε τὸ ὀχύρωμα....

TEXT Proverbs 21:21-31 21. He that followeth after righteousness and kindness Findeth life, righteousness, and honor. 22. A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles. 24. The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name; He worketh in the arrogance of pride. 25. The desire of the sluggard killeth him; For his hands refuse to labor. 26. There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind! 28. A false witness shall perish; But the man that heareth shall speak so as t