Proverbs 21:28

A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. A FALSE WITNESS SHALL PERISH: BUT THE MAN THAT HEARETH (I:E., WHO TESTIFIES ONLY TO WHAT HE HIMSELF HAS HEARD) SPEAKETH CONSTANTLY - i:e., shall continually have the power given him to be a witness. He shall not be put to silence as a liar (; ). Gejer takes "heareth in the sense, "the man that heareth" those things only which ought to be heard-namely, the commandments of God, among which is this one, Do not bear false witness (Rabbi Salomon); the man who is swift to hear, slow to speak (), who heareth such things as tend to edification, charity, and clearing of the innocent....

SPEAKETH CONSTANTLY - His testimony abides evermore who repeats simply what he has heard, whether from the lips of men or from the voice within, in contrast with “the false witness.”...

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 FALSE WITNESS SHALL PERISH,.... As witness he shall perish in his reputation, no credit shall be given him, he shall not be admitted an evidence, or a witness in any cause, being found a false one; and as a man, he shall be punished in body or estate by the civil magistrate, and his soul shall perish eternally, unless he has true repentance for his sin: or, a witness of lies shall perish k it may be applied to any teacher of false doctrine; and to the man of sin, and his followers, that speak lies in hypocrisy; everyone that loves and makes a lie shall die the second death, and be excluded from eternal happiness, Revelation 21:8; BUT THE MAN THAT HEARETH; before he speaks, and speaks what he hears, and does not devise things himself; but witnesses the truth, and nothing else, to the best of his knowledge: SPEAKETH CONSTANTLY; invariably and cons

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...

SHALL PERISH. Illustrations: Pashur(Jeremiah 20:4); Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:1; Jeremiah 28:10); the false prophets (Jeremiah 29:21); Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:31; Jeremiah 29:32); Amaziah (Amos 7:10). SPEAKETH. Supply the Ellipsis (App-6), "speaketh [the truth] evermore. ...

_that heareth_ Either (1) who listens to the voice of duty and of conscience (ἀνὴρ ὑπήκοος, LXX.; vir obediens, Vulg.); or (2) who simply states in evidence what he has heard, "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" (qui non nisi quæ ipse audivit testatur Maurer). Comp. ὃ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπαγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, 1 John 1:3. _constantly_ Lit. FOR EVER, _so as to endure_, R.V. marg. He will live on to speak, in contrast to the false witness who will perish. This preserves the parallelism better than _shall speak unchallenged_, (R.V. text), i.e. shall speak on, without being interrupted by cross-questioning, or objection, because his testimony will carry conviction, and be listened to with respectful silence....

BUT THE MAN THAT HEARETH— Dr. Grey would render this, _But an obedient or good man will be careful of what he speaks._ Houbigant has it, _He who hearkeneth to justice shall be victorious in his cause._...

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