Proverbs 25:21

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, GIVE HIM BREAD. Quoted in ; ; cf. Introduction to Poetical Books....

Verse Proverbs 25:21. _IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY_] See this and the next verse explained, Romans 12:20....

A precept reproduced by Paul Romans 12:20; the second clause of which seems at first sight to suggest a motive incompatible with a true charity. Leviticus 16:12 suggests an explanation. The high priest on the Day of Atonement was to take his censer, to fill it with “coals of fire,” and then to put the incense thereon for a sweet-smelling savor. So it is here. The first emotion in another caused by the good done to him may be one of burning shame, but the shame will do its work and the heart also will burn, and prayer and confession and thanksgiving will rise as incense to the throne of God. Thus, “we shall overcome evil with good.”...

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-29:27 PART VI. SECOND GREAT COLLECTION OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS, gathered by "the men of Hezekiah," in which wisdom is set forth as the greatest blessing to the king and his subjects. PROVERBS 25:1 _The_ _superscription: _THESE ARE ALSO PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, WHICH THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH COPIED OUT. The word "also" implies that a previous collection was known to the compiler of the present book—probably the one which we have in Pr 10-22:16, of which nine proverbs are inserted here. But there was still a large number of proverbial sayings attributed to Solomon, and preserved partly by oral tradition and partly in writing, which it was advisable to colle

IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, GIVE HIM BREAD TO EAT,.... Which includes all manner of food; whatever persons may have in their houses, that they should bring out and feed the hungry with, even though an enemy; AND IF HE BE THIRSTY, GIVE HIM WATER TO DRINK; which was what was usually and in common drank in those countries. These two, bread and water, take in all the necessaries of life; and giving them is expressive of all acts of beneficence and humanity to be performed to enemies; see 2 Kings 6:22; or "drink to him", so Pagninus and Montanus; which is still more expressive of respect and kindness....

IV. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON COLLECTED BY THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH CHAPTER 25 Here begin the proverbs which the good king Hezekiah, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, added to this book. “This title is interesting as affording a proof that a revival of literary activity accompanied the revival of religion and of national prosperity which marked the reign of Hezekiah. The men of Hezekiah were doubtless a body of scribes engaged under the direction of the king in literary labors.” Very fittingly the opening verses of this collected portion of proverbs relate to the king. While it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, the glory of kings is to search out a matter. God has many things concealed as to Himself, the great universe, creation and His ways in providence; but kings should inquire diligently into the matters brought before them and search them out in their administration of justi...

FIRST DIVISION. In general character this division shows a resemblance to the Sayings of the Wise, containing a number of quatrains and synthetic couplets, and but few antithetic couplets. PROVERBS 25:2 B. A series of three quatrains relating to kings. Proverbs 25:4 b. Very obscure. Refining silver does not produce a vessel, and the parallelism with Proverbs 25:5 b is unsatisfactory. LXX it will be wholly purified probably represents the original text. Proverbs 25:6 f. _cf._ Luke 14:8....

IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, &C. Quoted in Romans 12:20. compare 1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9. Illustrations: Azariah, Berachiah, &c. (2 Chronicles 28:12); Elisha (2 Kings 6:19). By the Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Species), these examples are put for all similar kinds....

DISCOURSE: 809 RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL Proverbs 25:21. _If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shall heap coals of fire upon his head; and the Lord shall reward thee_. THE morality both of the Old and New Testament is the same. Some have imagined, that because our blessed Lord said, “A new Commandment give I unto you,” he has in his Gospel enlarged the duties of his followers beyond what was required by the moral law. But no command of his was new _in itself_, but only in _its circumstances;_ as being enjoined from new principles, and illustrated by new examples. Morality does not depend on any arbitrary appointment: it arises out of the relation which we bear to God as our common Parent, and to each other as Brethren: and, irrespective of any express revelation of it, “To love God with all

IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, &C.— The plain meaning of this seems to be, "Be kind to your enemy; for that is the surest way to gain his love, and God's blessing." It is true, _coals of fire_ are seldom taken in a good sense, when used metaphorically; they commonly signify _punishment_ or _vengeance;_ but then they are always said or supposed to be heaped up by God himself. And surely, God's heaping up coals may well be allowed to be very different from ours; for to Him vengeance belongs, but to us it belongs not. But why may not coals of fire, so necessary to the use and comfort of life, be used in a good sense too? It is certain, however, that a _coal of fire_ is once so used. 2 Samuel 14:7. _And so they shall quench my coal of fire which is left, i.e_. "shall deprive me of my little remaining comfort." And once, the metaphor, though by a different Hebrew word, is